11 types of small arms of World War II Allied soldiers

The United States in World War II has become a controversial topic recently. The politicization and bias of the parties is reminiscent of the Cold War period. Therefore, it is better to consider America’s participation impartially, based on specific historical facts and official statistics.

Consider the US role in World War II

Background to the US entry into the war

Hitler's aggressive ambitions in the late 1930s were no longer in doubt among most political leaders. American politicians and simply rich and influential people discussed the inevitability of the country's entry into conflict. But there was only commercial interest.

The war began in Europe, and this is another continent that is located overseas. At first there was no direct threat.

In 1935, Congress passed the Neutrality Act. In this way, the United States officially admitted that it was not going to enter the war and support either side with money or weapons.

Franklin Roosevelt was re-elected to a third term at the time. It was not profitable for him to make militaristic promises on the eve of the elections. After all, ordinary citizens opposed the war.

Until mid-1940, America remained neutral. There was an embargo on trade with warring Europe. At first, the Americans only criticized Germany and its allies. But England was interested in American help.

Churchill secured a trade deal. For military equipment, America received a 99-year lease on 8 military bases in Great Britain. Accordingly, the time of neutrality was gradually coming to an end.

The Sino-Japanese War began back in 1937. Japan was going to take over China and its useful resources. The United States, in support of the Chinese government, is introducing a trade embargo on the supply of oil and metal to the Land of the Rising Sun. From this moment on, Japan declares war on America.

American anti-aircraft air defense systems during World War II

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By the beginning of World War II in the United States, only Navy warships had more or less adequate anti-aircraft cover. At the end of the 30s, the American army was in the stage of technical re-equipment and rearmament, and its anti-aircraft weapons corresponded to the realities of ten years ago.

The M1917 heavy machine gun in 7.62x63 mm rifle caliber (.30-06 Springfield) was the most common machine gun in the US military during the interwar era. It was developed after the United States entered World War I. This design by John Browning, created in collaboration with the Colt company, in 1917 was an analogue of the Maxim machine gun, differing with similar characteristics in a simpler design. In 1936, the machine gun was modernized.

An improved version of the Browning heavy machine gun received the designation M1917A1. The machine gun of this modification has an improved cartridge feeding mechanism, an improved sight and a new tripod, which makes it possible to fire at aerial targets. An anti-aircraft sight has been added to the machine gun accessory kit.

Machine guns of this type, thanks to water cooling, could conduct intense fire for a long time. In addition to the infantry tripod, they were mounted on armored vehicles and on anti-aircraft turrets. During the war, as part of the provision of military assistance, M1917A1s were supplied to the allies of the anti-Hitler coalition and were used throughout the war, including as an anti-aircraft weapon.

However, the M1917A1 heavy machine gun did not satisfy the American military, primarily due to its excessive weight (47 kg). As a result, a modification of the Browning M1919 machine gun in the M1919A4 version with a lightweight M2 tripod machine gun was adopted. It was this machine gun that became the main weapon of American troops during the Second World War.

The M1919A4 machine gun was structurally little different from the M1917A1 machine gun. The main difference was the use of a massive air-cooled barrel, enclosed in a perforated casing. Together with the machine gun, the M1919A4 machine gun weighed 25 kg, which was almost half the weight of the M1917A1 with the machine gun.

In addition to the infantry version of the machine gun on a tripod, there were many turret versions of this weapon, which were mounted on various vehicles and armored vehicles.

American tank crews are practicing their skills of firing anti-aircraft machine guns at low-flying targets. The photograph was taken at a training center located in the Mojave Desert, California, during the preparations for the invasion of North Africa.

In addition to the American army, the Browning M1919A4 has become widespread in the armed forces of allied countries. Together with armored vehicles supplied under Lend-Lease, it came to the USSR in significant quantities. At the same time, its role as an anti-aircraft weapon was not great; in this field, the large-caliber 12.7-mm Browning M2 machine gun turned out to be much more effective.

The American M2 heavy machine gun was developed in 1932 on the basis of the 12.7 mm Browning M1921, which began to be designed in the final stages of the First World War. The main difference from the earlier model was the development of a universal design of mechanisms and receiver, which allowed the machine gun to be used both in aviation and in ground installations, with water or air cooling and the ability to change the direction of feed of the tape.

The Browning heavy machine guns used a powerful .50 BMG cartridge (12.7x99 mm), which provided the 40 g bullet with an initial speed of 823 m/s. At a range of 450 m, the armor-piercing bullet of this cartridge is capable of penetrating a 20-mm steel plate.

12.7 mm water-cooled anti-aircraft machine gun mount

But recognition of this weapon did not come immediately; the need and importance of large-caliber machine guns for the American military in the 20-30s was not obvious. However, the rapid development of aviation in the 30s, the increase in flight speed and altitude, required adequate means of combating the rapidly growing threat from the air. Under these conditions, interest has increased in large-caliber machine guns and small-caliber anti-aircraft machine guns, which have a significantly longer firing range and better destructive effect compared to rifle-caliber anti-aircraft machine guns. Initially, the 12.7 mm M2 was produced in two versions. The air-cooled weapon was intended to combat light armored vehicles and as a means of supporting infantry. The water-cooled version was used as an anti-aircraft weapon in the army and navy.

Anti-aircraft installations of coaxial M2 machine guns, the barrels of which were liquid-cooled, became quite widespread. These installations were mounted on ships and vehicles. However, the use of this effective anti-aircraft weapon in a portable version was difficult due to its excessive weight.

To provide the necessary fire intensity, a heavier barrel was developed in the air-cooled version, and the machine gun was designated Browning M2HB. The body weight of the machine gun was reduced to 38 kg. The rate of fire was 450-600 rounds/min.

During World War II, almost 2 million M2 12.7 mm machine guns were produced in the United States. To provide air defense for the ground forces, several versions of towed and self-propelled twin and quad anti-aircraft machine gun installations were created. Machine guns were also installed on all types of warships, from torpedo boats to battleships. In the naval version, the anti-aircraft gun was equipped with a mirror sight, however, since the fire was carried out with tracer ammunition, many shooters often did not use sights, adjusting the shooting along the bullet paths.

American sailor with a coaxial 12.7 mm machine gun mount on a PT boat, off the coast of New Guinea

The main developer and manufacturer of the ZPU for the ground forces was Maxson LW Corporation. After the release of successful twin 12.7-mm M13 mounts, which were mounted on the chassis of the M3 half-track armored personnel carrier, the military expressed a desire to obtain a more powerful quad mount.

ZSU M13

In 1943, production of the quadruple M45 Maxson Mount began. The weight of the installation in combat position was 1087 kg. Firing range at air targets is about 1000 m. Rate of fire is 2300 rounds per minute.

ZPU M51

The towed version was designated M51; lightweight, on a two-axle trailer for parachute units was known as the M55. At the firing position, to give the installation greater stability, special supports were lowered to the ground from each corner of the trailer. The trailer also contained the anti-aircraft gun's power batteries and a charger for them. Guidance was carried out using electric drives. The electric motors of the guidance drives were powerful, capable of withstanding the heaviest loads. Thanks to electric drives, the installation had a pointing speed of up to 60 degrees per second.

