The "firsts" of the First World War

The First World War had more "firsts" then only being the first world war...

The first time a chemical weapon was used on a massive scale (by Germany at the Second Battle of Ypres on 22 April 1915 chlorine gas was used)

As a result of gas attacks, gas masks were used for the first time

The first time tanks were built and used in a battle (by British at the Battle of Somme on 15 September 1916)

The first battle in air (planes were used mostly for reconnaissance but latter developed into full air battles with strikers)

The first time photography was used (mostly for air crafts. But it's also the first war of which video material are made. Some photographs, however, were staged)

The first battle were steel helmets of the similar form were used (at the beginning of war, soldiers had soft hats and were issued steel helmets only later)

The first large scale extensive use of machine guns (by all parties)

The first (and probably the only) time a dog reached sergeant rank (Sergeant Stubby, which ended having higher rank than his owner)

The first time of double digit millions of losses (humans, horses, dogs, pigeons) for no result at all (the stalemate that was the Western front and Gallipoli)




And it was also the last war in some cases...

The last war where horses and cavalry were used (approximately 8 million horses died during the war)

The last war where French went with their iconic red trousers (they used them at the beginning of the war)





There might be more "first" and "last" times...