Kristopher+Kierys

The personal weapons of World War Two played a very important role in determining the war’s outcome. The primary weapon for most soldiers was a rifle. The bolt-action rifles used were powerful and accurate weapons, and were effective over half a mile away. Since they required manual reloading after each shot, they were not suitable for combat situations. The M1 Garand was such a good bolt-action rifle that the Germans would take them and use them. The Germans created there own model of this gun.
 * __Weapons of World War Two__ **

Every soldier had a pistol by his side as a secondary weapon. The pistols were not very useful however, for military fighting. They were not suitable for long range, and their clips held little ammunition. The main purpose of them was so a soldier could protect himself if he ran out of ammunition in his primary weapon, and also for close combat. In addition to personal weapons, machine guns were widely used. They were a very important element of a military unit’s firepower. These weapons have the ability to fire a continuous hail of bullets at the enemy troops. With a very rapid fire rate, and a long range, these guns ruled the battlefield. Submachine guns were also used as a personal weapon. These guns are smaller versions of machine guns, capable of rapid fire. They were mechanically very simple and reliable, and also were cheap and easy to produce. The main disadvantages were their short range of fire, and their inaccuracy. Sniper rifles were among the most important weapons used. They shoot at long range, and are very accurate. This meant fewer soldiers were needed on the front lines. A sniper is typically an infantry soldier who specializes in shooting from concealment and from long range. The whole point of a sniper is to deliver a few shots that affect the battlefield in a major way. Sniper rifles are bolt-action rifles equipped with a scope. A scope is a magnifying telescopic sight. Other attachments are bipods and cushions. Both sides used anti-tank weapons. As the name states, they were weapons used to stop tanks. Americans and Germans utilized the technology of the flamethrower. A flamethrower is a weapon that sprayed a stream of ignited fuel at a target. They were used primarily to stop tanks. The effectiveness of the flamethrower depended on the type of tank it was being sprayed at. They were also used to clear battlefields of places to hide such as up in trees or trenches and to flush enemies from within underground tunnels. The first flamethrowers were heavy and required a two man team to carry them. Then they were modified to allow only one man to carry it. 

**__Notable World War 2 weapons__ **
· **M1 Garand ** – This gun during the 1930’s was the standard American rifle, it was the first semi-automatic rifle to enter military service. This rifle was so dependable that the Germans used captured models, and the Japanese produced there own copy before the war ended. The M1 Grand stayed in service for many years after the war. · **MP43 **, later renamed **Sturmgewehr 44** (assault rifle 44) – This gun entered the German military in 1943, it is the world’s first modern assault rifle. This MP43 was clearly a superior weapon; it became an immediately successful weapon. It looks similar to the post-war AK-47 developed by the Russians. · **Colt M1911 **<span style="font-size: 14pt; color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; mso-fareast-font-family: 'Times New Roman';"> – Since 1911 this gun is wide in service. It was one of the best ever produced, and it shoots a 45 caliber bullet. <span style="font-size: 16pt; font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; mso-bidi-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-bidi;"> <span style="font-size: 14pt; color: black; font-family: Symbol; msobidifontfamily: Symbol; mso-list: Ignore; msofareastfontfamily: Symbol; msolist: Ignore;">· **<span style="font-size: 14pt; color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; mso-fareast-font-family: 'Times New Roman';">Bazooka **<span style="font-size: 14pt; color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; mso-fareast-font-family: 'Times New Roman';"> – Used by American soldiers since 1943 this simple rocket-propelled anti-tank weapon was very successful. It required a two man team to operate it, their was an aimer and loader. The bazooka could effectively be aimed to the range of less than 100 meters. The Germans utilized this weapon and made a copy of there own. <span style="font-size: 14pt; color: black; font-family: Symbol; msobidifontfamily: Symbol; mso-list: Ignore; msofareastfontfamily: Symbol; msolist: Ignore;">· **<span style="font-size: 14pt; color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; mso-fareast-font-family: 'Times New Roman';">Panzerfaust **<span style="font-size: 14pt; color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; mso-fareast-font-family: 'Times New Roman';"> (tank fist) – This is a copy of the American bazooka. The difference between them is it was even simpler than the American bazooka due to its simple one-shot launch tube, and had a much more powerful warhead. This meant it was capable of destroying any tank. The range of the 1st model was just 30 meters, but the following models had ranges of 60 and 100 meters.

1. What was written on the side of the Panzerfaust, go to this site for more info. []

2. What was the nickname for the Raketen-Panzerbüchse 43. To find out go to []

3. How many models of the Colt handguns were used by the US. Go to this site for the answer []