ZPU M55

The most common type of self-propelled gun in the US Army with quad Maxson Mount machine gun mounts was the M16, based on the M3 half-track armored personnel carrier. A total of 2877 of these vehicles were produced.

ZSU M16

Maxson Mount installations were usually used to protect transport convoys or units on the march from attacks by attack aircraft. In addition to their direct purpose, quadruple installations of large-caliber machine guns were a very powerful means of combating manpower and lightly armored vehicles, earning an unofficial nickname among the American military - “meat grinder”.

On the basis of the M5 armored personnel carrier, which differed from the M3 only in some components and assemblies, as well as in the hull production technology, the M17 ZSU was produced. The armament was the same quad Maxson Mount.

Soviet ZSU M17

The M17 ZSU supplied to the USSR under Lend-Lease, which became the main means of mobile air defense of tank and mechanized units of the Red Army, was very highly valued among the troops. The combination of an armored all-terrain chassis and high firepower of four large-caliber Brownings was obtained in our country on domestic models only in the post-war period.

At the final stage of the war, Soviet M17 ZSUs, in the absence of air targets, were effectively used in street battles, firing at the upper floors of buildings and attics.

The M2 heavy machine gun turned out to be a very effective means of repelling low-altitude attacks by enemy aircraft. It had high combat and service-operational characteristics for its time, which ensured its widest distribution in the armed forces of the United States and allies in the anti-Hitler coalition. Although the bullets fired by Browning machine guns did not contain explosive charges, all aircraft of the time were vulnerable to its fire. In the late 1930s, when the first armored aircraft began to appear, the US Navy began to look for more powerful weapons to replace the large-caliber Brownings. American naval commanders became interested in the 20-mm Swiss automatic gun Oerlikon. After comparative tests on November 9, 1940, it was recommended that the Swiss Oerlikons be adopted.

Anti-aircraft guns produced in the USA were designated 20 mm/70 (0.79″) FFS. They had a rate of fire of up to 650 rounds per minute. Weight of the gun: 62 kg. Power was supplied from 30-round drum magazines. As of December 7, 1941, 379 automatic guns had been produced. In total, before production ended in 1945, the industry produced 124,735 Oerlikon anti-aircraft guns. These anti-aircraft guns in the USA were a purely naval system and were practically not used on the shore.

The weapon proved very popular in the navy due to its ease of maintenance and good rate of fire. By the end of the war, all available space on American ships was occupied by single- and double-barreled Oerlikon installations. The ammunition load of the 20-mm Oerlikon cannons included the following types of shells: - fragmentation (about 9 g of TNT); — tracers (4 g of TNT and luminous composition, track length 1500 m); — incendiary (4 g of TNT and 3 g of white phosphorus); — armor-piercing (4 g detonite); - armor-piercing incendiary (filled with white phosphorus).

The weight of the projectile, depending on the type, ranged from 124 to 130 grams. Initial speed: 835-870 m/s. Height reach - up to 2500 m.

Anti-aircraft 20-mm cannons were the “last line of defense” against Japanese kamikazes that broke through fighter barriers and fire from longer-range anti-aircraft guns. By the end of the war, on ships of the battleship class and heavy aircraft carriers, the number of Oerlikon barrels exceeded one hundred. Although it must be said that by the end of the war the Oerlikon anti-aircraft guns had ceased to meet the requirements of the time. The power of 20-mm shells was often not enough to stop the kamikaze going into the final attack. In limited quantities (110 vehicles in total), the US produced the T10 ZSU for air defense of the ground forces, armed with a twin system of 20-mm Hispano-Suiza HS.404 cannons, which, in turn, was a British version of the Oerlikon.

ZSU T10

The widespread use of the T10 ZSU in the US army was hindered by the non-standard 20mm ammunition for the army and the lack of clear advantages over 12.7mm quad mounts. In addition, production of Hispano cannons in the United States was limited. Almost all industrially produced machine guns were used to arm combat aircraft. In the early 20s, John Browning developed a 37 mm automatic cannon. After his death in 1926, the process of adopting this system into service slowed down. Formally, the gun was put into service in 1927; in fact, this only happened in 1938, after the development of a modernized carriage.

37 mm M1A2 anti-aircraft gun

The modernized 37-mm anti-aircraft gun was named M1A2. The weight of the modernized anti-aircraft gun in combat position is 2778 kg. The technical rate of fire is 120 rounds per minute. The weight of the fragmentation projectile is 595 g. The initial velocity of the projectile is 850 m/sec. The firing range at air targets is 3200 m. The 37-mm anti-aircraft gun itself performed well. However, the effectiveness was spoiled by insufficiently powerful ammunition, which made it difficult to defeat aircraft flying at high speed. Just at this time, the British turned to the Americans with a request to use part of their production capacity to produce 40-mm Bofors anti-aircraft guns for Great Britain. Having tested them, the American military was convinced of the superiority of these anti-aircraft guns over the domestic system. However, for some time, the parallel production of Bofors and M1A2 continued in the assembly shops of the Colt company.

During the fighting, it turned out that anti-aircraft gunners on light installations practically do not use sights, preferring to aim the anti-aircraft installation at the time of firing along the paths of shells or bullets. In accordance with the conclusions made, a combined installation, Combination Mount M54, was created. To the left and right of the 37-mm anti-aircraft gun barrel they placed a 12.7-mm Browning heavy machine gun. Since the ballistic characteristics of the machine guns and the gun were similar, the shooters were asked to use the machine gun bullet paths for aiming and only then put the gun into action.

ZSU T28E1

This combined anti-aircraft gun on an M3 armored personnel carrier chassis, armed with a 37 mm M1A2 automatic cannon and two 12.7 mm water-cooled machine guns, was designated T28E1. It was produced in the amount of 80 cars. It was followed by the M15 ZSU, which was distinguished by its all-round armored armament cover. 680 cars were produced.

ZSU M15A1

The ZSU, designated M15A1, on the chassis of the M3A1 armored personnel carrier was almost identical to the M15, a different sight was installed, and changes were made to the design of the combined gun mount. It has a lower silhouette and less weight than the M15. 1652 cars were produced. About a hundred of these machines were delivered to the USSR.

The first acquaintance of the American military with the Swedish 40-mm anti-aircraft gun Bofors L60 took place on August 28, 1940, during testing of two copies purchased from Sweden and a demonstration of the naval version of the gun on the Dutch sloop HNLMS Kinsbergen.

However, the Swedish version of the Bofors did not satisfy American sailors in terms of technical reliability, and it was declared unsuitable for mass production in the United States. American engineers made many changes to the design of the gun and ammunition to adapt them to truly mass production, and also replaced the air cooling circuit with a water one and added an electric drive for rapid rotation of the installation. The official designation of the American version of the Bofors is 40 mm Automatic Gun. A large number of one-, two-, four- and six-barrel anti-aircraft guns, including radar-guided ones, were developed for the American Navy. The production of 40-mm anti-aircraft guns for the US Navy was carried out at the Chrysler Corporation. Where 60,000 guns and 120,000 barrels were produced.

