The howitzer is a specialized piece of artillery. A howitzer has a shorter barrel than a ‘gun’ and shoots in a moderately arched trajectory. Howitzers use a high arc trajectory against targets hidden behind obstacles. When fired in a flat trajectory, the shell has more range than the mortar and the penetration power of the field gun. Howitzers were easier to transport than other types of heavy artillery due to their smaller size, and could be mounted on wheels and towed by a truck.
In 1918, the Germans shelled Paris with howitzers known at the time as "Big Berthas." These huge guns hurled shells 15.5 miles above the surface of the earth toward a target up to 75 miles away. 