Does Technology Alone Win Wars And Lead To Victory?

RAJ MEHTA answers that despite the critical role of technology in fighting a war, human beings remain the most effective systems for determining its course. For, the conduct of war requires both science and art - leadership, quality soldiers, cohesive units/streamlined organisation

- RAJ MEHTA

There's been this nagging feeling; some would say even a belief throughout thousands of years of warfighting that technology has a decisive say in war and victory. The first recorded case of technology conferring a substantial military advantage was in the battle of Megiddo around 1500 BCE when the composite bow helped the Egyptians defeat the Canaanites. The introduction of iron swords to replace bronze ones in the Assyrian army of Tiglath Pileser III around 750 BCE was another instance of new military technology conferring a decisive advantage. The Pike and the deep phalanx formation for Pike blocks by the Macedonian armies of the 4th century BCE was a key factor in the success of Alexander the Great. The Asian introduction of the stirrup for cavalry, making fighting from horseback much easier was another such technological advantage which led to their success in de-seating enemy cavalrymen riding horses without stirrups besides ravaging their foot soldiery with better weapons held far more securely than they were without stirrups.