The New England Westinghouse Contract is particularly interesting, because the ultimate plan was to convert the factory over for the production of 15,000 heavy machine guns something indispensable on the modern battlefield. The Lewis Gun was the British Armys most widely used machine-gun. In order to, "insure production it was found necessary to provide means of preserving the organization of [N.E.W.] There was a considerable disparity in 1914 between the deadly effectiveness of modern armaments and the doctrinal teachings of some armies. Much of this work was done by special Royal Engineers units formed of Welsh and Durham miners. Hew Strachan, historian. Additionally, a new inventory or serial number was also added to the underside of the wrist. In the correspondence, the three parties work out the particulars of sending some 88,952 unserviceable Krag rifles and carbines, along with Springfields supply of spare parts, to Watervliet for overhaul. Barbed wire is fencing wire containing sharp edges or spikes at various intervals. It was likely at this point that American War Department and Ordnance officials felt safe in assuming that the new Russian governments demand (and willingness to pay) for the rifles would be greatly reduced as they exited the war and turned their attentions inward. On an unsuspecting enemy, Britain unleashed its new secret weapon - the tank. -Long reload time. Designers and operators quickly learned from these problems, leading to the development of the Mark IV in 1917. The British used the Lee-Enfield Rifle throughout World War I. Itconsisted of a metal tube fixed to an anti-recoil plate. The rifle was standard issue for infantrymen from each country. Initially aircraft carried outartillery spotting and photographic reconnaissance. The planning and conduct of war in 1914 were crucially influenced by the invention of new weapons and the improvement of existing types since the Franco-German War of 187071. What was the significance of World War I? British soldiers marching to the front lines of the Battle of the Somme in World War I. They were also helped by the German reserves being positioned too far back to intervene. It had a maximum range of 2,280 metres, but an effective killing range of 550. Military Technology in World War Although Europeans some may see them as a genetically superior race, their large amounts of success is due to geographical advantages (Source 1)( Diamond, year).