American sailors considered it the best anti-aircraft gun of World War II. 40-mm anti-aircraft guns turned out to be the most effective against Japanese kamikaze aircraft. As a rule, one direct hit from a 40 mm fragmentation shell was enough to destroy any Japanese aircraft used as a “flying bomb”.

Massive use of the Bofors L60 by the US Army began in 1942, after the production of these guns by order of Great Britain was launched at American enterprises in 1941. A set of technological documentation provided by the British helped speed up the launch of anti-aircraft guns into production. In fact, the license to manufacture these guns in the USA was obtained after their mass production began.

In addition to towed variants, several ZSUs were created. In the USA, Bofors were mounted on modified 2.5-ton GMC CCKW-353 truck chassis. In addition to their direct duties, the installations could provide fire support and fight light armored vehicles. The armor-piercing shells of the 40 mm gun could penetrate 50 mm homogeneous steel armor at a distance of 500 meters.

Combat experience has shown the need to have a self-propelled gun on a tank chassis to accompany mechanized columns and site air defense. Tests of such a vehicle were carried out in the spring of 1944 at the Aberdeen Tank Proving Ground. The new ZSU, which received the serial name M19, used the chassis of the M24 light tank.

American 40mm ZSU M19

The main weapons of the M19 were two 40 mm anti-aircraft guns mounted in a barbette with circular rotation. Shooting was carried out using an electric trigger. The rotation of the turret and the swinging part of the guns are controlled using an electro-hydraulic drive with manual control. The initial speed of the anti-aircraft projectile was 874 m/s, the maximum anti-aircraft firing range was 6900 m.

However, the finalization of the car was delayed. The first samples of the M19 ZSU began to enter service only in 1945, and they practically did not participate in combat operations.

At the beginning of World War II, the US ground air defense units did not have modern medium-caliber anti-aircraft guns. The 76.2 mm M3 anti-aircraft guns available in the amount of 807 units did not meet modern requirements. Their characteristics were not high, the weapon was complex and metal-intensive to produce.

76 mm M3 anti-aircraft gun

This anti-aircraft gun was created in 1930 on the basis of the 3-inch M1918 anti-aircraft gun, which, in turn, was descended from a coastal defense gun. The M3 anti-aircraft gun differed from the M1918 by a semi-automatic bolt, increased length and a modified barrel rifling pitch. The frame for the gun was a plinth with a row of long beams, on which a fine-mesh sheathing for the gun crew was placed. The metal platform turned out to be very convenient for the crew’s work, but its assembly and disassembly when changing positions was complex and time-consuming, time-consuming and severely limited the mobility of the artillery system as a whole.

The gun turned out to be quite heavy for its caliber - 7620 kg. For comparison: the Soviet 76-mm anti-aircraft gun of the 1931 model (3-K) was half the weight - 3750 kg, surpassing the American gun in efficiency and being significantly cheaper. The initial speed of a 5.8-kg projectile fired from the M3 barrel was 853 m/s. Anti-aircraft firing range is about 9000 m.

By the time the United States entered the war in 1941, old M3s were used in the defense of the Philippines against the Japanese. Some of these three-inchers lingered in other areas of the Pacific Ocean, remaining in service until 1943.

76.2 mm M3 anti-aircraft gun in one of the Chicago parks

After the 76.2 mm M3 anti-aircraft guns were replaced by more modern models in the army, some of them participated in a propaganda campaign to increase the morale of the population. The guns were driven around major cities in the continental United States and ostentatiously deployed in parks and squares. With the outbreak of hostilities, when it became clear that the 3-inch anti-aircraft gun was ineffective, it was replaced in 1942 by the 90-mm M1 anti-aircraft gun. The caliber of the new anti-aircraft gun was chosen based on the weight of the projectile; a projectile of this caliber was considered the limit of the weight that an ordinary soldier could normally handle. The gun had fairly high characteristics; a fragmentation projectile weighing 10.6 kg was accelerated in a 4.5 m long barrel to 823 m/s. This ensured a height reach of more than 10,000 m. The weight of the gun in firing position was 8,618 kg.

90 mm M1 anti-aircraft gun

The M1 anti-aircraft gun made an excellent impression, but was difficult to manufacture, not the gun itself, but the frame of the same design as the 76.2 mm M3 gun. It was towed on a single-axle chassis with dual pneumatic tires on each side. At the combat position it stood on a cross-shaped support, and the crew was located around the gun on a folding platform. The process of folding all the elements of the bed and platform onto a single-axle chassis was very difficult.

In May 1941, the main serial modification of the M1A1 appeared; it had an electric servomotor and a sight with a computer, and according to its signals, the angle of horizontal aiming and elevation could be set automatically. In addition, the gun had a spring rammer to increase the rate of fire. But the design of the rammer was not very successful, and the artillerymen usually dismantled it. In mid-1941, the development of a 90-mm anti-aircraft gun began, which, in addition to firing at air targets, was supposed to serve as a coastal defense weapon. This meant a complete rework of the frame, because on the previous frame the barrel could not fall below 0°. And this opportunity was used to radically revise the entire design. The new model of the 90 mm M2 anti-aircraft gun, released in 1942, was completely different, with a low firing table supported by four support beams when firing. The weight of the gun in firing position was reduced to 6000 kg.

90 mm M2 anti-aircraft gun

With the new frame it became much easier for the crew to manage; its preparation for battle was accelerated, and on some models a small armor shield appeared. However, major changes were made to the design of the gun: the M2 model already had an automatic feed of shells with a fuse installer and a rammer. Due to this, the installation of the fuse became faster and more accurate, and the rate of fire increased to 28 rounds per minute. But the weapon became even more effective in 1944 with the adoption of a projectile with a radio fuse. 90-mm anti-aircraft guns were usually combined into 6-gun batteries, and from the second half of the war they were equipped with radars. The SCR-268 radar was used to adjust the fire of the anti-aircraft battery. The station could see aircraft at a distance of up to 36 km, with a range accuracy of 180 m and an azimuth of 1.1°.

Radar SCR-268

The radar detected bursts of medium-caliber anti-aircraft artillery shells in the air, adjusting the fire relative to the target. This was especially important at night. 90-mm radar-guided anti-aircraft guns with radio-fuse shells regularly shot down German V-1 unmanned aircraft over southern England. According to American documents, under the Lend-Lease agreement, 25 SCR-268 were sent to the USSR, complete with anti-aircraft batteries. The design of the gun made it possible to use it for firing at ground moving and stationary targets. The maximum firing range of 19,000 m made it an effective counter-battery weapon.

