How Did The Railway Affect The Western World's Conduct Of War?

On 15 September 1830, the Liverpool and Manchester Railway opened in the United Kingdom. This marked the first time that a locomotive would move passengers, goods, and mail without the need for horses or cable: the train propelled itself by steam alone. John B. Jervis, an engineer who would later build the United States’ first five rail lines, reflected on this day by remarking “It must be regarded as opening the epoch of railways which has revolutionised the social and commercial intercourse of the civilized world.” Unbeknownst to Jervis, the railway had a massive impact on not only the social and commercial spheres, but also precipitated a radical transformation of military transportation. A train could move travellers and parcels equally as well as soldiers and artillery shells. Thus, how did the development of the railroad affect the Western World’s conduct of war? This paper will argue that the advent of the railroad was imperative in revolutionizing military logistics, consequently forcing a shift in the conduct of war and driving the …show more content…
By examining why the operation failed logistically, the discussion will show the need for improved transportation moving into the 19th century. The second case will be about the preliminary, experimental use of railroads during the Crimean war. This section will explore the military doctrine behind the railroad’s adoption for use, its successes and lessons learned moving forwards. The third study will examine the American Civil War, termed the “first railway war,” and discuss why railroads had such an impact on the conflict. This section will contain the largest discussion of the paper, as it is the clearest example of the impact of railroads on warfare. Fourth, the paper will cover the Prussian doctrine regarding railways under Field Marshall Helmuth von Moltke, and argue that the effective use of railways for logistics was the key to Prussian