What Weapons Were Used in WWII?
World War II was a global conflict that lasted from 1939 to 1945, involving more than 30 countries and resulting in the deaths of millions of people. The war was fought on multiple fronts, including land, sea, and air, and saw the development and use of a wide range of weapons. In this article, we will explore the various weapons used during WWII, including those used by the Axis powers (Germany, Italy, and Japan) and the Allied powers (the United States, Great Britain, and the Soviet Union).
Small Arms
Small arms, such as rifles, pistols, and machine guns, were used extensively during WWII. Some of the most common small arms used during the war included:
- Rifles: The German Karabiner 98k, the American M1 Garand, and the Soviet Mosin-Nagant were all widely used rifles during WWII.
- Pistols: The German Walther P38, the American Colt M1911, and the Soviet Tokarev TT-33 were all commonly used pistols during the war.
- Machine Guns: The German MG 34, the American Browning M1919, and the Soviet DP-28 were all widely used machine guns during WWII.
Assault Weapons
Assault weapons, such as submachine guns and automatic rifles, were also used during WWII. Some of the most notable assault weapons used during the war included:
- Submachine Guns: The German MP 40, the American Thompson M1928, and the Soviet PPSh-41 were all widely used submachine guns during WWII.
- Automatic Rifles: The German StG 44, the American M1 Carbine, and the Soviet SVT-40 were all automatic rifles used during the war.
Artillery
Artillery, including field guns, howitzers, and mortars, played a significant role in WWII. Some of the most common artillery pieces used during the war included:
- Field Guns: The German 7.5 cm FK 18, the American M2 105mm Howitzer, and the Soviet 122mm howitzer were all widely used field guns during WWII.
- Howitzers: The German 10.5 cm leFH 18, the American M1 4.5-inch Gun, and the Soviet 122mm howitzer were all commonly used howitzers during the war.
- Mortars: The German 8 cm Granatwerfer 34, the American M2 60mm Mortar, and the Soviet 120mm mortar were all widely used mortars during WWII.
Anti-Tank Weapons
Anti-tank weapons, including tanks, tank destroyers, and anti-tank guns, were used to combat armored vehicles during WWII. Some of the most notable anti-tank weapons used during the war included:
- Tanks: The German Panzer III, the American M4 Sherman, and the Soviet T-34 were all widely used tanks during WWII.
- Tank Destroyers: The German Jagdpanzer IV, the American M10 Wolverine, and the Soviet SU-100 were all commonly used tank destroyers during the war.
- Anti-Tank Guns: The German Pak 40, the American M3 90mm Gun, and the Soviet 122mm anti-tank gun were all widely used anti-tank guns during WWII.
Naval Weapons
Naval weapons, including battleships, aircraft carriers, and submarines, played a significant role in WWII. Some of the most notable naval weapons used during the war included:
- Battleships: The German Bismarck, the American Iowa-class battleships, and the British HMS Warspite were all widely used battleships during WWII.
- Aircraft Carriers: The American USS Enterprise, the British HMS Ark Royal, and the Japanese Yamato-class aircraft carriers were all commonly used aircraft carriers during the war.
- Submarines: The German U-boat, the American Gato-class submarine, and the Soviet S-class submarine were all widely used submarines during WWII.
Air Power
Air power, including fighter planes, bombers, and ground attack aircraft, played a significant role in WWII. Some of the most notable air power used during the war included:
- Fighter Planes: The German Messerschmitt Bf 109, the American P-51 Mustang, and the Soviet Yakovlev Yak-3 were all widely used fighter planes during WWII.
- Bombers: The German Heinkel He 111, the American B-17 Flying Fortress, and the Soviet Tupolev Tu-2 were all commonly used bombers during the war.
- Ground Attack Aircraft: The German Stuka dive bomber, the American A-20 Havoc, and the Soviet Il-2 Shturmovik were all widely used ground attack aircraft during WWII.
Table: Common Weapons Used in WWII
| Type of Weapon | German | American | Soviet | British |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Rifle | Karabiner 98k | M1 Garand | Mosin-Nagant | Lee-Enfield |
| Pistol | Walther P38 | Colt M1911 | Tokarev TT-33 | Webley Revolver |
| Machine Gun | MG 34 | Browning M1919 | DP-28 | Vickers Machine Gun |
| Submachine Gun | MP 40 | Thompson M1928 | PPSh-41 | Sten Gun |
| Automatic Rifle | StG 44 | M1 Carbine | SVT-40 | Bren Gun |
| Field Gun | 7.5 cm FK 18 | M2 105mm Howitzer | 122mm howitzer | 25-pounder Field Gun |
| Howitzer | 10.5 cm leFH 18 | M1 4.5-inch Gun | 122mm howitzer | 4.5-inch Howitzer |
| Mortar | 8 cm Granatwerfer 34 | M2 60mm Mortar | 120mm mortar | 3-inch Mortar |
| Tank | Panzer III | M4 Sherman | T-34 | Matilda II |
| Tank Destroyer | Jagdpanzer IV | M10 Wolverine | SU-100 | Churchill Tank Destroyer |
| Anti-Tank Gun | Pak 40 | M3 90mm Gun | 122mm anti-tank gun | QF 6-pounder |
| Battleship | Bismarck | Iowa-class battleships | Tsesarevich | HMS Warspite |
| Aircraft Carrier | Graf Zeppelin | USS Enterprise | Chelyabinsk | HMS Ark Royal |
| Submarine | U-boat | Gato-class submarine | S-class submarine | HMS Upholder |
Conclusion
World War II was a global conflict that saw the development and use of a wide range of weapons. From small arms to anti-tank guns, and from battleships to aircraft carriers, the weapons used during the war played a significant role in shaping the outcome of the conflict. The table above provides a summary of some of the most common weapons used during WWII, highlighting the diversity of weapons used by the various nations involved in the war.
