Quote Originally Posted by Baba Ga'on View Post
Nor have I heard of the British being the first to use bayonets. As far as I know it was the French, and the idea was rapidly adopted by all major European powers in turn, making it widespread by the 1660s.
True the French were the first to use it, but it was a very different weapon to the British, or should we call it the 'modern' bayonet (the really modern one is basically just a long knife) as I don't think the British actually invented it, but merely adopted it.

The French, initial, bayonet was a simple on the spot device. It was a blade with a handle you put into the barrel of the gun. Obviously that presented certain problems for the user, such as when is it prudent to use it, how can I shoot with it in place etc. The modern bayonet removed such problems and gave the user a readily useable short range defensive weapon, which later became a highly offensive weapon as tactics developed.

The modern bayonet was a quantum leap in effectiveness over the old French bayonet. But indeed it was hardly as important as the MG or repeating rifle.

I will personally say the machinegun, though the howitzer certainly does make a powerful case, being the most deadly weapon ever (it has the highest single toll of human life from human generated means, with about 60% of WWI casualties and another 40% from WWII), and it has only existed for around 150 years. Though the precursor, the bombard, is pretty old.