By August 1945, American industry had produced 7,831 90-mm anti-aircraft guns of various modifications. Some of them were installed in stationary positions in special armored towers, mainly in the areas of naval bases. It was even proposed to equip them with automatic devices for loading and supplying ammunition, as a result of which there was no need for a gun crew, since aiming and shooting could be controlled remotely. 90-mm guns were also used to create the M36 tank destroyer on the chassis of the Sherman medium tank. This self-propelled gun was actively used in battles in northwestern Europe from August 1944 until the very end of the war. Thanks to its powerful long-barreled 90-mm cannon, the M36 tank destroyer turned out to be the only American ground vehicle capable of effectively fighting the Wehrmacht’s heavy tanks, since the M26 Pershing tank, armed with the same gun, entered service with the troops much later than the M36—almost by the very end of the war. In 1928, the 105-mm M3 anti-aircraft gun, created on the basis of a naval universal gun, was adopted. It could fire 15 kg shells at air targets flying at altitudes of up to 13,000 m. The gun's rate of fire was 10 rounds/min.

105 mm M3 anti-aircraft gun

At the time of adoption, there were no aircraft flying at such an altitude. These guns had not lost their relevance even at the start of World War II. But due to the lack of interest among the American military in anti-aircraft artillery systems, they were released in extremely small quantities, only 15 guns. All of them are installed in the Panama Canal area. Shortly before the start of the war, work began in the United States on creating a 120-mm anti-aircraft gun. This gun became the heaviest in the line of American anti-aircraft guns from the Second World War and was intended to complement the family of lighter and more mobile 90-mm M1/M2 anti-aircraft guns.

120 mm M1 anti-aircraft gun

The 120-mm M1 anti-aircraft gun was ready already in 1940, but began to enter service only in 1943. A total of 550 guns were produced. The M1 had excellent ballistic characteristics and could hit air targets with a 21 kg projectile at an altitude of up to 18,000 m, firing up to 12 rounds per minute. For such high characteristics it was called a “stratospheric gun”.

The weight of the gun was also impressive - 22,000 kg. The weapon was transported on a cart with twin wheels. It was served by a crew of 13 people. When firing, the gun was hung on three powerful supports, which were lowered and raised by a hydraulic drive. After lowering the supports, the tire pressure was released for greater stability. As a rule, four-gun batteries were located near vital objects.

Radar SCR-584

The SCR-584 radar was used to target the target and control anti-aircraft fire. This radar, operating in the 10-cm radio frequency range, could detect targets at a distance of 40 km. And adjust anti-aircraft fire at a distance of 15 km. The use of radar in combination with an analog computing device and projectiles with radio fuses made it possible to conduct fairly accurate anti-aircraft fire on aircraft flying at medium and high altitudes, even at night. But for all their advantages, these anti-aircraft guns were very limited in mobility. To transport them, special tractors were required. Transportation speed on paved roads did not exceed 25 km/h. Off-road transportation with even the most powerful tracked tractors was extremely difficult. In this regard, the use of 120-mm anti-aircraft guns in the Pacific theater of operations was extremely limited.

As a result, most of these guns remained within the borders of the United States. They were stationed along the American West Coast to protect against expected Japanese air attacks that never came. About fifteen M1 guns were sent to the Panama Canal Zone and several batteries were stationed in and around London to help defend against the V-1.

Assessing American anti-aircraft artillery as a whole, one can note the fairly high characteristics of anti-aircraft systems produced in wartime. American engineers were able to create, practically from scratch, in a short period of time, the entire line of anti-aircraft guns - from small-caliber, rapid-fire to “stratospheric” heavy anti-aircraft guns. The US industry fully satisfied the needs of the armed forces for anti-aircraft guns. Moreover, anti-aircraft guns, especially small-caliber ones, were supplied in significant quantities to the allies of the anti-Hitler coalition. Thus, 7944 anti-aircraft guns were supplied to the USSR. Of these: 90-mm M1 cannons - 251 pcs., 90-mm M2 cannons - 4 pcs., 120-mm M1 cannons - 4 pcs. All the rest are 20 mm Oerlikon and 40 mm Bofors. Deliveries to the UK were even larger. At the same time, in the US armed forces, anti-aircraft guns played a significant role only in the Pacific theater of operations. But even there, naval anti-aircraft guns most often fired at Japanese planes.

Naval universal medium-caliber anti-aircraft artillery and small-caliber anti-aircraft guns were the last barrier in the way of Japanese aircraft attacking transports and warships.

If at the beginning of the war the threat to the American fleet was posed by dive bombers and torpedo bombers, then at the final stage it was aircraft equipped for one-way flight with a suicide pilot in the cockpit. In Europe, after the landing of Allied forces in Normandy, German combat aircraft were aimed mainly at countering the destructive raids of American and British bombers. And in conditions of complete air supremacy of Allied fighters, it did not pose a great threat to ground units. Much more often, American anti-aircraft crews accompanying the advancing troops had to support their infantry and tanks with fire than to repel attacks by German attack aircraft.

Source: https://topwar.ru/55700-amerikanskie-zenitnye-sredstva-pvo-v-gody-vtoroy-mirovoy-chast-1-ya.html, https://topwar.ru/index.php?newsid= 55782

US role in World War II

The main merit of the United States in World War II was Lend-Lease and active confrontation with Japan. The American Navy participated in the submarine war. When Germany tried to disrupt the supply of weapons, industrial raw materials and food.

Indeed, the allies received material assistance from the states. But while industry was developing in America, peoples and cities were being destroyed in Europe and on the territory of the USSR. The Second World War pitted the United States against Germany much later than with other countries.

Roosevelt was in no hurry to open a second front

He understood how many soldiers would die. Therefore, the events in Normandy in June 1944 were no longer decisive.

The Americans entered at a time when the German forces were weakened. This was a profitable move for America. But for the USSR it was a belated measure. It is likely that it was for this reason that ideological disagreement arose in the coverage of the events of that time.

M1 Garand rifle – video

After John Garand received a patent for the final model of his design in 1930, his rifle was submitted for consideration two years later for introduction into service as the main weapon of the American Army. The rifle of the Garand design had a caliber of 7 mm, or according to the American classification .270. This was the reason that the rifle did not even pass the first stage of the competition, since US military officials were clearly against this cartridge, and demanded a larger caliber weapon using the .30-06 cartridge (7.62x63 mm). As a result, the design of the rifle was adapted for the .30-06 cartridge, and in 1936, after several upgrades, the Garand rifle was adopted by the US Army under the name “US rifle .30 caliber M1”. Since the 37th year of the last century, the M1 Garand began to arrive in large quantities to the US Army, where it caused a lot of criticism.

M1 Garand rifle - right and left views

The first rifles, by analogy with the first “pancakes lumpy,” worked extremely poorly. The soldiers complained that after six shots the rifle began to produce wedges of various types, and most often the number “six” was voiced regarding the last shot before the delay. This incident with a rifle on which great hopes were pinned, of course, reached the US Congress. After investigations carried out by military officials of the North American states on the urgent recommendations of Congress, it was decided that it was necessary to modify the mechanism of the gas exhaust system, which was considered flawed, because gunsmiths saw it as the reason for the delays in automatic operation when firing.

