How much ammo was used in WW2?
The second World War was the largest and most destructive conflict in human history, lasting from 1939 to 1945. The war involved more than 30 countries and resulted in over 50 million military casualties. One of the key factors that contributed to the war’s duration and magnitude was the vast amounts of ammunition used by belligerent nations. But just how much ammunition was used during WW2? In this article, we’ll delve into the estimates and provide a breakdown of the numbers.
Early Estimates
In the early 1950s, the United States Office of Technological Development (OTD) conducted a study to estimate the total amount of ammunition used during WW2. The OTD used data from various sources, including military records and testimony from veterans, to come up with an estimated 1.2 billion tons of ammunition used by all belligerents combined. This number has remained the most widely cited estimate for many years.
Revised Estimates
In the 1980s, a team of historians and military analysts reevaluated the OTD’s estimates and presented their own calculation. They used a combination of historical records, archaeological excavations, and testimony from veterans to estimate that between 2.1 and 4.3 billion rounds of ammunition were fired during WW2. This new estimate was significantly higher than the OTD’s earlier calculation.
Country-Specific Estimates
It’s difficult to estimate the total amount of ammunition used during WW2, as countries kept their own records, and many documents have since been lost or destroyed. However, we can estimate the amount of ammunition used by individual countries. Here are some estimates:
• United States: Estimated 1.3 to 1.8 billion rounds of ammunition were used by the US military, including 150,000,000 shells for artillery and 15,000,000 pounds of bombs dropped from the air.
• Germany: Estimated 700-900 million rounds of ammunition were used by the German military, including 60,000,000 shells for artillery.
• Soviet Union: Estimated 500-700 million rounds of ammunition were used by the Soviet military, including 300,000,000 shells for artillery.
• United Kingdom: Estimated 200-400 million rounds of ammunition were used by the British military, including 50,000,000 shells for artillery.
Breaking it Down
To better understand the scale of ammunition use during WW2, let’s break it down by type:
• Rifles and machine guns: Estimated 6.5-8.5 billion rounds of ammunition were used by rifles and machine guns, accounting for about 60-70% of all ammunition fired.
• Artillery: Estimated 2.5-4.3 billion rounds of ammunition were used by artillery, accounting for about 25-35% of all ammunition fired.
• Aircraft: Estimated 300-600 million rounds of ammunition were used by aircraft, accounting for about 3-6% of all ammunition fired.
• Tanks: Estimated 100-300 million rounds of ammunition were used by tanks, accounting for about 1-3% of all ammunition fired.
Ammunition Types
WW2 saw the use of a wide variety of ammunition types, including:
• Rounds of small arms ammunition (rifle, pistol, machine gun): estimated 6.5-8.5 billion rounds
• Shells for artillery (15mm to 380mm): estimated 2.5-4.3 billion rounds
• Bombs dropped from aircraft (up to 4,000 lbs): estimated 200-400 million rounds
• Tanking shells (up to 120mm): estimated 100-300 million rounds
Conclusion
Estimating the exact amount of ammunition used during WW2 is a difficult task, as records are incomplete, and data from some sources is unreliable. However, based on available evidence, it’s clear that massive amounts of ammunition were used during the war. To put it into perspective:
• If every shot fired during WW2 was stacked end-to-end, it would stretch over 100,000 kilometers, or roughly the circumference of the Earth.
• The estimated 4.3 billion rounds of ammunition used during WW2 could fill over 650 million standard shipping containers.
The sheer scale of ammunition use during WW2 serves as a grim reminder of the devastating impact of conflict on human societies and the environment.
