Military Revolution and Gunpowder

The Michael Roberts Military Revolution between 1560 and 1660

The Michael Roberts Military Revolution between 1560 and 1660 talk is credited with sparking discussions about the military revolution. The talk was given at Belfast Queen University in 1955. Roberts explained how warfare has changed significantly over the past 100 years. (Thompson, n.d).

The Revolution in Tactical Strategies

The revolution in tactical strategies, along with improvements in drills, linear formations, and larger armies, served to define the transition. The size and scope of the armies had a profound effect on civilization.

Geoffrey Parker’s Refutation

Geoffrey Parker refuted the argument made by Roberts, arguing that the change had actually started earlier. Parker highlighted that the aspect of professionalism and organization into small units was undertaken by the Italian armies in the 15th century. Parker continued research on military revolution led to the expansion of the topic with the assessment of the west (Thompson, n.d.). In his exploration and research of the western world, Parker traced an imperialist gunpowder domination. The new siege of weapons led to an improvement in fortifications that required huge garrisons which contributed to the increased army sizes.

The Increasing Impact of the War

The increasing impact of the war is attributed to the increasing weapons of destruction, hence, making technology to be at the center of the activity in the military revolution. The emphasis in technology became the basis for the maintenance of power in the non-western countries (Thompson, n.d.). The aspects of fortification and gunpowder, hence, gained importance with advancing technologies attributed to the military revolution.

The Gunpowder Revolution

The gunpowder revolution was characterized by the evolution of the black powder. The military revolution is partly attributed to the innovation of weapons of black powder after the introduction into European nations. The initial contribution of the gunpowder was perceived to be patchy since the weapons of gunpowder were limited by the weapon user strength and tactical needs. The above argument stirs the center of military revolution since the firearms generated the roots of the revolution. The gunpowder contribution to the increasing size of the armies and changes in tactical approaches cannot be measured easily (Weapons and Warfare, 2016). However, since the evolution of firearms took place proportionately to the military evolution, the initial development of the black powder and “wheel-lock pistol” indicates the role of firearms in the revolution.

The Incorporation of Gunpowder

The incorporation of the gunpowder was not controllable and resulted in an increased number of casualties. The bombardier could simply aim in the enemy’s direction and fire and was not able to choose whether to wound or kill. The increasing army size was also due to non-military reasons, including the hard times of the economies that led to people leaving peasantry for the military (Weapons and Warfare, 2016). The introduction of the pikemen formation tactic was an ineffective technique when combined with the gunpowder technology, hence, forcing armies to conduct defensive warfare.

The Major Improvements of Black Powder Weapons

The major improvements of the black powder weapons were a motivation of the necessity of the militaries to triumph. The disastrous consequences of the loss of a war characterized the rapid military revolution (Weapons and Warfare, 2016). In Europe, the increased warfare in the region required states to improve their military techniques and technology. In the eighteenth century, the advancement of military technology became a scientific affair with countries investing largely in the process to ensure they maintain an edge.

History of the Gunpowder

The innovation of the fire drug by the Chinese in the 800 AD was a transformational cornerstone for the advancement of technology globally. The early form of the gunpowder was not explosive compared to later advancements. The Chinese used the mixtures of the early forms of the gunpowder to burn people and structures (Andrade, 2013). More proper guns were developed between the years 1200 and 1300. The weapon transformation was incorporated in various warfare at the time in large numbers. The Ming Dynasty with the use of the gunpowder technology triumphed and was attributed as the gunpowder empire.

The use of gunpowder and guns spread beyond China. The closest neighbors of the Chinese empire had to adopt the technology for warfare use. The Japanese empire adopted the gunpowder technology later in the 1400, similarly to the Koreans (Andrade, 2013). The two nations did not adopt the technology quickly. In Europe, the emergence of the technology resulted in many changes in the society and states. The inception of gunpowder led to the destruction of feudalism and the rise of centralized states.

Conclusion

Massive innovation in artillery catalyzed warfare transformation and the inception of the gunpowder that was a well-advanced infantry tactic for use in defense and offense of the advancing tactical during the military revolution. The gunpowder was a military revolution. The characterization of the military revolution to the increase in the sizes of the armies, advancements in tactical and skilled approaches to war were attributed to the inception and use of the gunpowder technology. The technology in the Ming Empire led to its triumph over its enemies and was named the gunpowder empire. The triumph is a significant indication of the central role of the gunpowder in the military advancements during the military revolution.

References

Andrade, T. (2013). The Age of Gunpowder 1 Introduction: The Gunpowder Age and Global History.

Thompson, M. Military Revolutions and Revolutions in Military Affairs: Accurate Descriptions of Change or Intellectual Constructs. Retrieved from http://aedhgsa.ca/docs/Strata/Volume_3/Strata_vol3_MICHAEL_J_THOMPSON.pdf

Weapons and Warfare. (2016). The Military Revolution. Weapons and Warfare. Retrieved 19 September 2017, from https://weaponsandwarfare.com/2016/03/21/the-military-revolution/