So many sayings have been used during the Second World War but one tops out amongst them all. Weapons of war. Maybe it’s because wars cannot be fought without the use of weapons and without weapons, there are no looming threats. However, with the war came advances in technology and, with it, weaponry. John F Eilermann now shares some of the most iconic weapons used in WWII and their non-replaceable roles during the war.
M1 Garand
This semi-automatic rifle, mass produced by the US for the G.I.s, had fast fire-rate, high accuracy, and was reliable overall. After noticing that the Axis Powers had given out bolt-action rifles and some with bayonets, the US answered with a better version which cleaved through the battlefield with its high cyclic rate, John F Eilermann notes. It not only saw use during the Second World War but carried on to the Korean War and some parts of the Vietnam War.
Colt 1911
Known as one of the most reliable pistols ever made, the Colt 1911 or the 1911 for short saw use starting from 1911 until the present day. Named after its creator, the Browning was used crucially during the PhilAm War against the Japanese. Its 7-round mag carried enough power mainly because it was chambered in .45 hollow points which can stop a man dead in his tracks. Overall, the Colt was reliable, no more, no less, John F Eilermann notes.
MG34
One of the weapons used by the Nazis, the Maschinengewehr 34, or MG34 for short, saw use during the Second World War until it was replaced by the MG42. This iconic light machine gun gave the Nazis a huge hold on checkpoints and gave the Allies a huge punch in the gut. With its flexibility from being belt-fed or carried with a drum mag, it was no mystery that a single man could gun down a whole platoon with its devastating .303 rounds, which are usually reserved for high caliber snipers. John F Eilermann also records that this gun was unmatched in rate of fire, reaching a maximum of 900 rpm.
John Eilermann St Louis 