War-Superior technology

Conflict of War

Superior technology

Britain became a colonial power on the back of its superior and overwhelming science and technology. Throughout history, those that have the technology have the power. Science provides the overwhelming balance of power as seen with the use of nuclear weapons during WW2. But lets take a look at two very important events whose outcome relied solely on technology.

On November 16 1532, in the Peruvian highlands, in the town of Cajamarca, gathered 80,000 Inca warriors commanded by their ruler and living god , Atahuallpa, pictured on the right.

The warriors, dressed in woven hemp and armed with clubs and slingshots waited impatiently in the darkness for the morning sun. At dawn, their living god, Atahuallpa, announced his decision that the foreign intruders, conquistadores, had to be destroyed. The bodies of these invaders, whose ways had offended the Inca gods, would be torn apart and their hearts and livers offered as sacrifice to the gods. WIth the wave of his hand Atahuallpa sent his men into battle.

The Spanish commander, Captain Francisco Pizzarro, pictured on the right, watched the approach of the overwhelming Inca army. Pizzarro with only 167 men, about 36 cavalrymen and 30 arquebusiers in the centre stood calm. The Spanish were all outfitted with the standard steel helmet, steel breast plate and double edged sword.

As the Incan army approached to within 200 metres the arquebusiers let loose a volley into the packed mass. The rest of the Spaniards attacked slashing and stabbing all before them. The additional impact of the charging 36 or so cavalrymen horrified the now panic stricken Inca warriors, who were convinced that they were fighting unknown gods. Never before seen a horse, the Inca were convinced that horse and rider were part of a double headed god.

Gold was the reason that the Spaniards had conquered the Incas and this defeat led to the destruction of their culture and civilisation. The destruction of the Incas by such a small force was largely due to the superior armament of the Spaniards which was the direct result of European science and technology. But this was by no means the only factor. For decades the Spanish had destroyed many civilisation in South America such as the Aztecs of Mexico. However the fact that these civilisations did not have a written language meant that the threat and intent of the Spaniards could not be conveyed and analysed amongst them. The consequence of this was that civilisation after civilisation was conquered by relatively small number of Spaniards by overwhelming, god like technology. On the other hand, the Spaniards with their written language could convey the riches present in South America, strength and culture of the local civilisations and routes to follow. This allowed Spain to organise military expeditions to acquire the gold.

Discuss the fall of the Incas with reference to the statement below.
"Civilisations locked in the confines of theocracy that had convinved their people there was no need change or adapt could not even begin to understand the threat from civilisations for whom change and adaptation had become as natural as breathing" Taken from Science Goes To War by Ernest Volkman

To what extent did the absence of a written language contribute to the demise of the Inca civilisation?

Continue with the machinegun

Home

Conflict of War Superior technology
Britain became a colonial power on the back of its superior and overwhelming science and technology. Throughout history, those that have the technology have the power. Science provides the overwhelming balance of power as seen with the use of nuclear weapons during WW2. But lets take a look at two very important events whose outcome relied solely on technology.
On November 16 1532, in the Peruvian highlands, in the town of Cajamarca, gathered 80,000 Inca warriors commanded by their ruler and living god , Atahuallpa, pictured on the right.
The warriors, dressed in woven hemp and armed with clubs and slingshots waited impatiently in the darkness for the morning sun. At dawn, their living god, Atahuallpa, announced his decision that the foreign intruders, conquistadores, had to be destroyed. The bodies of these invaders, whose ways had offended the Inca gods, would be torn apart and their hearts and livers offered as sacrifice to the gods. WIth the wave of his hand Atahuallpa sent his men into battle.
The Spanish commander, Captain Francisco Pizzarro, pictured on the right, watched the approach of the overwhelming Inca army. Pizzarro with only 167 men, about 36 cavalrymen and 30 arquebusiers in the centre stood calm. The Spanish were all outfitted with the standard steel helmet, steel breast plate and double edged sword. As the Incan army approached to within 200 metres the arquebusiers let loose a volley into the packed mass. The rest of the Spaniards attacked slashing and stabbing all before them. The additional impact of the charging 36 or so cavalrymen horrified the now panic stricken Inca warriors, who were convinced that they were fighting unknown gods. Never before seen a horse, the Inca were convinced that horse and rider were part of a double headed god.
Gold was the reason that the Spaniards had conquered the Incas and this defeat led to the destruction of their culture and civilisation. The destruction of the Incas by such a small force was largely due to the superior armament of the Spaniards which was the direct result of European science and technology. But this was by no means the only factor. For decades the Spanish had destroyed many civilisation in South America such as the Aztecs of Mexico. However the fact that these civilisations did not have a written language meant that the threat and intent of the Spaniards could not be conveyed and analysed amongst them. The consequence of this was that civilisation after civilisation was conquered by relatively small number of Spaniards by overwhelming, god like technology. On the other hand, the Spaniards with their written language could convey the riches present in South America, strength and culture of the local civilisations and routes to follow. This allowed Spain to organise military expeditions to acquire the gold.
Discuss the fall of the Incas with reference to the statement below. "Civilisations locked in the confines of theocracy that had convinved their people there was no need change or adapt could not even begin to understand the threat from civilisations for whom change and adaptation had become as natural as breathing" Taken from Science Goes To War by Ernest Volkman To what extent did the absence of a written language contribute to the demise of the Inca civilisation?
Continue with the machinegun
Home