World War II Weapons - Research Paper Example

World War II Weapons The World War II began in 1939 and ended in 1945. The war was fought by the Allies (United States of America, Britain, France and their allies) against the Axis (Germany, Italy, Japan and their allies). The war effectively started by the Axis, who invaded countries allied to the Allies. For instance, Japan pushed to dominate Asia saw them fight with China. On the other hand, the German invasion of Poland in 1939, led to the declaration of war by Britain and France on Germany. Thus, World War II effectively began in 1939. The war lasted for a period of six years and ended when Japan surrendered in 1945. In any military war, many factors determine the winner (Collier). Key among these factors is the ability to manufacture or acquire quality, superior weapons, and a near endless supply these weapons. As such, the World War II saw both sides of the military alliances produce and use advanced weapons to gain advantage over the other. The countries put much effort into scientific research and use of the then existing technologies to come up with better and more reliable weapons. It was a race where each country poured in industrial, economic, and technological knowledge so as to emerge victorious. A lag in coming up with effective and efficient weapons was literary a matter of life and death. With the focus on weapons, the World War II thus rose to become a large-scale armed conflict. During the world war, each military alliance was credited with coming up with weapons that changed the course of the war. This paper groups the weapons used by the military and takes an in-depth look at each particular weapon. The World War II was fought on many fronts: land, air, and seas. Therefore, this research paper focuses on the different weapons that were deployed to be used. The weapons used during the World War II can be grouped into rifles, guns, submarines, explosives, mortars, anti-tank weapons, and flamethrowers. 1. Rifles (The Bolt-action, sniper, semi-automatic and assault rifles) At the beginning of the world war II, most of the technology that was in existence was a spillover from the ones that were in use during world war I. one of the weapons utilizing the word war I era technologies was the bolt-action rifles. The bolt-action rifles were a 19th century technology. These rifles were still useful at the beginning of the Second World War due to their accuracy and robust nature. Moreover, the bolt-action rifles were credited to be a long-range rifle. However, the dynamics of the Second World War required a rifle that could be effective in close combat situations. The bolt-action, which required manual reloading, failed terribly in this situation that demanded a rifle that could fire ammunitions rounds rapidly. New models soon replaced the bolt-action rifle (Wiest and Melvin). However, not all bolt-action rifles were written off. Sniper rifles were retained during the course of the World War II. The sniper rifles were maintained because of their effectiveness in range and their high levels of accuracy. In addition, the bolt-action sniper rifles were fitted with telescopic sights that extremely raised a soldier’s ability to hit his targets. As such, the bolt-action sniper rifles were extensively used throughout the course of the World War II. The second rifles that were deployed in the front lines of both military alliances were the semi-automatic rifles. These rifles were developed from their predecessors the bolt-action rifles. As such, the semi-automatic rifles were similar to the bolt-action rifles and the significant difference between the two was the addition of an automated reload system in the semi-automatic. The semi-automatic was dependable in close combat situation because they allowed soldiers to achieve a rapid firing while keeping their target in sight (World War 2). The major advantage of this rifle was its ability to allow the soldiers to aim and fire in a continuous motion. A study conducted by the German researchers found out that the ordinary rifle range was more than what was needed in a battlefield. In the middle of combat, a soldier would shoot at enemies who were closer than the design range of the rifle they were using. Hence, the need for developing a rifle that would be accurate in short range and still have sufficient power when compared to a sub machine gun. Through research and development, all-purpose assault rifles were produced and introduced in the second half of World War II. The most notable weapon belonging in this category is the Sturmgewher 44(SG44), which was developed by Germany. This assault rifle allowed for automatic fire while still maintaining its accuracy. 2. Guns Pistols were carried around in the Second World War as a secondary weapon. For instance, in close urban combat, there are circumstances that do not allow for the use of rifles or machine guns. Closed space combat required a light weapon with short-range accuracy. Therefore, the pistols were found permanently useful during the Second World War. An example of a pistol that proved its effectiveness was the Colt M1911 (World War 2). During the period of World War One and World War Two, the Germans were at the forefront of weapons invention. At the end of the First World War, the Germans produced a small rapid fire, simple, cheap and reliable that equaled machine guns. These guns were known as submachine guns, and they utilized smaller ammunition that was used in pistols. A soldier would thus carry more ammunition. The pioneer of the sub machine gun weaponry was the German MP18 and all the consequent sub machine guns utilized its build. The main advantage of the submachine gun was that they were simple to manufacture and mass-produce. These advantages made it a weapon of choice for close quarter combat and storm troops. However, its range and accuracy were limited. Machine guns revolutionized killing in the battlefields. They allowed for the rapid fire of ammunition at enemy troops. Machine guns were heavy, bulky and needed to be anchored using tripod stands. The light machine gun was developed in order to allow for easier movement. As such, it allowed a single soldier to carry while allowing another soldier to carry its additional ammunition. These light machine guns were actively used in battlefronts during the course of World War II. Their versatility has seen them retained in battlefronts up to the current times but with modifications, of course. The Americans are considered the first country to introduce semi-automatic rifle for military use (Bruce). The semi-automatic rifle enabled soldiers to fire more rounds per minute than any other rifle. It was from a 3. Submarines Submarines were the ultimate weapons deployed in the seas and oceans around the world. Both the Allies and Axis had a number of subs in fleets. The Allies utilized the Gato-class submarines while the Axis used the German U-boat. The most notable submarine use during World War II was the blockade of Japanese shipping lines by the Americans submarines (Padfield). They starved the Japanese off their supply such that they would not continue with the war outside their borders. The submarines were further involved in sinking the enemy merchant ships and destroying shipping lines. 