In 1939, the rifle was modernized, and the best personnel of the US arms industry took part in this modernization, who eliminated many shortcomings, both in the operation of the automatic equipment of the new rifle and in handling it. After a series of upgrades, the rifle again went through the entire cycle of field army tests, after which this weapon entered large-scale mass production and, since 1941, has been produced in tens of thousands of units. Before this, M1 rifles were produced in relatively small quantities, due to flaws in the mechanisms. Old M1 rifles, manufactured before modernization, were remade to new standards.

M1C Garand rifle with M81 sniper scope

The main reason for this approach and the sharp increase in the number of M1 rifles produced is clearly visible in the date - 1941. It was then that it became clear to the whole world that the Wehrmacht troops would not limit themselves to the enslavement of small European states, but on the contrary, having received from them material and human resources (as free labor), the army of Nazi Germany and its allies would be the initiators of aggression throughout the globe, which cannot but affect the interests of the United States of America. Therefore, the country, or rather its army, urgently needed a powerful self-loading rifle, because at that time in the arsenal of the countries participating in the Second World War there were predominantly non-automatic rifles with manual reloading, with a “bolt” bolt. Most of the soldiers of the Red Army were armed with Mosin rifles and carbines, the Mauser 98 rifle and the Mauser 98k carbine were the main weapons of the Wehrmacht, the English Lee-Enfield rifle formed the basis of the small arms of the British army. In other words, most of the small arms that played a decisive role in World War II were non-self-loading rifles, they were bolt-action rifles that had to be manually pulled for each subsequent shot.

In those terrible years, the war posed a serious danger to the foundations of US statehood and independence, which the people of this country value so much. Therefore, the participation of the United States in the massacre unleashed by Germany was inevitable, and for this, of course, an effective weapon was required, which should have higher combat characteristics compared to the weapons of opponents, as well as allies (you never know, allies often become opponents , which happened repeatedly before the Second World War, and there were much fewer fools in the American top leadership than Soviet propaganda of the post-war period said).

M1D Garand - sniper rifle with M82 optical sight and flash hider

In 1939, when World War II began, the majority of small arms in the US Army were Springfield M1903 bolt-action rifles of various modifications, which, by and large, were identical to the above-mentioned bolt-action rifles from other countries that took an active part in the war. The combat characteristics of American Springfield rifles were even somewhat inferior to weapons such as the Mauser 98 and the Mosin rifle, especially in reliability. At that time, all these weapons were, so to speak, “last century,” both in a figurative sense and in the most literal sense. Therefore, the production of self-loading M1 Garand rifles was one of the main priorities for the United States, because in the conditions of a major war, undoubtedly, such a rifle provided significant advantages over bolt-on non-self-loading rifles in service with other countries. Therefore, the M1 Garand rifle was supposed to replace the outdated Springfield M1903 non-self-loading rifle in the US Army.

Moving parts of Garand M1 automation. A gas piston with a return spring inside, a gas piston rod and a bolt frame connected to it are visible. A non-removable magazine is visible under the bolt carrier

Therefore, the pace of production of the M1 from the beginning of the organization of mass production at the end of 1936 to the first years of the war increased exponentially, and also in wartime these rifles were produced in very large quantities. The M1 Garand rifle gave American troops a significant advantage over any other army of that historical period when it comes to mass infantry small arms, because no army had a self-loading rifle as its main weapon. Before the end of World War II, until 1945, more than 4 million M1 rifles of various modifications were produced in the United States. The main model of this rifle used during the war was the basic M1 Garand and the sniper modifications of this rifle, M1D and M1C, which entered the American army towards the end of the war with flash suppressors and a leather “cheek” on the butt, differing from each other in different optical sights and then produced in small series. There were also attempts to introduce some other modifications of the M1 rifles into the army (for example, options with a folding stock and a new flash suppressor), but this was inappropriate from an economic point of view, since the basic M1 coped with its tasks quite well, so innovations remained during the war beyond serial production. The reason for this was the very fact that the state was waging war, when there was no time for innovation, if the weapon works normally, you just need to increase production volumes.

Operation of parts and mechanisms of the M1 “Garand” rifle The rifle was originally developed on the principle of automatic operation by removing powder gases from the muzzle into a special muzzle, which complicated the entire system, and this scheme worked very unstable. Later, starting in 1939, a gas outlet hole began to be made in the wall of the barrel, next to the muzzle, in order to ensure maximum return of the energy of the powder gases to the bullet when fired; since 1941, they were made only with this automatic operation scheme. The gas chamber is connected to the barrel through a coupling for fastening the front sight and bayonet. The cylindrical gas chamber is located under the barrel; it contains a gas piston with a fairly long working stroke, connected through the gas piston rod to the bolt frame. When fired, under the influence of powder gases removed from the barrel through the gas outlet, the gas piston pushes the bolt frame back through a rod. The bolt frame begins to move backward, turning the bolt around its axis. Rotation of the bolt is ensured by a pin protruding from the bolt, which, when the bolt frame moves, passes through a special “oblique” groove located on the inside of the bolt frame. Thus, the bolt carrier first turns the bolt through the interaction of its groove and the bolt pin, and when the bolt, after turning, releases its two lugs from the receiver lugs, it pulls it back, opening the barrel bore.

An American soldier with an M1 Garand takes a German soldier prisoner.

When the bolt frame moves backward, the spent cartridge case is ejected from the chamber through an ejector, which removes the cartridge case from the chamber, and when moving backward, the cartridge case hits the reflector and is thrown out of the rifle. Also, when the shutter moves backward, the hammer is cocked. The return spring of the bolt frame is located inside the gas piston on the guide rod, and after the bolt recoils, it is compressed, which ensures that the bolt frame (and rod) returns to its original position after it stops at the rearmost point of the receiver. Under the action of the return spring, the bolt frame moves forward along the receiver, captures a new cartridge from the magazine and sends it into the chamber of the barrel, resting against the breech. At the same time, the bolt rotates around its axis in the opposite direction, through the same interaction of the bolt pin with the oblique groove of the bolt frame, and the two protrusions of the bolt during this rotation extend beyond the two lugs (special grooves on the receiver near the chamber), which causes reliable locking of the barrel with a bolt. Mikhail Timofeevich Kalashnikov borrowed this locking system by turning the bolt interacting with the bolt frame and moving its protrusions beyond the lugs of the receiver from John Garand when creating his machine gun. All AK family assault rifles have the same bolt-action locking principle as the M1 Garand rifles.

Top view of the receiver with the bolt open and a stack of cartridges installed. To load the magazine, all you have to do is press the pack from top to bottom, sinking it into the magazine.

