The possible role of computers in WWI

OTL, computers began serious development around the WW2 era, where they originally served in grinding out artillery firing tables (eg, ENIAC) and bombsights on aircraft (eg, Norden bombsight). What if we were able to bring similar computers back to WWI? How would that effect the role of artillery and air craft? What would happen to tanks, which can't as easily benefit from them? To simplify things, assume that technology isn't drastically altered, so computing technology is the only field that's really advanced compared to OTL. Electrical and mechanical engineering will probably require a slight, but not large boost.
 
Nothing should happen to tanks, other than a few more get blown up by more accurate artillery, since tanks helped break trench warfare into wars of movement.
 
Nothing should happen to tanks, other than a few more get blown up by more accurate artillery, since tanks helped break trench warfare into wars of movement.

Well, I was wondering more if more accurate artillery and bombers against static targets could help force more movement, taking away the impetus behind the tank's creation.
 
Well, I was wondering more if more accurate artillery and bombers against static targets could help force more movement, taking away the impetus behind the tank's creation.

I should think not; the artillery in WWI was used from static emplacements against static targets; honestly, it's pretty accurate. Most of the inaccuracy that does occur arises from incomplete knowledge of the target's precise location, and the wind. Short of a comprehensive aerial reconnaissance system and weather balloons with microelectronic wind sensor, you're not going to be able to make the artillery that much more accurate.
 
Well, I've been working on a time line where Nikolai Tesla invents the transistor in 1897. Subsequently, you see proliferation of radio technology, and the use of some electronic calculators and radar sets to do counter battery fire etc.
 
There were some "Computer" use in WWI...

bevor some one say there were no Computer back in 1914
there were Mechanical calculator not electronic Computer !

mostly used on Battle ships Guns or in Harbors for Tides calulation.

but they was not much used by Military: too New, too strange technology

after 1918 Mechanical Computer became popular
until in WW2 they switch on radiotube Calculator

http://www.darkroastedblend.com/2008/09/stunningly-intricate-curta-mechanical.html
show also russian Mechanical calculator from 1914
 
Decryption comes to mind.... I don't remember the details of the signint of WWI but I think the French cracked the German codes anyway and the French fought on home ground so they had much more communication on cable, uninterceptable. And then there was the Zimmerman thingy...
 
the French fought on home ground so they had much more communication on cable, uninterceptable.

Not so! The Germans used induction coils around telecommunication wires in WWI to "listen in". They had a well organised system in place to position these intercepts in the landlines used on the Western Front. The Royal Signals eventually discovered this and in the British and Empire forces, at least, even landline communications were in code.
 
There were some "Computer" use in WWI...

bevor some one say there were no Computer back in 1914
there were Mechanical calculator not electronic Computer !

mostly used on Battle ships Guns or in Harbors for Tides calulation.

but they was not much used by Military: too New, too strange technology

after 1918 Mechanical Computer became popular
until in WW2 they switch on radiotube Calculator

http://www.darkroastedblend.com/2008/09/stunningly-intricate-curta-mechanical.html
show also russian Mechanical calculator from 1914

Yeah, but there weren't real modern computers back then. Not programmable, not Turing complete, etc etc. I'm talking about the full computers not developed until the 40s (even if they're still very limited).

That's one possibilty. Another is computer generated encryption protocols.

I dunno. Cryptography is an extremely complex science. I'm sure they had the math to do basic cryptography back then, but I don't know if they had applied it enough to do cryptography much more useful than what they already had. It would be interesting if we could see a successfully transferred Zimmerman telegram (although I'm sure there have been TLs like this already).
 
Decryption comes to mind.... I don't remember the details of the signint of WWI but I think the French cracked the German codes anyway and the French fought on home ground so they had much more communication on cable, uninterceptable. And then there was the Zimmerman thingy...

The British cracked the German codes, thanks to events in the Baltic and Persia. Also they intercepted the Zimmerman Telegram since most transatlantic cables passed thru Britain.
 
Decryption comes to mind.... I don't remember the details of the signint of WWI but I think the French cracked the German codes anyway and the French fought on home ground so they had much more communication on cable, uninterceptable. And then there was the Zimmerman thingy...
WW1-era crypto (no cypher machines) didn't desperately need computers to break it.

There are 2 areas that occur to me: better AA (pretty haphazard WW1), which makes improved a/c possible, in response; & better sub torpedo firecontrol ("Gen 0.5" TDC, equal to, if not better than, the sliderules they did use interwar), which only makes the BoAtlantic more deadly for Britain... (It doesn't, contrary to the myth, bring the U.S. in any sooner...)
 
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