4. Explosives Explosives have been used in battles from time immemorial. Soldiers used hand grenades during the World War II as personal artillery. The grenades were easy to deploy because they could be thrown in a similar manner to stones. In addition, they were as deadly as artillery shell. A major advantage of the hand grenades was their simple design, and they were favorably priced. Another explosive that was deployed during the course of the world was the light mortars. The mortars were single man operated and had a maximum range spanning several kilometers. The operators had their target on site before precisely aiming for it. Their main advantage over the radio-guided heavy artillery was that the operators would quickly make corrections if it were required (Collier). A key explosive weapon that changed the course of World War II was the atomic bomb. The atomic bomb dropped on the Nagasaki, and Hiroshima cities of Japan led to the surrender of the Japanese. The Atomic bomb pulverizes its target and leads to massive destructions. This explosive weapon effectively ended the World War II. It also showed to the world the military capabilities of the United States of America to harness industrial and scientific knowledge (Bruce). 5. Anti-tank weapons The beginning of World War II saw both the Allied and Axis military blocs used various military tactics and strategies to gain advantage over their enemies. The Axis led by Germany utilized an approach where they used their large number of tanks to puncture holes in the front lines of Allies. This approach proved to be useful and practical since the existing anti-tank weaponry was ineffective, inefficient, and unreliable. In addition, these anti-tank rifles were rare although they fired armor piercing rounds. However, during the course of the world war two, new anti-tanks weapons were produced. The most effective anti-tank weapon developed was the hollow warheads (Norris). These hollow warheads resulted in a directional explosion that concentrated its energy towards a single direction. As such, when this round hits the thick wall of tanks, it pierces through and explodes, setting the tank on fire. As the war progress, more refined anti-tank weapons were developed. Simple anti-tanks weapons like the shoulder-launched anti-rocket launcher that was efficiently and easily operated by a single soldier. However, the major disadvantage of this weapon was its low accuracy and range. The American and German militaries came up with their versions of anti-tank weapons. During the second half of the Second World War, the Americans introduced the bazooka whose range was within 100 meters. It could destroy tanks and create a complete havoc on fortified positions. The Germans were not left behind. They came up with the Panzerfaust, which was simple and had a capacity of delivering a higher payload than the bazooka. The Germans effectively deployed it when they were under attack, and they had to defend their position. The major difference between these two anti-tanks weapons was that the bazooka required two operators while the Panzerfaust only required a single operator (Frieser). 6. Flamethrowers Flamethrowers were useful tools that were used in the battlefronts during the Second World War. A soldier would carry the flammable on his back. The pressurized fluid would then be released from a gun with an ignition mechanism at the end. This combination resulted in a stream, of flame that was between 302-80meters in length. They were effective against a hidden enemy who could not be hit by the conventional weapons. Its major disadvantages were that it had limited range, and they easily revealed the position of the soldier operating it, which attracted retaliatory action from the enemy forces. To counter the setbacks, tank mounted flame throwers were used which were larger and more powerful. 8. Tanks The tanks were a major weapon system that was employed by the fighting armies. Both the Allies and Axis had a sizeable number of tanks. The tanks were deployed to perform a number of duties. Among these duties was to act as recovery vehicles and host a flame gun mounted on its top (Norris). As the use of armor piercing rounds picked up in the course of the war, countries started armoring their tanks to give the operators a chance of survival in case they are under attack. As discussed above, the Germans devised a strategy that incorporates the use of tanks in breaking down the enemys defense lines. The weapons that have been outlined above were only a fraction of the total weapons used during the course of the Second World War. It was necessary for both military blocs to invest in research and development so as to come up with new weapons that improved on the advantages of the existing ones. The result of the spirited development programs was improved guns, rifles, and better ammunition. Technological advances improved accuracy, manufacturing process and allowed the guns to be mass produce. Works Cited Bruce, Canfield. U.S. Infantry Weapons of World War II. Berlin: Andrew Mowbray Publishers, 1998. Print. Collier, Paul. The Second World War (4): The Mediterranean 1940–1945. Oxford: Osprey Publishing, 2003. Print. Frieser, Karl-Heinz. The Blitzkrieg Legend. The 1940 Campaign in the West. Maryland: Naval Institute Press, 2005. Print. Norris, John. Anti-tank weapons. London: Brasseys Press, 1996. Print. Padfield, Peter. War Beneath the Sea: Submarine Conflict During World War II. New York: John Wiley, 2006. Print. Wiest, Andrew and Melvin Barbier. Strategy and Tactics: Infantry Warfare. Minnesota: MBI Publishing Company, 2002. Print. World War 2. World War 2 Info. n.d. Website. 13 April 2015. Read More