mcom3190

There are many examples of the profound effects of the invention and implementation of the telegraph. It can be argued that none were as profound as the effects on military communications. In the United States, the first major conflict in which the telegraph played a major role was the civil war. Prior to the telegraph, the speed with which a military commander could gather information, disseminate intelligence, issue orders, and receive updates from subordinate commanders in the field, was limited to forms of communication that had been in use for several thousand years. These methods included: foot or mounted (horse) messengers, reflective surfaces known as heliographs, flags, and extended systems of towers used to pass signals in a form of visual relay called an optical telegraph.

These methods placed limitations on commanders at the Army, corps, and division levels. These levels of command include large numbers of personnel and large quantities of equipment and supplies. It is critical for commanders at all three of these levels to be able to make sound and timely decisions, and issue orders to his subordinate commanders as quickly as possible. In the History Channel’s Telegraph During the American Civil War, a map of the whole civil war theater of operations was displayed in order to show the advantage in the number of telegraph lines that the North had over the South. Throughout history, opposing military forces are always striving for any advantage over the enemy. A leap forward in capability such as the telegraph, and the ability of the North to out-produce the South in this area gave them a distinct advantage which had a profound effect on many of the battlefield systems of the era.

The telegraph led to the early field telephones that were first employed during WWI. These phones were much more compact, and required no real skill in order to operate and effectively communicate with other elements on the battlefield. This allowed instantaneous communications down to the company and platoon levels while occupying a fixed position, without the need to be in visual contact. These innovations revolutionized warfare and were significant factors in the evolution into the mechanized form of warfare we know today.