The M1 rifle has a fairly simple trigger mechanism; the trigger is located inside the receiver. The safety is located in front of the trigger guard, it is quite convenient to operate and you can even check by touch without unnecessary movements whether the rifle is on the safety or is ready to fire. If the rifle is on safety, then the safety lever is recessed into the trigger guard. To check the combat readiness of the weapon, you simply need to place your index finger, lying on the trigger, behind the trigger guard. In the same way, with this finger you can put the rifle on safety or, conversely, remove it from safety. The layout is quite convenient. To put the weapon on safety, you should pull the lever located in front of the trigger guard, and to remove it, push this lever forward until it stops. The trigger mechanism allows you to cock the hammer without moving the bolt frame, which is very useful in the event of a misfire or when there is a cartridge in the chamber and the hammer is not cocked. In order to cock the hammer without moving the bolt frame, you need to pull the back of the trigger guard down and forward until it clicks, and then return the guard to its original position.

Cartridge pack for 8 rounds .30-06

The magazine on the M1 is non-detachable; the rifle is loaded using packs that hold 8 rounds. To load, the bolt is pulled back and a pack of cartridges is placed on top of the magazine, after which the bolt sends the cartridge into the chamber. The difference between such packs and conventional clips (such as those on a Mosin rifle or on an SKS carbine) is that they do not need to be removed immediately after loading. The pack is lowered by finger pressure into the magazine, the bolt closes, and the rifle is ready for battle. When all 8 rounds in the pack are exhausted, the bolt carrier engages the bolt stop, which is turned on by the magazine cartridge feeder, locking in the rearmost position. And the empty pack is thrown out of the receiver, after which it is necessary to load a new pack into the magazine and remove the bolt from the delay, which will cause the first cartridge of the new pack to be in the chamber. The main disadvantage of such a loading system is the inability to load the rifle magazine with cartridges one at a time if the packs have run out and only loose cartridges remain. It is also very difficult to reload a rifle if, for example, 5-6 rounds are used up, and you would like to fill the magazine to capacity without removing a half-empty pack from the magazine.

The sights of the basic M1 Garand model are a front sight and a diopter rear sight, adjustable vertically and horizontally. The aiming line (the distance from the rear sight to the front sight) is the correct length for such sighting devices, neither short nor long, that is, it is convenient to aim, and shooting accuracy will depend only on the skills of the shooter.

American military leaders have established and formalized some rather strange data regarding the M1 rifle. The oddity was in determining the maximum firing range of this rifle, which was indicated by the number 1097 meters. But at the same time, it was generally accepted that this rifle could be fired really effectively at distances of up to 600 meters.

The M1 Garand is also adapted to throw muzzle grenades, which are placed on the barrel from the muzzle end and launched by firing a blank cartridge.

At the end of World War II, production of M1 rifles ceased, but in the fifties, production of the M1 Garand was restarted and continued until 157, when the American army adopted the M14 rifle, operating on a different cartridge - 7.62x51. But M1 rifles completely left the troops already in the 60s. However, until now, this weapon is used as a ceremonial weapon, in much the same way as the domestic Simonov carbine (SKS).

During the production of this weapon and after its completion, M1 rifles were sold to various countries, in some of which they were put into service with the army. The rifle was also manufactured chambered for 7.62x51 mm for the US Navy.

Options

M1 - standard infantry rifle mod. 1936 (before adoption it was designated T1E2)

M1C - sniper rifle mod. 1944 with an M81 optical sight, before being put into service it was designated M1E7. In 1951, it was officially adopted by the US Marine Corps.

M1D - a sniper rifle with an M82 optical sight and a flash suppressor, before being adopted into service it was designated M1E8. In June 1944 it was adopted by the US Army.

The Beretta BM 59 is a semi-automatic rifle created in Italy based on the M1 Garand design.

M1 Conversion Rifle is a modification chambered for the 7.62x51 mm NATO cartridge, developed by the Philippines, equipped with a detachable 20-round magazine from the American M14 rifle.

These rifles are still produced today for the domestic civilian market and for export.

Military production

The United States experienced an unprecedented increase in military production during World War II. Basically all goods went overseas. Americans spent little on luxury goods, preferring to save money. Nobody believed that the war would last forever. And after the end of military orders, an economic recession was likely.

First of all, America’s territorial remoteness from the theater of operations contributed to its success.

No one bombed industrial areas. Only 11 million Americans were drafted. The country still has workers, engineers, and resources. Thus, the American Labor Front was able to provide significant assistance to the Allied troops.

Henry Kaiser's enterprises built 3 ships a day. Thanks to rational innovations, they were able to shorten the production cycle. By the end of the war, a total of 2,770 units were built. transport type "Liberty". The Germans did not have time to sink as many ships as they produced in American shipyards.

Henry Ford received a contract to produce strategic bombers. Automotive industry technologies were used to reduce the cost and speed up production.

Despite complaints from soldiers that the B-24 was inferior in protection to the Flying Fortresses, Ford switched production to 24-hour operation. Every month its factories produced about 600 bombers.

Browning M2

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The American Browning M2 heavy machine gun was developed back in 1932. It was produced in many versions: easel, aviation, anti-aircraft and infantry versions. Fires .50 BMG (12.7 mm) type ammunition. Due to its accuracy, power and reliability, as well as relative ease of production, the Browning M2 is still used today in a number of countries.

Pacific Theater

The United States did not enter World War II immediately. The reason was the Japanese attack on Pearl Harbor. The declaration of war was late, so the Japanese attack is considered to be contrary to the principles of international diplomacy.

American losses on December 7, 1941 were:

• 230 aircraft;
• 8 battleships;
• 10 warships;
• 2403 military and ordinary citizens were killed.

The Japanese then lost only 29 aircraft.

The Pacific campaign lasted from 1941 to 45.

During military operations, Japan and America tried to seize dominance in this region. The turning point in favor of the Allies came in 1943. Jets and napalm were used. Japan surrendered only after a nuclear attack in August 1945.

Mediterranean theater of operations

The Americans did not fight alone in Italian and North African lands. They acted in concert with the British. Together they were able to overcome German-Italian resistance.

All sides suffered colossal losses. And the battles went on with varying degrees of success. The Italians were unhappy that their nation was being dragged into war. Therefore, Mussolini was arrested by order of the king in 1943. The Italian government enters into negotiations with the United States. But this fact was carefully hidden from Hitler.

In the summer of 1944, American soldiers from the Italian Front were sent to liberate Southern France.

So gradually the Mediterranean and Western European fronts were able to unite.

M1 Garand

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The American M1 Garand self-loading rifle replaced the Springfield M1903. However, as noted above, I did not have time to replace it in the troops 100%. The new weapon became widespread in the US Army only in mid-1943. Today we can safely say that the M1 Garand is a simple and reliable rifle. However, it had one important drawback - a loud sound when shooting a spent pack. It should also be noted that the M1 Garand became the second self-loading rifle in the world. The Soviet ABC-36 was “born” just a few months older than its overseas sister.

Western European Theater of Operations

The American army almost never fought alone. For military operations in western Europe, the states attracted another ally - Canada.

