The changing nature of warfare, 1859–1991: perception and reality - 3…

The idea

The internal combustion engine transformed tanks, aircraft and transport in 1917–18. At Cambrai in November 1917, massed tanks broke the Hindenburg Line without a preliminary bombardment, but infantry and artillery could not exploit the gap, and German counter-attacks recovered ground. At Amiens in August 1918, over 500 tanks supported a surprise attack alongside aircraft, artillery and infantry, achieving a deep advance that began the Hundred Days. Aircraft used engines for reconnaissance, ground attack and bombing, while motorised transport moved supplies and troops faster. Radio, still primitive, allowed some wireless communication from aircraft and tanks, improving coordination and pointing towards mobile warfare, though reliability limited its impact.

What earns the marks

• Explains how the internal combustion engine made tanks mechanically viable, enabling Cambrai's initial breakthrough without a lengthy bombardment.
• Assesses the limits of tank impact at Cambrai, including mechanical breakdowns, difficult terrain and lack of infantry-artillery coordination.
• Contrasts Cambrai 1917 with Amiens 1918, where improved tank-infantry-aircraft cooperation produced a deeper, more sustained advance.
• Evaluates the role of aircraft engines in reconnaissance, ground attack and bombing, and their contribution to battlefield intelligence and disruption.
• Analyses how motorised transport increased the speed and scale of supply and troop movement, supporting offensive operations.
• Examines radio's First World War use in aircraft and tanks, noting its potential for real-time coordination and its technical limitations.
• Links these developments to the concept of mobile warfare, showing how they influenced later interwar thinking.
• Reaches a substantiated judgement on the relative significance of each technology in 1917–18.

Common mistakes and how to put them right

• Treating Cambrai as a complete Allied victory.

  Put it right: Cambrai began with a successful breakthrough but ended with German counter-attacks recovering much ground.

• Assuming radio was reliable and widespread in the First World War.

  Put it right: Radio sets were bulky, fragile and scarce, so its impact was limited and experimental.

• Describing Amiens as solely a tank battle.

  Put it right: Amiens combined tanks, aircraft, artillery and infantry in a coordinated surprise attack.

Exam tips

• Plan your answer around the three engine applications (tanks, aircraft, transport) and radio, ensuring each is addressed.
• Use precise examples from Cambrai and Amiens to support claims about impact and limitations.
• When judging significance, compare the relative importance of each technology and link to mobile warfare.
• Avoid narrative; analyse cause and consequence, and sustain a clear argument throughout.