Identifying The First Weapon Of Mass Destruction!

May 26-2009:

Identifying The First Weapon Of Mass Destruction!


Today this thought came to mind, and I decided to pen a few that I can recall historically.

* The first weapon that killed several scores of people at one go was the cannon ball.

Before that it was the arrow and bow.

With the arrow and bow, any military at that time could line up several archers (as they are called) in a straight line, facing the enemy, shoot a volley into the air over the heads of their enemy, and hope that they would be able to severely injure or kill several at one go, in each volley of arrows shot.

* The cannon was very effective for sea battles, and for long distance fighting, and assaults. 

* Firing a cannon at another ship, or towards a fort, or barricade, could cause the injury and death or several scores of enemy troops at one time.

* Next came the Gatling Repeating Gun, (Richard Jordan Gatling from Indiana). This gun can shoot repeatedly until the belt of bullets expire. Killing several scores of the enemy troops in the process.

* Dynamite came on board some time afterwards. And this too could kill scores of people when planted secretly underground, in a building, or any place where a soft target of mass proportions can be obtained.

Ironically, this weapon is also being used in mining exploration, by the Industrial industries.

* Then subsequently came the Atom bomb. The impact and effect of that bomb, is common knowledge for anyone with knowledge of recent history in the Western hemisphere.

* Finally, we have the whopper (in terms of volume of deaths), the NUCLEAR missile. 

* This weapon could devastate an entire state or continent with one missile. 

And could destroy the entire planet with a few nuclear missiles fired at any enemy from any point on this planet.

Derryck.
NYC.