USA in the Battle of the Atlantic

The Axis countries Berlin - Rome - Tokyo formed the Nazi bloc. The coalition sought to disrupt maritime communications between the allied countries. The most valuable cargo was sent across the Atlantic. Consequently, if the delivery of food and weapons is stopped, then the starving soldiers will have nothing to fight with.

Germany has focused on submarines

They became a thunderstorm of the ocean due to their ability to approach almost silently. Most often, German submarines attacked single small ships.

Therefore, the Allies began sending convoys across the Atlantic with a serious defense system. As a result, there was one German submarine for every Allied ship sunk.

American bombing of the Third Reich

Carpet bombing using incendiary bombs destroyed most German cities. Even small settlements were not spared. It was important to destroy residential areas and industrial facilities. Because they also played their role in the war along with the soldiers.

Over the entire period, about 80 million incendiary bombs were dropped

About 600 thousand people were destroyed. Most residents survived by hiding in bomb shelters. But according to some reports, charred corpses were retrieved from the basements of German cities until 1947.

Second front

American soldiers arrived on the Western European front only in 1944. The joint operation of Canada, America and England went down in history as D-Day or Overload. It ended with the liberation of Paris and France from the German occupiers. Only by December were the troops able to approach the French-German border. The reason for the slow progress was bad weather.

From December 1944 to April 1945, the combined Allied forces captured almost all German territory up to the Rhine, crossed the river and met the Soviet army on the Elbe.

Design. Principle of operation

The submachine gun uses the automatic blowback principle. Shooting is carried out from an open bolt.

M3 submachine gun. Design

Let's first list the main parts and mechanisms that make up a submachine gun:

• bolt box;
• trunk;
• locking and trigger mechanism;
• metal butt;
• loading mechanism;
• aim;
• feed mechanism and magazine.

  
  M3 submachine gun

As for the body of the weapon, it is made of stamped steel. A special coupling is used as the front cover of the receiver, in which the barrel is also installed, which is tightly connected to the bushing, which, in turn, is screwed into the bolt box directly during assembly.

M3 submachine gun

A bolt with a striker (a single part) and two symmetrically located return springs with guides form the locking mechanism. At the bottom of the bolt box there is a trigger mechanism, which consists of a trigger rod, a trigger and a “spring-loaded” hook. Using a rod, the trigger is connected to the trigger lever.

A special box houses the loading mechanism, consisting of a charging handle with a spring, a pusher and a lever. This box is connected to the bolt box from below using a trigger safety guard. When the charging handle is pulled back, the lever turns and the pusher and lever pull the bolt back. The cartridge deflector is welded to the front of the loading mechanism box.

M3 submachine gun

The cocking handle is located below the barrel line. To cock it, you need to turn it back about a quarter turn. In the initial version of the M3 submachine gun, the bolt cocking unit turned out to be extremely problematic in terms of reliability. Later, in the M3A1 version of 1944, this defect was eliminated by replacing the cocking handle with a certain hole in the bolt. To retract the shutter you had to pull it with your finger. The size of the cartridge ejector window was also increased. The spring-loaded cover of the cartridge ejector window was used as a fuse. When it was in the closed position, the shutter was locked either in the forward or rear position.

The weapon's sights are quite primitive - a simple non-adjustable sight mounted on the receiver.

M3 submachine gun

This is interesting: in 1961, the Minister of Defense of Cuba, Rudder Castro, presented a submachine gun to the Minister of Defense of the USSR, Malinovsky Rodion.

The retractable stock, made of steel wire, could also be used alternatively - its right rod served as a ramrod, and, located in the rear of the M3A1, the bracket was used as a “lighter” for storing magazines. Later releases of the M3A1 also had a conical flash suppressor.

Strikes on US territory

The Axis countries were planning an invasion of state lands. But in the end everything was limited to military operations off the coast.

Brief chronology of attempts to strike America:

• January–August 1942 – regular attacks by German submarines on American ships off the east coast of the United States;
• February 23, 1942 - Japanese submarine attack on the California coast;
• March 4, 1942 - Japanese reconnaissance operation over Pearl Harbor;
• June 1942–August 1943 – military operations in the Aleutian Islands for Alaska;
• June 21–22, 1942 – attack on Fort Stevens;
• September 9 and September 29, 1942 - air attacks on the mainland;
• November 1944–April 1945 – the Japanese launched Fu-Go unguided balloon bombs towards America;
• May 5, 1945 - Oregon is attacked with incendiary bombs from a submarine, killing 6 civilians.

The military events of the Second World War with the participation of the United States in the vast majority of cases took place far from the mainland.

Comparative performance characteristics of M3/M3A1

Below are comparative performance characteristics of two well-known models of this weapon.

Consequences

Other countries and the United States were in different conditions after World War II. Nobody bombed America. All factories remained intact. Against this background, the states increased their economic, political and military influence in the world.

During World War II, the United States finally emerged from the Great Depression. Growing production required workers. Consequently, unemployment is a thing of the past. Thanks to patriotism, people worked much more. Salaries have increased.

The redistribution of capacities between industries played a role. Highly productive enterprises came to the fore. The quality of work increased. New technologies appeared that contributed to the growth of production and sales. Women went to work in factories.

Reasons for America's strengthening on the world stage:

• Small losses amounting to $1.2 billion. In turn, this is approximately 0.4% of all losses during the war.
• America sold weapons, raw materials, equipment and agricultural products. The total revenue amounted to about $46 billion.
• It was then that the dollar became a world currency, and 65% of gold reserves ended up in American vaults.
• The power of the US Navy has increased 5 times.
• The average annual growth in industrial production was 15%.
• By 1947, American production captured more than half of the world market.

The famous “Alaskan Highway” arose due to the Japanese threat.
It was not built the first time. Because weather conditions did not allow us to immediately lay a durable asphalt surface. After the end of the war, the highway became the property of Canada and operates to this day.

Rifle in the USSR

By 1941, the Red Army had several types of rifles in service:

• Mosin rifle, first produced in 1891.
• Tokarev self-loading rifle model 1940.
• Simonov rifle model 1936.

World War II was the last conflict in which the Soviet army used the Mosin rifle en masse. This type of weapon was developed by gunsmith Sergei Mosin in 1891. It was used by the Russian army in World War I and against Japan.

In the 1920s, the Mosin rifle was seriously modified by USSR gunsmiths. A more durable sector sight replaced the previous frame sight. A fly guard was created that protected the front sight from damage. A spring latch was introduced for the bayonet at the end of the barrel.

The Mosin rifle's magazine held five rounds, the weapon could fire 20-30 bullets per minute, and a fighter could conduct targeted fire over a distance of two kilometers. The rifle bayonet was attached to the right of the barrel.

In the 1930s, a sniper rifle and carbine were developed based on the classic Mosin rifle. The latter was lighter, but had a shorter firing range.

