Dec 01, 2016 the second world war saw many varied weapons being used by soldiers. The following is a list of german military equipment of world war ii which includes artillery. Check out this book to find out more about the weapons used. More than 600 fullcolor artworks accompany entries that feature a detailed history of each weapon s design and. Many different weapons systems we see today evolved from world war 2 warfare. A somewhat shallow and certainly not precise answer would be to define mass destruction as being done by means of atomic, biological and chemical weapons. Disclaimers contact wikipedia developers statistics cookie statement mobile view. Interesting facts about world war ii technology at one point the united states used the native american language of the navajo peoples as a secret code that the germans were unable to crack. There are more than 500 separate items of equipment used between 1939 and 1945, from combat handguns to massive aircraft carriers. There are sections on the rifles used in the war, submachine guns, planes, boats, tanks, and a whole lot.
There are a total of 70 ww2 british guns 1939 1945 in the military factory. How detroit factories retooled during wwii to defeat hitler. Most weapons get half a page, a few selected weapons such as the sherman tank get a two page spread. The viet cong used german wwii weapons against the usa great pictures in here many vehicles, ships, and aircraft have now been placed into museums for preservation, while others have been set up as memorials across the world to remember as well as celebrate mans bravery and foolhardiness in pursuing. This list does not consist of all weapons used by all countries in world war ii. People have used weapons in warfare, hunting, selfdefense, law enforcement, and criminal activity. Glamour, decadence, and survival in peace and war, 19301944. The book provides the vital statistics of each weapon as well as a brief history of it. In her book ivans war, catherine merridale writes that nazis used poison gas to kill some 3,000 soviet troops and civilians holed up in caves after the battle of the kerch peninsula in 1942. Australia austria belgium china czechoslovakia denmark finland france germany greece hungary italy japan norway philippines poland russia sweden switzerland united. Nov 11, 2016 the first world war saw many varied weapons being used by soldiers. This book is an informational book about all of the fighting countries weapons in ww2.
In about 300 pages devoted to weapons, with most pages having 2 weapons, probably somewhere in excess of 500 of the most important weapons of ww2 are covered in a handy, well printed, and astonishingly inexpensive book. Chris bishop is the books ive been reading as a choice book. What rifle was used by the british soldiers in world war 2. Ww2 weapons are a result of rapid technological innovation in response to the needs of the various combatants. The weapons used in world war 1 on the western front were gas, tanks, planes, torpedoes, rifle, bayonets, and machine guns. Weapons of world war ii capstone library capstone publishing. Some of the stories i had heard before but many i hadnt. The epic account of world war iis greatest rescue mission. The backstory of weapons employed in world war 2 on land, sea and air was the intense focus of the scientific tech communities to create the means for the greatest devastation. A discovery by nuclear physicists in a laboratory in berlin, germany, in 1938 made the first atomic bomb possible, after otto hahn, lise meitner and fritz strassman discovered nuclear fission.
Inspire a love of reading with prime book box for kids. In the crisis following the fall of france, where a large part of the british armys equipment had been lost, stocks of lewis guns in both. Bursting with facts, this book is a treasure trove for anyone interested in. This article needs additional citations for verification. Light tank mk vii tetrarch british produced light tank, most of which did not see service. Many different weapons systems evolved as a result. Ww2 weapons 19391945 no other war of recent history holds the interest of many as does world war 2 with its veritable array of characters, events and of course weaponry. There isnt a lot of detail in the stories but the stories are interesting. Light tank mk vi the main british light tank during the opening years of the war. The secret to this enormous range was a number of side channels attached to the 460ft 140m barrel. Retrouvez the encyclopedia of weapons of world war ii. Extensive selection of new and used military history books.
The british military fielded a sniper version with a 3. List of weapons used by the provisional irish republican army. May 08, 2007 the nuclear bomb was first used in ww2. This is a list of infantry weapons which were in mainstream use during world war ii 19391945.
