Despite being so close to the sound of the explosions, I stood my ground. While I looked fearless, my heart was of course beating wildly. It fucking hurt to get shot. What more when the bullet that hit you was a fucking howitzer shell.
But I did not stop firing. Artillery was not just big ass guns shooting big bullets from a distance. They were as much a weapon of psychological warfare as they were of ordnance. After all, no matter how powerful a man was, he could never outgun artillery.
The proper military term was shock and awe.
Shock was because both tanks and artillery were powerful battlefield factors that could suddenly turn the tide of battle. And because of their sheer firepower, most troops would be thrown into chaos and confusion.
If shock were all they were good for, they would not be as effective as they were. But alas, they were designed for a far more sinister purpose. And that was the "awe" part. They were designed to be flashy and loud for two reasons
