Technology's influences on the United States Army's organizational environment: A comparative case study of World War I and the Somalia conflict

This thesis examines the problems associated with technology's influences on the U.S. Army's past engagements, with the emphasis on World War I and the Somalia Conflict. This thesis examines how technology has significantly changed the U.S. Army's organizational environment from the battlefields of the first mechanized engagement in World War I, to the fighting in the streets of Somalia in the 1990's. This thesis argues that technology has created an enigma for the U.S. Army's command to muddle over, in terms of the correct tactical application of technology on the battlefield and its effects on the human element, as well as how to deal with the new developments in media technology as an external factor. The thesis concludes that technology can be a dangerous, but effective piece of the U.S. Army's structure. Technology raises the chances for positive outcomes in conflict, if technology is applied to the correct environment, with the right tactical application, complemented with strong leadership.