CONFLICT ZONE: World War I & II

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From the trenches of Europe to the mushroom clouds over Japan, the first half of the 20th century reshaped armed warfare. So far, World War I (WWI) and World War II (WWII) remain the largest and most destructive conflicts in human history. They redefined the global balance of power and transformed military innovation worldwide. This photo feature offers a chronicle of that transformation, tracing the strategic shifts that forever changed the battlespace. When WWI (1914–1918) erupted, armies marched with cavalry traditions and 19th-century tactics. However, within four years, battlefields became testing grounds for modern technologies.

The first picture captures L-boat submarines stationed in the Azores in the North Atlantic Ocean. Operated by the United States (US) Navy, these boats were reportedly deployed between 1917 and 1918. They were among the first submarines used in naval warfare.