World War II witnessed advancements in military technology in an unprecedented fashion. The major alliances joined the warfare with highly sophisticated weapons due to the experience gained during World War I. This was not all; the war period experienced the development of even more advanced weapons. In fact, the end of the combat was arguable as a result of technological advancements. The Hiroshima bombing, the event that ultimately led to the surrender of Japan, was an indication of the level of technological advancement. The deployment of technology played an integral part in the outcome of the warfare.
The atomic bomb technology is a glaring example of the role of technology during the war. Its development altered the nature of war like never seen before. The Japanese atomic bombings weakened the country alongside her allies to the extent that Japan had no option but to surrender (Foner 877). Although some argue that at the time of the two bombings Japan was already too weak militarily to continually sustain the war, there is a high possibility that the events forced Japan to relinquish the war. The atomic bomb technology also ignited fear among Japanese allies who lacked adequate weapons to avenge the attacks. In addition, the allies did not want a repeat of the Japan incidents due to their adverse ramifications.
Technology can also be said to have served as a huge source of motivation. It could actually have sparked the war due to the fact that Hitler was determined to test the waters of his military power. Moreover, technology helped boost transport. As opposed to during earlier wars when the only reliable means of transport was the use of horses, road transport was a common form of transport. A large number of British and American soldiers used motor vehicles, while the German and Soviet soldiers were partially motorized (Lee 176). Technology also contributed to a massive change in military operations. The use of the radar, for instance, helped reduce movements from one place to the other. Besides, technology also helped reduce war spending; it led to the minimization of resources to support the war. For instance, technology replaced human resources. A fewer number of soldiers were required to take part in the war.
On the other hand, technology also affected the prosecution and resolution of the war. Technology, for instance, contributed to Hitler’s aggression. He was convinced that Germany was one of the greatest nations militarily, and even went on to start the war in order to validate this assertion. Technology also helped the recording of events that subsequently served as evidence during the prosecution of Nazis charged for a war crime. The radar would help document details of attacks perpetrated by opposing sides. In addition, the use of technology helped speed up the prosecution of those responsible for the substantial crime against humanity. The development of means of transport aided the arrest and prosecution of Nazi soldiers (Cook and Theodore 580).
To sum up, technology led to a huge impact on World War II. The end of the warfare was in particular as a result of advancement in technology. The Japanese bombings, which epitomized the peak of technological advancement, played an essential role in the events leading to the end of the combat. Japan bowed out of the war following the bombings. It is thus explicit that technology affected the outcome of the war.
Works Cited
Cook, H. Taya, and Theodore f. Cook. “A Lost War in Living Memory: Japan’s Second World War.” European Review 11.4 (2003): 573-93. ProQuest. Web. 25 Feb. 2015.
Foner, Eric. Give Me Liberty! An American History. New York: W.W. Norton & Company, 2014. Print.
Lee, Loyd E. World War II in Asia and the Pacific and the War’s Aftermath, with General Themes: A Handbook of Literature and Research. Westport, Conn: Greenwood Press, 1998. Print.