Weapons of World War II. 2 World War: weapons, tanks

One of the most difficult and significant for the history of all mankind was the Second World War. The weapons that were used in this insane battle of 63 of the 74 countries that existed at that time, claimed hundreds of millions of human lives.

Steel arms

Brought 2 World War weapons of various promising types: from a simple submachine gun to installing a jet fire - "Katyusha." Many small, artillery, various aviation, naval weapons, tanks were improved in these years.

The cold weapons of World War II were used for near-hand combat and as a reward. It was represented by: needle and wedge-shaped bayonets, which were supplied with rifles and carbines; Army knives of various types; Cortex for higher land and sea ranks; Long-line cavalry checkers of the rank and file; Naval officers' broadswords; Award-winning original knives, daggers and sabers.

Weapon

The small arms of World War II played a particularly important role, since it involved a huge number of people. From the weapons of each depended both the course of the battle itself and its results.

Small arms of the USSR 2 World War II in the system of weapons of the Red Army was represented by the following types: personal time-table (revolvers and pistols of officers), individual units (shop, self-loading and automatic carbines and rifles, for soldiers), weapons for snipers (special self-loading or magazine rifles ), Individual automatic for melee (machine pistols), a collective type of weapons for platoons and divisions of various groups of troops (machine guns), for special machine guns x units (machine guns, mounted on an easel support), anti-aircraft, small arms (machine-gun anti-aircraft guns and machine guns of large caliber), tank fire arms (tank machine gun).

The most significant Soviet small arms

The Soviet Army used such small arms as the famous and indispensable rifle of the model of 1891/30 (Mosina), self-loading rifles SVT-40 (FV Tokarev), automatic АВС-36 (SG Simonov), automatic pistol- Machine-guns PPD-40 (VA Degtyarev), PPSh-41 (GS Shpagin), PPS-43 (AI Sudaeva), pistol type TT (FV Tokarev), manual machine gun DP A. Degtyarev, infantry), a machine gun of a large caliber of the DShK (VA Degtyarev-GS Shpagin), a SG-43 machine gun (PM Goryunova), anti-tank guns PTRD (VA Degtyarev) and PTRS (SG Simonov). The main caliber of the weapon used is 7.62 mm. All this assortment was mainly developed by talented Soviet designers, united in special design bureaus (design bureaus) and bringing the victory nearer.

A significant contribution to the approach of victory was played by such small arms of World War II as machine-guns. Due to the lack of automatic weapons at the beginning of the war, an unfavorable situation prevailed for the Soviet Union on all fronts. It was necessary to rapidly build up this type of weapons. During the first months of its production increased significantly.

New machines and machine guns

In 1941, an entirely new submachine gun of the PPSh-41 type was adopted. He exceeded the PPD-40 by more than 70% in the accuracy of fire, was at the simplest in the device and had good combat qualities. Even more unique was the PPS-43. His shortened version allowed the soldier to be more maneuverable in combat. It was used for tankmen, signalmen, scouts. The technology of production of such a submachine gun was at the highest level. To produce it much less metal was consumed and almost 3 times less than for similar ones produced earlier by PPSh-41.

Using a large-caliber machine gun DShK with an armor-piercing bullet allowed damage to armored vehicles and enemy aircraft. The machine gun SG-43 on the machine eliminated the dependence on the availability of water reserves, since it had air cooling.

Enormous damage to the enemy tanks was caused by the use of antitank guns PTRD and PTRS. In fact, with their help, the battle was won near Moscow.

What the Germans fought for

German weapons of World War II are represented in a wide variety. The German Wehrmacht used pistols of the type: Mauser C96 - 1895, Mauser HSc - 1935-1936., Mauser M 1910., Sauer 38H - 1938, Walther P38 - 1938, Walther PP - 1929. The caliber of these pistols fluctuated : 5.6; 6.35; 7.65 and 9.0 mm. Which was very inconvenient.

The rifles used all calibres of 7.92 mm types: Mauser 98k - 1935, Gewehr 41 - 1941, FG - 42 - 1942, Gewehr 43 - 1943, StG 44 - 1943, StG 45 (M ) - 1944, Volkssturmgewehr 1-5 - the end of 1944.

Machine gun types: MG-08 - 1908, MG-13 - 1926, MG-15 - 1927, MG-34 - 1934, MG42 - 1941. They used bullets with a caliber of 7.92 mm.

Sub-machine guns, the so-called German "Schmeisser", produced the following modifications: MP 18 - 1917, MP 28 - 1928, MP35 - 1932, MP 38/40 - 1938, MP-3008 - 1945 . They were all 9 mm caliber. Also, German troops used a large number of captured small arms that they inherited from the armies of the enslaved countries of Europe.

Weapons in the hands of American soldiers

One of the main advantages of Americans at the beginning of the war was a sufficient number of automatic weapons. The US for the time of the outbreak of hostilities was one of the few states in the world that almost completely rearmed their infantry with automatic and self-loading weapons. They used self-loading rifles "Grand" M-1, "Johnson" M1941, "Grand" M1D, carbines M1, M1F1, M2, "Smith Wesson" M1940. For some types of rifles, a 22 mm detachable M7 grenade launcher was used. Its use greatly expanded the firepower and combat capabilities of weapons.

The Americans used Thompson's submachine gun, Reising, United Defense M42, M3 Grease gun. Reising was supplied by Lend-Lease in the USSR. The British were armed with machines: Sten, Austen, Lanchester Mk.1.
The funny thing was that the knights of British Albion used to copy the German MP28 while making their Lanchester Mk.1 submachine guns, while the Australian Austen borrowed the design from the MP40.

