Weapons and Artillery of World War II The result of World War II was affected by many different factors. One major factor which affected the war was the weapons and artillery used during the war. Since the beginnings of time, weapons have always been around. From swords and knives to nuclear weapons and missiles, weapons have evolved greatly throughout the years. The weapons and artillery used in World War II basically were evolved types of weaponry that were used during World War I (Military History 1). World War II began in 1939 when the German armies decided to invade parts of Europe, therefore causing Europeans to retaliate against the Germans (World War 1). World War II began because those countries which were defeated in World War I …show more content…
A pistol, at times, could have decided whether a soldier would live or die in combat depending on the situation. Another factor which made the pistol a very important weapon was the fact that the pistol could be reloaded much faster than a rifle (Slayton 12). Another very powerful gun that was used in World War II was the Submarine guns. The submarine guns are much stronger and better than normal guns due to the fact that they have better firing distances (Military History 7). The submarine gun was built mainly for endurance and for accuracy. This gun had the accuracy to fire from 800 to at least 1,000 yards away and delivers a powerful blow to its victims. One problem which the gun had was the fact that it could dislocate a soldiers arm whenever it was fired. But finally the submarine gun was improved and is now less powerful which makes it easier for firing full automatic rounds along with pistol rounds (8). Another very important weapon used in World War II was the rifle. Most infantrymen were defined by their rifles (Slayton 34). To most men, this gun was the most important, due to the fact that it was their main protection against the enemy. Also, they were around their rifle more than any other weapon which gives the soldiers a more comfortable feeling around their rifles. Another gun which branches from the rifle is the machine gun. The Germans were mainly the ones who would take the credit for the invention of the machine
The rifle was invented in late industrial age because in the early industrial age, soldiers fought on horse or foot with a weapon called a muzzle-loading musket which was a single firing gun with a very slow rate of fire
Weapon number two is The Hand Gun, the secondary weapon in case when the rifle is out of bullets and for
In theory machine-guns in WW1 could fire up to 600 small-calibre rounds per minute. In reality they were prone to overheating and would break down without some sort of cooling system in place. Water jackets were initially used, but the guns would still overheat quite quickly and large supplies of water had to be kept on hand. As such, they were typically fired in short bursts rather than sustained fire. However, by the end of the war machine-gun design had drastically improved. They could fire double the rate that was capable in 1914 with sophisticated air-cooling systems built into the designs.
What really set the tone for the start World War II was actually the effects World War I itself. What the effects World War I did was set unrest among the European states. It devastated most of the area financially, especially Germany. After the war, scientific advancements greatly increased. One of the most notable scientific advancements was being weapon improvements. After the First World War many nations grew tired, however this didn’t stop Italy and Germany from building up their armies. Britain and France didn’t want to repeat World War I so they wanted to keep the peace through appeasement. Germany however took advantage of this.
In wars prior to the Civil War, soldiers wielded weapons such as the musket which shot only one bullet at a time. Though these types of weaponry could shoot as far as 250 yards, they were inconvenient and wasted time. To even aim at the target accurately one had to be 80 yards away. Similarly to muskets, rifles were inconvenient because they took a while to reload because the bullet was almost the same size of the barrel and again, wasted time. Bullets with a pointed tip were created in 1848 by Claude Minie. Because the diameter of the bullets were smaller than the barrel, soldiers could put them into the gun quicker and more effectively. With Minie’s bullets, rifles were simpler to reload but still had to be reloaded with one bullet at a time. That unprotected gap of time made soldiers more vulnerable so in 1849 a repeating rifle called the Volitional Repeater was patented by Walter Hunt. They were popularized in 1863 during the Civil War. By this time many models were being sold but the most common one was the Spencer Carbine which could shoot seven bullets in just 30 seconds. These, like most Civil War era weapons, were produced and used by the North, but not
In addition to advancements in smaller firearms, the US military also saw improvements in the sector of long range rifles. Muzzle loading muskets from the Revolutionary War were highly inefficient and and extremely dangerous to use. When on the battlefield, trying to load a muzzle loading musket became very complicated. If the soldier loaded a bullet but it got jammed, and they tried to fire, the musket would explode in their face, causing many unnecessary injuries to the soldier force (National Park Service, “Evolution of the Breechloader”). With the invention of the breech loader, loading a rifle became exceedingly simple. In a breech loading rifle, the soldier loads a cartridge containing the bullet and the gunpowder into a chamber. They would then proceed to fire the weapon. This method of loading a weapon was
