Changes

Wars have often been periods of great technological innovation as each side finds itself faced with the necessity of creating new methods of offense and defense to ensure national survival.  The [[American Civil War]], coming only a decade after the [[Industrial revolution]] took root in the United States, introduced mechanized warfare to the world with metal [[warship]]s, [[railway|railroad]] transportation of forces and material, and instant communication via the [[telegraph]].  The conflict known as the Great War (later called [[World War I]]) introduced air combat, [[chemical warfare]], [[submarine]] and [[tank (military)|tank]] warfare, and the large scale deployment of the [[machine gun]].  [[World War II]] refined tank tactics in the form of the [[Blitzkrieg]] as the [[aircraft carrier]] took mastery of the seas.  It ended with the first use of [[nuclear weapon]]s in wartime.

Wars have often been periods of great technological innovation as each side finds itself faced with the necessity of creating new methods of offense and defense to ensure national survival.  The [[American Civil War]], coming only a decade after the [[Industrial revolution]] took root in the United States, introduced mechanized warfare to the world with metal [[warship]]s, [[railway|railroad]] transportation of forces and material, and instant communication via the [[telegraph]].  The conflict known as the Great War (later called [[World War I]]) introduced air combat, [[chemical warfare]], [[submarine]] and [[tank (military)|tank]] warfare, and the large scale deployment of the [[machine gun]].  [[World War II]] refined tank tactics in the form of the [[Blitzkrieg]] as the [[aircraft carrier]] took mastery of the seas.  It ended with the first use of [[nuclear weapon]]s in wartime.

The decades after World War II saw America emerge as a military colossus, unchallenged and irresistable on the battlefield head-on, but vulnerable to a new type of [[asymmetrical warfare]] against an enemy who shuns uniforms, hides among the populace, and employs cheap but effective improvised weapons against multi-million dollar U.S. hardware.

The decades after World War II saw America's military emerge as a powerful force, but vulnerable to a new type of [[asymmetrical warfare]] against an enemy who shuns uniforms, hides among the populace, and employs cheap but effective improvised weapons against multi-million dollar U.S. hardware.{{fact}}

[[category:sociology]]

[[category:sociology]]