Aerial+Photography+During+WWI

=Aerial Photography During WWI=

The first World War battle grounds covered vast expanses of land, far more than have been covered in previous wars. As the battalions would move across the continent it became more an more difficult to monitor the location of allies and enemies. The use of aerial reconnaissance made it possible to keep track of troop's position. The officers would also rely on the observations of the pilots themselves, which often times were exaggerated or mistaken. To quicken the process wireless telegraph equipment was placed in the planes in 1915 so pilots could communicate with ground troops in a matter of moments using morse code. However this information was not always reliable as the troops often looked very similar covered with mud buried in the trenches. Never the less, the ability to precisely view the battlefield from above was crucial for developing battle plans that ultimately lead to the allies' victory in Europe. The creation of aerial reconnaissance also took the fight to the air. As planes become more advanced, and aerial photograph yielded more information to their proprietors, there was more focus placed on keeping the opposition from capturing the images. This lead to the creation of the dogfight, the introduction of plane on plane combat. = = == Aerial photograph taken of the trenches

An aerial photograph taken of trench fortifications

Aerial view of the remaining ruins in Vaux, France in 1918

An aerial image of Passchendaele village before and then after a battle.