Firearms

The firearms of World War II on the battlefields were represented by the famous brands: the Italian "Berreta", the Belgian "Browning", the Spanish Astra-Unceta, the American Johnson, Winchester, Springfield, the English - Lanchester, the unforgettable "Maxim", the Soviet PPSh and TT.

Artillery. The famous "Katyusha"

In the development of artillery weapons of that time, the main stage was the development and implementation of rocket launchers.

The role of the Soviet BM-13 jet artillery combat vehicle in the war is enormous. She is known to everyone by the nickname "Katyusha". Its missiles (RS-132) in a matter of minutes could destroy not only the enemy's living force and technology, but, most importantly, and undermine its spirit. The projectiles were installed on the basis of such trucks as the Soviet ZIS-6 and the American, imported by Lend-Lease, all-wheel drive Studebaker BS6.

The first installations were made in June 1941 at the plant "Comintern" in Voronezh. Their volley hit the Germans on July 14 of the same year under Orsha. In just a few seconds, issuing a terrible roar and throwing out smoke and flames, the rockets rushed to the enemy. The fiery whirlwind completely swallowed enemy railway trains at Orsha station.

The development and creation of lethal weapons was participated by the Reactive Scientific Research Institute (RNII). It is his staff - II Gvay, AS Popov, VN Galkovsky and others - we are obliged to bow to the creation of such a miracle of military equipment. During the war years, more than 10,000 such machines were created.

German "Vanyusha"

The armament of the German army also had a similar weapon - a 15 cm Nb jet mortar. W41 (Nebelwerfer), or simply "Vanyusha". It was a weapon of very low accuracy. It had a large spread of projectiles over the affected area. Attempts to modernize the mortar or produce something like "Katyusha" did not have time to finish because of the defeat of the German troops.

Tanks

In all its beauty and diversity showed us 2 world war weapons - a tank.

The most famous tanks of World War II were: the Soviet medium-sized tank hero T-34, the German "menagerie" - heavy tanks T-VI "Tiger" and medium PzKpfw V "Panther", American medium tanks Sherman, M3 Li, The Japanese floating tank "Mizu Senya 2602" ("Ka-Mi"), the English light tank Mk III "Valentine", their own heavy tank "Churchill", etc.

"Churchill" is known for being supplied by Lend-Lease in the USSR. His armor the British brought as a result of the reduction in production to 152 mm. In battle, he was completely useless.

The role of tank forces during the Second World War

In the plans of the Nazis in 1941, there was a lightning striking with tank wedges at the joints of the Soviet troops and their complete encirclement. It was the so-called blitzkrieg - "lightning war". The basis for all the offensive operations of the Germans in 1941 was precisely the tank troops.

The destruction of Soviet tanks by means of aviation and long artillery at the beginning of the war nearly led to the defeat of the USSR. Such a huge influence on the course of the war had the necessary number of tank forces.

One of the most famous tank battles of World War II - the Battle of Prokhorovka, which took place in July 1943. The subsequent offensive operations of Soviet troops from 1943 to 1945 showed the power of our tank armies and the ability to tactically conduct combat. There was an impression that the methods used by the fascists at the beginning of the war (this is a blow by tank factions at the junction of enemy formations) have now become an integral part of Soviet combat tactics. Such attacks by mechanized corps and tank groups were magnificently shown in the Kiev Offensive Operation, the Byelorussian and Lvov-Sandomierz, Iasi-Kishenevo, Baltic, Berlin Offensive Operations against the Germans and in the Manchurian against the Japanese.

Legendary Soviet tanks

Tanks - weapons of World War II, which showed the world completely new methods of combat.

In many battles the legendary Soviet medium tanks T-34, later T-34-85, heavy KV-1 later KV-85, IS-1 and IS-2, as well as self-propelled units SU-85 and SU-152 .

The design of the legendary T-34 presented in the early 40s a significant leap in world tank building. This tank combined powerful weapons, armor and high mobility. In total, during the war years, they produced about 53 thousand pieces. These combat vehicles took part in all battles.

In response to the emergence of the German troops of the most powerful tanks T-VI "Tiger" and TV "Panther" in 1943 was created a Soviet tank T-34-85. Armor-piercing shell of his gun - ZIS-S-53 with 1000 m punched armor "Panthers" and with 500 m - "Tiger".

Confidently, the heavy tanks IS-2 and self-propelled units SU-152 also struggled with the "Tigers" and "Panthers" from the end of 1943. From 1500 m the IS-2 tank punched the front armor of the "Panther" (110 mm) and practically pierced its insides. Shells SU-152 could derail the towers from the German heavyweights.

The IS-2 tank received the title of the most powerful tank of World War II.

Aviation and the Navy

One of the best planes of that time is the German diving bomber Junkers Ju 87 Stuka, the impregnable "flying fortress" B-17, the "flying Soviet tank" IL-2, the famous fighters La-7 and Yak-3 (USSR), Spitfire "(England)," North American P-51 "" Mustang "(USA) and" Messerschmitt Bf 109 "(Germany).

The best battleships of naval forces of various countries during the Second World War were: Japanese "Yamato" and "Musashi", English "Nelson", American "Iowa", German "Tirpitz", French "Richelieu" and Italian "Littorio".

Arms race. Lethal Weapons of Mass Destruction

The weapons of World War II struck the world with their might and cruelty. It allowed to destroy virtually unimpeded a huge number of people, equipment and military installations, to wipe entire cities from the face of the earth.

The World War II brought weapons of mass destruction of various kinds. Particularly deadly for years to come was nuclear weapons.

The arms race, constant tension in conflict zones, interference of the powerful in the affairs of others - all this can give rise to a new war for world domination.