A new invention came out which dominated the battlefield, where every soldier would carry one, rendering the previous rifle in use obsolete. The repeating rifle, also known as a breech-loading rifle, was one of the most dangerous weapons during the war,
Mainly, artillery was used to counter trench warfare by killing enemies hiding in trenches. This made it easier to combat enemy infantry. Considering artillery was used in every strategic way possible, it was a major weapon of
This article talks about the ten most deadly weapons used during WWI. These ten weapons were all new in this war and have never been used prior to WWI. It does not just focus on the weaponry but also the new technology like aircrafts, U-boats, and Tanks. These new instruments for destruction had all made their introduction in the First World War, prior to this they mainly used horse on the war field which compared to a tank is not really a treat. It also speaks on the machine gun which was a major key on a battlefield. This gun allowed you to mow down troops at an alarming rate while reloading it. It was also much effected. These machine guns were also used on the aircrafts. The article even focuses on airships better known as zeppelins these
The development of superior guns in the Industrial Revolution was the key factor to why some countries had a head start in WWI and strictly dominated the battlefield in the mid-1910s. The industrial revolution significantly improved gun production rates, efficiency and design. Guns before the industrial revolution had many disadvantages, were costly, hard to make, very hard to use and were not even to as close to as powerful as they grew too become nearing to the end of the industrial revolution in the early 20th century. I believe that the industrial revolution considerably altered the outcome of WWI.
Throughout the years there have been countless inventions that have been brought to the battlefield in time of need, but there was one invention which would change the face of warfare; the Maxim gun. In the year 1884, a Maine-born inventor named Hiram Maxim invented the first recoil-operated machine gun.1 The gun was invented in the United kingdom and was in service from 1886 to 1959. The Maxim gun weighed around 27.2kg, fired 550 rounds per minute, and took a minimum of four men to operate it. Throughout the years the machine gun has evolved and change in so many shapes and sizes. The original weight of a machine gun was over 400 pounds and today a assault rifle can range from 8lb to around 30lb.2 The machine gun was one of the most devastating
First, we will discuss ground vehicle advances. The Jeep was invented in World War Two. It was used as basic transportation for troops. After the war, the Jeep became more popular and was then used as a production vehicle for the public. Tanks of World War One were very primitive and very ineffective. In World War Two, the tank was one of the most important vehicles used. Leading up to World War Two, tanks were made more powerful, faster, lighter, and stronger. Tank warfare was very important in World War Two. All countries involved in the war were producing their own models of tanks. By the end of the war, the Allies had developed a new kind of tank. It had no big guns on it. It was a troop transportation vehicle that was heavily armored. Transportation vehicles were very important in the war. Without transportation, there is no efficient way to move troops. All of these vehicles were very important in the history of war.
Thompson wanted to create a weapon that was capable rapid fire, without manual reloading. He wanted to invent a handheld machine gun which could give US military troops an edge in the ongoing war. After many failed attempts and prototypes, the invention of the Thompson submachine gun or “Tommy Gun” took place right after World War I. The Tommy Gun is an American submachine gun, invented by John T. Thompson in 1918. It was a common sight in the media of the time, since it was being used by both law enforcement officers and notorious criminals. The weapon became iconic not only for its later use in combat during World War II, but also as the gun of choice for some of the most infamous criminals in U.S. history. The Tommy Gun was also adopted
The rifle was invented in the 15th century in German states.. We use the rifle today for many different things including hunting, sport and especially warfare. The rifle started off as a smoothbore musket until rifling was invented in the 1850’s.It has changed a huge amount during the last 6th centuries. These changes have affected the way warfare is today. It has affected the number of deaths we have today during wars. The rifle. The rifle has provided us with food and protection. It is a very important tool used by many people every day. The rifles change in accuracy, loading technique and overall design has changed warfare a huge amount throughout the years.
machine guns was the Hotchkiss M1914 which was a French Machine gun that was eventually