The Sergei Simonov rifle (ABC-36) began production in 1936. It was a self-loading weapon that had a machine-gun fire mode. In total, about 65 thousand automatic rifles were produced before the war. It was intended primarily for single shooting. To repel an unexpected attack, when the enemy came closer than one hundred and fifty meters, continuous fire was allowed. If there were no machine guns at the position, the Simonov rifle could be used to fire in short bursts.

The ABC-36 turned out to be an insufficiently reliable weapon, which had many complex parts. Therefore, it did not receive widespread use in the Soviet army.

Shortly before Germany attacked the Soviet Union, the country began producing Tokarev self-loading rifles (SVT). This type of weapon was developed as an alternative to the ABC-36. It was planned that they would become the main weapon of the Soviet infantry. The fighter carried the rifle bayonet in a pouch on his belt and attached it to the weapon only before hand-to-hand combat.

In 1940-1941, self-loading rifles were received by units located in the western regions of the USSR. As a result, most of these rifles were lost during the unsuccessful battles for the USSR in 1941. The high cost of SVT led to a reduction in its production during the war years.

Return of the troops

By the end of the war, there were about 8 million military personnel abroad. Their return to their homeland took place as part of Operation Magic Carpet. It took an average of one year.

The first soldiers sailed from Europe in June 1945.

Military personnel from the Pacific took the longest to be recalled. The last of them returned home in September 1946.

US weapons

Hitler did not view the states as a threat. At the start of his campaign, the American army was characterized by low readiness for attack. But gradually it increased its power.

Weapon

The most famous weapons of the World War II era used by American soldiers:

• M1 Garand
• Thompson submachine gun;
• M1 Carbine
• Colt M1911A1;
• Browning M2;
• M3 submachine gun;
• Springfield M1903.

The main automatic weapon the Americans had was the Browning rifle (BAR). It was used by both infantry and airborne troops.

M1911

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The M1911 semi-automatic pistol, designed by John Moses Browning back in 1908, is one of the most recognizable American pistols. It was in service with the US Armed Forces until 1985. This pistol survived both world wars. The M1911 was significantly superior to the popular toga revolvers in Western countries in terms of rate of fire and shooting accuracy. However, it was very heavy and did not have the most spacious magazine.

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Army

The American army at the beginning of the conflict consisted of only five infantry and one cavalry units. Therefore, Hitler did not consider the states a serious adversary. As a result, by 1945 the army consisted of almost 100 units.

In addition to increasing power, one must also take into account the fact that the government used the army only in exceptional cases. In this way it saved the lives of its soldiers

Springfield M1903

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The American Springfield M1903 repeating rifle was used by almost all allied countries. British, French and American soldiers were armed with it. On the eve of the war, the Springfield M1903 was formally withdrawn from service in the United States, but they did not have time to rearm the ground forces, as a result of which about half of the personnel went through the war with this particular weapon.

Artillery and armored vehicles

The American army for the most part used three types of self-propelled artillery: field, anti-tank, and anti-aircraft.

Main characteristics of American tank building during World War II:

• They mainly produced light and medium tanks.
• Technical innovations were constantly introduced: automatic transmission, rubber-metal tracks, hydraulic transmission, etc.
• To make the structure lighter, they installed motors from cars.

The American military has relied on light armored vehicles. Due to the launch of military production, by the summer of 1941 it was possible to create 2 armored divisions. After the end of hostilities, the units were abolished.

Bazooka

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Bazooka is an American anti-tank grenade launcher. Like all grenade launchers, it used shaped charges. However, the operating principle of the Bazooka was different, since, in essence, it was not a recoilless weapon, but a man-portable missile launcher. In addition to shaped charges, the grenade launcher also used fragmentation and smoke charges. Served by two soldiers. An experienced crew fired up to 6 rounds per minute.

US Aviation

America's aviation industry was not particularly diverse. The only one in service was the Curtiss P-40 Warhawk, an easy-to-control yet incredibly reliable fighter. In the USSR he was remembered under the name KittyHawk.

In the late 1930s, the devil with the forked tail was created - the P-38 Lightning, a heavy fighter and reconnaissance aircraft. The Douglas A-20 is a whole series of aircraft, bombers and fighters that were used by both American aviation and sent under Lend-Lease.

The BT-13 Valiant was intended to be a training aircraft. There were two seats in the cabin - for the student and the teacher. But in the end, Valiant was used against kamikazes, giving second place to the shooter. The largest bomber of that time was the Convair B-36.

The plane was capable of covering the distance between continents. Therefore, it subsequently became the basis of US strategic nuclear forces during the Cold War.

The Boeing B-17 Flying Fortress produced the most. The bombers could return to base even without three of their four engines and with holes in the hull.

STEN

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It is impossible not to mention the British STEN submachine gun. This weapon has a very long and eventful history. It’s worth saying right away that STEN in its early versions was neither reliable nor efficient. The weapon was modified and refined throughout almost the entire war. STEN was incredibly cheap and simple, but different generations had different disadvantages. It was used not only by the British Armed Forces, but also by allies, such as the Poles and the French.

US Navy

The American Navy played a major role in the struggle for the Atlantic and in the confrontation with Japan. The fleet expanded rapidly with increased production of new ships in American shipyards. But his losses were also significant.

American fleet loss statistics:

• 2 battleships,
• 3 floating seaplane bases,
• 5 aircraft carriers,
• 6 escort aircraft carriers,
• 7 heavy cruisers,
• 3 light cruisers,
• 3 minelayers,
• 43 minesweepers,
• 81 destroyers,
• 13 escort destroyers,
• 51 submarines,
• 12 gunboats.

Hall of Fame

After the end of World War II, the United States was summing up its results. Heroes were awarded the Medal of Honor. Memorials were erected to commemorate achievements and losses.

Famous generals

Douglas MacArthur
Douglas MacArthur commanded the Allied forces in the Philippines and participated in their defense until the surrender. He then led the counter-offensive in New Guinea. It was under his leadership that the army was able to recapture the Philippines from Japan.

Henry Harley Arnold

Henry Harley Arnold was involved in aviation. Thanks to his persistence, the number of aircraft increased, and the Air Force was separated into a separate branch of the military. It was Arnold who planned all the attacks of American aircraft during the Second World War.

Dwight David Eisenhower

Dwight David Eisenhower commanded the offensive on the Mediterranean front and led the landings in Normandy. He was also responsible for the deaths of German prisoners of war after the end of the war. On his initiative, a class of prisoners was created who were denied simple living conditions, contrary to the Geneva Convention.

George Smith Patton

George Smith Patton is known for his cruelty and controversial statements. But he knew how to strictly maintain discipline. He took part in the Mediterranean and Western European fronts.

Omar Nelson Bradley

Omar Nelson Bradley served on the Mediterranean front. Thanks to his resourcefulness, Messina was captured in just 5 weeks. At the same time, he saved a large number of his people from death. He also commanded the 1st Army in Normandy. It was under his command that the troops broke through the Siegfried Line and crossed the Rhine.

George Catlett Marshall Jr.

George Catlett Marshall Jr. was Roosevelt's adviser on strategy and tactics. Not a single allied conference could take place without his participation.