The Civil War, Rewritten: What If the Battle of Gettysburg Had Machine Guns?

What if the Union Army had machine guns at the Battle of Gettysburg? What if Robert E. Lee had observation balloons to spy on his opponents? These are the sorts of questions that tempt alternative history buffs. The popularity of speculative novels and movies demonstrates that humans can’t resist the chance to explore what might have been. But some are putting alt history to a more practical purpose: teaching U.S. military officers to deal with the impact of new technologies. New weapons, such as drones and hypersonic missiles, have revolutionized war and sent armies scrambling to devise new tactics. So why not use the past to spur thinking about the future? That’s why the RAND Corporation think tank devised a Gettysburg wargame for the U.S. Army’s Futures program, which deals with questions such as what equipment and doctrine the Army will need in coming years. “The whole idea is to create an historical laboratory,” Gian Gentile, a retired Army colonel and historian who is now director of RAND’s Arroyo Center, told Popular Mechanics. “Using counterfactuals that will allow the players to learn from them, and apply them to their present and future thinking.” The RAND game took an historical event, but made a few counterfactual changes. This Battle of Gettysburg would feature the historical armies, but they would be armed with advanced equipment—not with lasers or guided missiles, but technology that was actually available in 1863, yet which the Union and Confederacy failed to take advantage of. [View in Browser]( [Popular Mechanics]( [SHOP]( [EXCLUSIVE]( [SUBSCRIBE]( [The Civil War, Rewritten: What If the Battle of Gettysburg Had Machine Guns?]( [The Civil War, Rewritten: What If the Battle of Gettysburg Had Machine Guns?]( [The Civil War, Rewritten: What If the Battle of Gettysburg Had Machine Guns?]( What if the Union Army had machine guns at the Battle of Gettysburg? What if Robert E. Lee had observation balloons to spy on his opponents? These are the sorts of questions that tempt alternative history buffs. The popularity of speculative novels and movies demonstrates that humans can’t resist the chance to explore what might have been. But some are putting alt history to a more practical purpose: teaching U.S. military officers to deal with the impact of new technologies. New weapons, such as drones and hypersonic missiles, have revolutionized war and sent armies scrambling to devise new tactics. So why not use the past to spur thinking about the future? That’s why the RAND Corporation think tank devised a Gettysburg wargame for the U.S. Army’s Futures program, which deals with questions such as what equipment and doctrine the Army will need in coming years. “The whole idea is to create an historical laboratory,” Gian Gentile, a retired Army colonel and historian who is now director of RAND’s Arroyo Center, told Popular Mechanics. “Using counterfactuals that will allow the players to learn from them, and apply them to their present and future thinking.” The RAND game took an historical event, but made a few counterfactual changes. This Battle of Gettysburg would feature the historical armies, but they would be armed with advanced equipment—not with lasers or guided missiles, but technology that was actually available in 1863, yet which the Union and Confederacy failed to take advantage of. What if the Union Army had machine guns at the Battle of Gettysburg? What if Robert E. Lee had observation balloons to spy on his opponents? These are the sorts of questions that tempt alternative history buffs. The popularity of speculative novels and movies demonstrates that humans can’t resist the chance to explore what might have been. But some are putting alt history to a more practical purpose: teaching U.S. military officers to deal with the impact of new technologies. New weapons, such as drones and hypersonic missiles, have revolutionized war and sent armies scrambling to devise new tactics. So why not use the past to spur thinking about the future? That’s why the RAND Corporation think tank devised a Gettysburg wargame for the U.S. Army’s Futures program, which deals with questions such as what equipment and doctrine the Army will need in coming years. “The whole idea is to create an historical laboratory,” Gian Gentile, a retired Army colonel and historian who is now director of RAND’s Arroyo Center, told Popular Mechanics. “Using counterfactuals that will allow the players to learn from them, and apply them to their present and future thinking.” The RAND game took an historical event, but made a few counterfactual changes. This Battle of Gettysburg would feature the historical armies, but they would be armed with advanced equipment—not with lasers or guided missiles, but technology that was actually available in 1863, yet which the Union and Confederacy failed to take advantage of. [Read More]( [Read More]( [An Ancient Tomb Held Anonymous Bodies for 2,300 Years. Turns Out They're Famous Royals.]( [An Ancient Tomb Held Anonymous Bodies for 2,300 Years. Turns Out They're Famous Royals.]( In a startling development, archaeologists say these mysterious skeletons are the father and son of this legendary ruler. [Read More]( [Alternate text] [Alternate text] [Conspiracy Theorists Think Taylor Swift Is a Government Spy. These Celebs Actually Were.]( [Conspiracy Theorists Think Taylor Swift Is a Government Spy. These Celebs Actually Were.]( While some conservatives believe the pop star is a secret psyop, these icons really did carry out covert missions in the name of national security. [Read More]( [The Fearsome Tanks That Fought Saddam Hussein May Soon Come for Vladimir Putin]( The Fearsome Tanks That Fought Saddam Hussein May Soon Come for Vladimir Putin]( From the sands of Kuwait to the fields of Ukraine, the forgotten M-84s are rolling toward a new frontline. [Read More]( [Alternate text] [Alternate text] [A Study Tells the Truth About How the First Continents Formed. It's Not What You Thought.]( [A Study Tells the Truth About How the First Continents Formed. It's Not What You Thought.]( Turns out there was a lot of burying and melting going on at the beginning of the world. [Read More]( [These Fleece Mid-Layers Are Stylish and Warm]( [These Fleece Mid-Layers Are Stylish and Warm]( Our go-to favorites from Patagonia, Merrell, The North Face and more. [Read More]( [Alternate text] [POP Membership]( [LiveIntent Logo]( [AdChoices Logo]( [Need Assistance? Contact Us.](mailto:pmpmembership@popularmechanics.com) Follow Us [Unsubscribe]( | [Privacy Notice]( | [CA Notice at Collection]( Popular Mechanics is a publication of Hearst Magazines. ©2024 Hearst Magazine Media, Inc. All Rights Reserved. This email was sent by Hearst Magazines, 300 West 57th Street, New York, NY 10019-3779