30 Inventions That Shaped Military History

The history of combat can be defined by eras of technological development. Civilizations that have found smarter ways to wage war won out over those with archaic technology, solidifying, dynasties, borders, and empires. The trebuchet, the longbow, gunpowder, the rifle, the nuclear bomb. Each has won wars and signaled the start of a new epoch of war.

To identify 30 inventions that revolutionized combat, 24/7 Wall St. reviewed independent research from a variety of sources. These inventions were not always initially meant to be used in warfare, but when the technology was repurposed for military use, the technology forever changed the way wars were fought. (These are 18 of the deadliest weapons of all time.)

One notable example of this is the continuous track tread, the metal belts of a tank that allow it to roll over barbed wire and hedgerows with ease. The belts were initially invented in California to provide grain harvesters the traction needed to roll across bumpy fields. (It also works the other way around, as with these 19 commercial products that were invented by the military.)

Click here to see 30 inventions that shaped military history

Other inventions were always intended for military use, such as the six-foot English longbow that could send an arrow into a horseman from as far as a half-mile away. The weapon, invented by the Celts in what is Wales today, was designed specifically for combat and it radically altered the political landscape of Europe by giving the English a formidable battlefield advantage.

Other important inventions in military history, like modern global positioning systems or the internet itself, were always intended to be used by both civilians and soldiers.

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