Because of those many, unfortunately the additional effort to specify each individual references is too huge. A small number were supplied via lendlease to the soviet union, and a small number were delivered by glider into normandy to. World war ii was, in large part, a contest between the allies and axis powers to dream. Their was the boltaction rifles, sniper rifles, semiautomatic rifles, sub machine guns, assault rifles, pistols, and light machine guns. The second world war saw many varied weapons being used by soldiers. All information, data and statistics used in the web ww2 weapons had been compiled from a variety of sources and the large, over decades collected, library of the author about military history, ww2 and weapons. Martinienfield used as a reserve arm by commonwealth troops from india, new zealand, etc. At one point the united states used the native american language of the navajo peoples as a secret code that the germans were unable to crack technology was used to formulate precise rations food given to soldiers to make sure they got the right amount of nutrition and energy new medicines were developed during the war including advances. Mar, 20 weapons of ww2 there were many types of guns used in world war 2. Through the course of the war, weapons of all types evolved greatly and increased incomplexity. What were the changes in weapons comparing ww1 and ww2. The personal firearms, tanks, artillery, and other forms of weapons used during world war two.
Grenades, blades, flame throwers, and other weapons used in ww2. It shows each country used and gives a little information on it. The atom bomb is perhaps the most wellremembered weapon from the second world war, whose effects lasted several decades after its use and the end of war. Weapons also serve many other purposes in society including use in sports, collections for display, and historical displays and demonstrations. The improvement on the machine gun made it to be more effective and longer lasting on the field than compared to the ww1 machine guns. World war ii was fought from 1939 to 1945 and saw variety of weapons used in the field. As an airborne weapon the lewis was largely supplanted by the vickers k, a weapon that could achieve over twice the rate of fire of the lewis. The dday invasion, for example, utilized some 50,000 vehicles of all types, well. What is the differents betwwn wwi and wwii weapons yahoo. Flag images indicative of country of origin and not necessarily the primary operator.
The japanese type 11 the type 96 machine gun, and the arisaka boltaction rifles all were significant weapons used during the war. Weapons such as hand grenades and portable artillery systems are also featured in this listing. Weapons of ww2 there were many types of guns used in world war 2. Osprey books about the different types of weapons used during wwii i got this. Weapons such as hand grenades and portable artillery systems are. World war ii greatly advanced technology and the weapons developed helped shape the postwar world.
The first response to the introduction of tanks during world war i was a variety of grenades and largecalibre rifles designed to penetrate tanks relatively thin armour or disable their tracks. On august 6, 1945, little boy, the codename for the first atom bomb to be dropped over japan, was detonated over the city of hiroshima. List of common world war ii infantry weapons news newspapers books scholar jstor august 2017 learn how and when to remove this template message. Oct 20, 2019 the v2 rocket was a shortrange rocket or ballistic missile developed by the nazi regime during world war 2 in germany. The following article on dday weapons is an excerpt from barrett tillman dday encyclopedia. Developed as a socalled vengeance weapon in order to strike back at london, as allied bomber fleets pounded german cities to rubble, the v3 cannon was capable to delivering a 140kg 10lb shell to a range of more than 161 km 100 miles. America truly became the arsenal of democracy from 1939 to 1945, providing millions of dday weapons. The germans used a number of type designations for their weapons. Weapons used by the national revolutionary army, as well as communist. List of common world war ii infantry weapons wikipedia.
Generally, weapons in ww2 were more standardized, better built and were more often manufactured in a factory compared with weapons used in ww1. World war 2 required a massive outpouring of manufacturing capabilities, giving rise to one of the worlds largest industrial producers in the united states of america. Facts and data for germanys special weapons programme world war ii germany by david porter jan 1, 2010 4. The book covers weapons from the russians, germans, americans, italians, french, british, japanese, czech, and any other axis or ally power in world war ii. Enfield pattern 14 p14 used as a marksman weapon until the no. Other weapons commonly found during world war ii include the american, browning automatic rifle bar, m1 carbine rifle, as well as the colt m1911 a1. The first world war saw many varied weapons being used by soldiers. It was possible for the soldier to fire 15 rounds per minute and could kill someone up to 1,400 metres away. Helmets, uniforms, and other miscellaneous equipment used in ww2.
This article focuses on ww2 vehicles used by americans, the british, and germans. The book the encyclopedia of weapons of world war two by. Interesting facts about militarism and main causes of ww1. When ww2 ended where did all the 100s of millions of weapons go. The book is mostly a series of short stories describing a secret operation, codebreaking or weapon that occurred in ww2. M3 lee tanks under construction in the huge new tank factory of the detroit arsenal. The types of vehicles varied greatly on the theatre of war and particular battle conditions. Leave a comment below letting us know what weapon you. World war ii saw rapid technological innovation in response to the needs of the various combatants.
