Figure 1.--The U.S. Army was tiny when Hitler and Stalin began World War II -- less than 0.2 million men. France mobilized 5 million men and fell in a few weeks. Here wee see artillery training at Fort Brag. It was the U.S.Army artillery training center. In 1940 there were only 5,000 soldiers at ForT Brag. Consription on a limited level did not begin until (late-1940). Really large numbers of Americans did not begin to train until Pearl Harbor (December 1941). The Artillery Arm of the U.S. Army was arguably the most technoligally sophisticated and the Army's most powerful combat arm. They would have to be armed and trained in advanced skills needed in a very short period of time.

Artillery, as was the case since the introduction and mastery of gun powder (15th century), was important in World War II. What is not fully understood is that as in most modern wars, artillery was the major killer in World War II. Today only military historians for the most part believe that that aircraft, tank, or machine guns were by far the major killer. They were not. It was the artillery. The artillery was no only one of the primary weapons of World War II. Aircraft delivered powerful blows on enemy forces as well, but it was artillery that was by far the primary killer. Artillery was the primary killer in World War I and although data is less available, was certainly the cause of military casualties in World War II as well. American data shows that over half of casualties in the European theater were due to artillery and over 60 percent of fatal casualties. 【Todorov】 German data began to deteriorate as the war turned against the Reich. Soviet data is unavailable. The British presumably have data, but we have not yet found it. America data is available and reasonably accurate. And don't forget. this is American casualties. The advances in motorized vehicles gave the artillery unprecedented mobility. The tank was essentially motorized artillery and there were a range of self-propelled guns. German focus on mobile warfare gave them a huge advantage at the onset of the War. The Luftwaffe Stuka was essentially aerial artillery. Mobility provided the opportunity to concentrate artillery at critical points on the battlefield to a degree never before achieved. This proved crucial in the German crossing of the Meuse and resulting victory in the Battle for France (1940). It was the Germans who first appreciated the importance of anti-tank guns in tank warfare. And the German 88 proved to be one of of the best such guns of the War. It took the Allies some time to deploy anti-tank guns of similar effectiveness. The dynamic of tank warfare was fundamentally changed by the development of infantry anti-tank weapons and forced changes in tank tactics. Standard artillery was also of importance, especially as tank tactics changed. The Soviets and Allies had much stronger artillery arms. The artillery provided support to ground troops. The American artillery played a key role after Kasserine in stopping the German armored thrust and in maintaining the Bastogne pocket in the Bulge. None other than Erwin Rommel commented on the proficiency of American artillery. Artillery was a function of economic output and industrial might. And America was the world's leading industrial power. Here the mobility and targeting of American artillery in addition to the number of tubes and supply of ammunition were key to its success. Artillery was always important both to support friendly infantry and to pound enemy artillery. The American introduction of the proximity fuse delivered an unprecedented level of lethality to German and Japanese as well as Kamikaze suicide pilots.

History

Artillery, as was the case since the introduction and mastery of gun powder (15th century), was important in World War II. Gunpowder was invented in China, but was perfected in Europe. Artillery appears occasinaly in history Artillery played a key role on the rise of Europe. Artillery bmade European impriaism possible, allowing a small force to defear huge armies. The Ottomons brroke down the famed ewttls of Constaninople, but relied on Hungarian experts (1453). Pavia heighligted the imprtance of artillery (1525). The British forces at Gibraltar utilized their artillery to fortify defenses, repelling numerous Spanish assaults (1779-83). America was won at Yorktown as a result of an artillery seige (1781), Napoleon emrged from the artillery and made his ame by using artillerry at Toulon(1793). Even a cursory reading of the Civil War lead us to the desimation of Pickertts's Divion at Gettysburg, Lee last unspnt division (1863). The Frenc Soixante-Quinze (Seventy-Five) probably saved France in World War I.

Popular Conception

What is not fully understood is that as in most modern wars, artillery was the major killer in World War II. Today only military historians for the most part believe that that aircraft, tank, or machine guns were by far the major killer. They were not. It was the artillery. The artillery was no only one of the primary weapons of World War II. Aircraft delivered powerful blows on enemy forces as well, but it was artillery that was by far the primary killer.

Data

Artillery was the primary killer in World War I and although data is less available, was certainly the cause of military casualties in World War II as well. American data shows that over half of casualties in the European theater were due to artillery and over 60 percent of fatal casualties. 【Todorov】 One author provides the details. "Some fairly accurate estimates were gleaned from records examining American deaths. For instance, small arms caused 14%, 23.4%, and 30.7% of total deaths in the Mediterranean, European, and Pacific theaters, respectively. On the flip side, artillery and mortar fire caused 69.1%, 64%, and 47% of total deaths in the Mediterranean, European, and Pacific theaters, respectively. While this report examines only American casualties, the pattern is likely to hold out irrespective of the particular country. Therefore, we can safely assume that artillery killed the most in World War 2." 【Oganga】 German data began to deteriorate as the war turned against the Reich. Soviet data is unavailable. The British presumably have data, but we have not yet found it. America data is available and reasonably accurate. And don't forget. this is American casualties. An another indicator is the deadliest battlefield. This of course was the Ostkrieg (1941-45). And was where the geartest deplymnt of artillery occured for an extenbded period. The Soviedts had the most gtubeds. Ghe Germant used the tubes thaey hadmore effectively, but coud not vercome the massive Soviet superiority in tubes. Two factors have to be consusidere here. Fist, the Soviets thanks in part to Americam Lmd Lease began using trucks rather than horses to move their artillery (1943). Decond, he German s began deploying their tubes around gtheir industrrial cities to defend against Allied bombers (1942). The same was true for deliveries of amunition. .

Mobility

The advances in motorized vehicles gave the artillery unprecedented mobility. The tank was essentially motorized artillery and there were a range of self-propelled guns. German focus on mobile warfare gave them a huge advantage at the onset of the War. The Luftwaffe Stuka was essentially aerial artillery. Mobility provided the opportunity to concentrate artillery at critical points on the battlefield to a degree never before achieved. This proved crucial in the German crossing of the Meuse and resulting victory in the Battle for France (1940). It was the Germans who first appreciated the importance of anti-tank guns in tank warfare. And the German 88 proved to be one of of the best such guns of the War. It took the Allies some time to deploy anti-tank guns of similar effectiveness. The dynamic of tank warfare was fundamentally changed by the development of infantry anti-tank weapons and forced changes in tank tactics. Standard artillery was also of importance, especially as tank tactics changed. The Soviets and Allies had much stronger artillery arms. The artillery provided support to ground troops. The American artillery played a key role after Kasserine in stopping the German armored thrust and in maintaining the Bastogne pocket in the Bulge. None other than Erwin Rommel commented on the proficiency of American artillery. Artillery was a function of economic output and industrial might. And America was the world's leading industrial power. Here the mobility and targeting of American artillery in addition to the number of tubes and supply of ammunition were key to its success. Artillery was always important both to support friendly infantry and to pound enemy artillery. The American introduction of the proximity fuse delivered an unprecedented level of lethality to German and Japanese as well as Kamikaze suicide pilots.

Sources

Oganga, Jeff. "What weapon killed the most people in World War 2?" World Atlas (May 4 2024).

Todorov, Sasho. "Red god of war: Soviet artillery" WW2TV (October 1, 2021).

Created: 5:54 AM 10/3/2025
Last updated: 5:55 AM 10/3/2025