The electronic telegraph was extremely vital to military efforts in the Civil War. 15,000 miles of lines were built just for military use. They also took over commercial lines as well. The operators worked at great risk to them selves. So the military could keep the guise that they were not using the telegraph system, the operators were not actually part of the military. Because of this when one of them died, the military denied that they worked for them thus their families recieved no military benefits. This tecnology far surrpassed the usefulness of the horse when relaying messages.A. W. Greely, Major-General, United States Army THE MILITARY-TELEGRAPH SERVICE
http://www.civilwarhome.com/telegraph.htm
The telegraph was extremly useful for the military and the militarys use for it really helped it grow. The military was also the key reason for the development of the morris code so messages could be sent without enemy interception. These electronic codes caused a great deal of people to become both telegraphs and code breakers. The telegraph reached far beyond the military as well as changing communication as a whole. The militarys work on creating complex codes that couldn't be broken was an art form that kept us safe. It was an art for a purpose. Its tragic that the early telegraphs were not properly credited by the military for their work, but they sacrificed for our country and did their best to protect us.
ReplyDeleteThis is such an excellent theme to examine, especially in present times. The advancements of technology have most definitely made a positive impact on the military. The telegraph was just the beginning. This invention allowed for better communication. It was a step up from carrier pigeons and Morse Code. The telegraph gave soldiers the ability to give greater detail; it was also more reliable. The benefits and effects are endless. As technology advances men and women in the military will be more safe and be able to fight a more efficient battle.
ReplyDeleteYes it is hard to imagine how effective communication was in the past, especially when it came to wars. This was perhaps the most important circumstance of communication. The telegraph not only improved communication throughout the world, but it had tremendous effects in war. The faster word could be received the faster help would arrive for the wounded. Good points brought up throughout blog, nice work guys.
ReplyDelete