Berthier rifle stored before ww2, used by the secondline troops in 1939 lebel rifle stored before ww2, used by the secondline troops in 1939 mosinnagant rifle used by the polish armed forces in the east karabinek wz. As a result, the widespread, and often desperate, fighting led to many new inventions, from computers, to jet engines, to atomic bombs. World war ii spawned a massive variety of weapons systems. Beginning in the 1970s, the provisional ira began importing modern weapons from supporters in the united states, libyan leader colonel muammar gaddafi, and arms dealers in europe, america, the middle east and elsewhere.
This provides a few paragraphs on the development, use and impact of anything from handguns usually one per major army of the war to aircraft carriers. There are sections on the rifles used in the war, submachine guns, planes, boats, tanks, and a whole lot more. The following article on ww2 vehicles is an excerpt from barrett tillman dday encyclopedia. Lots of history books have been written on world war 1 facts and why it started.
World war 1 facts for kids national geographic kids. In one, a woman carrying her groceries is compared to soldiers carrying guns. List of world war ii weapons of the united kingdom wikipedia. The encyclopedia of weapons of world war ii by chris bishop. What is the differents betwwn wwi and wwii weapons. It is often said that necessity is the mother of all invention, and at no other point in a countrys history is necessity greater than in wartime. By world war ii, the british army had replaced the lewis gun with the bren gun for most infantry use. I t was introduced, also issued in large number to the ldv.
Nov 10, 2017 10 somewhat historically accurate weapons from call of duty ww2 colt m 1911a1 american. When ww2 ended where did all the 100s of millions of. Jan 18, 2018 world war ii was fought from 1939 to 1945 and saw variety of weapons used in the field. Lets look at what was manufactured and being used on the battlefield. Antitank weapon, any of several guns, missiles, and mines intended for use against tanks. This was the case for both the german me 163 komet jet interceptor and the italian breda 6. However, many of these inventions were downright bizarre, and this list aims to explore the inventions which. Earlier wars may have planted the seeds for lethality, but this new war that engulfed the planet was a quantum leap into the future of weaponry. Army ambulances and medical vehicles in world war ii. Use the dropdown menu above to list weapons by country. This is a list of weapons organized alphabetically by. Iii lee enfield rifle in service at the beginning of the war, supplemented and replaced by the.
As well as using them in the trenches, some of these weapons were used by tanks, u boats, zeppelins left and planes. For the first time, powerful new weapons and vehicles were used at sea, on land and in the air resulting in. The encyclopedia of weapons of world war ii chris bishop. The second world war saw many varied weapons being used by. During the initial phase of the troubles 19691972, the provisinal ira was poorly equipped and primarily used weapons from world war ii. List of german military equipment of world war ii wikipedia. It offers an excellent overview of the diverse weaponry used by both the axis powers.
As a result, the widespread and often desperate fighting led to many new inventions, from computers, to jet engines, to atomic bombs. But that was not the real killers, nor in fact the most. The standard american sidearm for officers, ncos and paratroopers during world war ii, the m1911, also known as the. Vergeltungswaffe 2, translating to retaliation weapon 2 which also had the more technical name of the aggregat4 a4. Please help improve this article by adding citations to reliable sources. A lavishly illustrated compendium of military hardware covers everything that fought in the air, on the ground, and on the seas during world war ii. E company, 506th regiment, 101st airborne, from normandy to hitlers eagle. Soldiers also used pistols, grenades, mortar, and mines. Because of those many, unfortunately the additional effort to.
Regardless of weather and terrain, the sound of approaching artillery shells and the blast of flak shrapnel were among the things ground troops and air crews feared most. This is a list of infantry weapons which were in mainstream use during world war ii. John walter, guns of the third reich, greenhill books, 2004, p. The war, and its global reach, challenged manyanation to rise up and fight the axis spread, which was led by german leader adolph hitler in europe, and the empirical reach of. In the trenches, the weapon carried by all british soldiers was the bolt action rifle see picture top right. Countries from all over the globe fought in world war ii. On the other hand, many weapons were so badly designed in the first place that they were scrapped as soon as possible and were never used postwar. Entries are listed below in alphanumeric order 1toz. Technology was used to formulate precise rations food given to soldiers to make sure they got the right amount of nutrition and energy. Apr 12, 2017 in her book ivans war, catherine merridale writes that nazis used poison gas to kill some 3,000 soviet troops and civilians holed up in caves after the battle of the kerch peninsula in 1942.