5 most lethal weapons in history

All types of warfare require the perfect combination and balance of power and strategy, with the mind playing a notable role in achieving victory. Another important element that is extremely influential in any war is the weapon, considering it tends to change the whole equation of war in a matter of seconds! A single weapon or powerful attack can change the complete course of a war. There have been five exceptionally fatal and strangely unique weapons in the history of the world, which left lasting impacts on the history of wars and the destiny of nations.

Hiram Maxim in the year 1884 invented the first portable, fully automatic machine gun called the Maxim gun. It functioned on recoil operation to facilitate repeated fire. The Maxim gun established function in many armies. During World War I, it underwent heavy combat. Its astonishing ability to fire as many as 600 rounds per minute made it destructive against land-based group attacks with tremendous mortalities in the war zones of trench warfare. Trench warfare became the key feature of combat strategies as a result of the availability of machine guns.

Rifled barrels offered enhanced range and accuracy than smooth barrel muskets. Minie balls facilitated better loading while also having stronger combat effectiveness since they were conical bullets. Amongst them, the Springfield 1903, the Lee-Enfield, and the German Mauser are some of the best-known. Although, these rifles played a significant role in wars such as the American Civil War and World War I. Overuse of rifles manifested severe dangers to the combat zones.

Nuclear weapons were first introduced by scientists during World War II through the Manhattan Project of the United States. Their first successful test took place on July 16, 1945, in an event known as the Trinity test. Nuclear weapons work on two primary mechanisms- - the breaking of large heavy atomic nuclei, such as uranium or plutonium- - and the combination of small light atomic nuclei, such as isotopes of hydrogen. Fission bombs were set off in both Little Boy- - which was dropped on Hiroshima, and Fat Man- - which was dropped on Nagasaki, causing massive explosions that demolished everything instantly. The nuclear bombings resulted in the killing of approximately 200,000 people and exposed hundreds of thousands more to the suffering of radiation poisoning and other later health effects.

Biological warfare has been in use throughout history to present-day utilization, from the intentional contamination of water sources with pathogenic agents to the historic methods that put plague-infected bodies into rivers that facilitated water flow to cities under attack. Modern development has now employed even more frightening methods. These weapons utilize bacteria, viruses, or toxins that cause damage. Examples of some of the most famous agents include anthrax, botulinum toxin, and plague. They also can be spread via aerosols, food, or water supplies.

Shock cavalry emerged during the late Middle Ages, particularly among Mongolian and later European forces. They were of immense use in some battles, including that of 1415 at Agincourt and in the Napoleonic Wars. Shock cavalry leaders depended on their fast and battle-ready horses to clash with enemy defenses, shattering formations and causing turmoil. The dependence on horse speed often enabled surprise attacks on ground troops and abruptly shattered cohesion and combat effectiveness.