Figure 1.--Here we see a Red Army 15-year old boy soldier durin Winter 1943-44. Images like this help expalain why only about 20 percent of the males born in the Soviet Union during 1923 survived the war. The whole early-1920s cohort experienced low survival rates. The boy is holding the iconic PPSh-41 assault gun, capable of firing 900 rounds a minute. Of all the World War II conbatants, the Soviet Union produced the greates number of assult guns and used them to greatest effect--primarily because whole units were equipped with them.

All of the major combatant couties World War II had at least one type of sub-machine gun/assault gun, but usage varied widely. The American called them sub-machine gun and they are the precursor to the modern assault rifle like the Soviet AK-47 and American M-16. Of all the World War II conbatants, the Soviet Union produced the greates number of assult guns and used them to greatest effect--primarily because whole units were equipped with them. The PPD-40 was developed (1935), but not issued in any numbers at the time the Soviets invaded Finland (1939). With the reverses at the hands of the Finns who had the Suomi. The Soviets beagn issuing the PPD (1940). It was a 7.62×25mm weaon. The Soviets began working on the PPSh-41 which could be mass produced. The Americans had the Browning Automtic Rifle which they chose not to use during World War I. It was too heavy for general issue. It fired a .30 caliber bullet and used until the 1960s when it was replaced by the M-16. The Germans produced related sub-machine guns, much admired MP-38 and MP-40 machine pistols christened Schmeissers. The MP-38 and even MP-40 was not for general issued, but given to guards, storm troopers, and the Waffen-SS. A good example is a Waffen-SS soldier holding one, probably about 1942-43. They were produced ar Berthold-Giepel works. Production was delayed by Hitler. He did not like it becaue it did nbot have the look and feel of a finally craftd weapon. The irony is that only if mass production methods were used like stmped metal could large enough numbrs be used for it to have a real battlefield impact. At the end of the War, the German began deliverinf the MP-43. The collapse of German industry limited deliveries, but it was the first of a whole new generation of post-War infantry weapons. The Sturmgewehr 44 (STG 44), literally 'storm (or assault) rifle model of 1944, was an assault rifle developed and issued by the Germans in the last months of the War. It was the first of its kind to see major deployment and is considered by many historians to be the first modern assault rifle. This weapon used a .30 caliber bullet - about 7.9mm. Britain recovering from the sisaster on the Continent developed the 9 mm Parabellum Lanchester submachine gun (1941). In the emergency after Dunkirk evacuation there was no time for the standard research and development cycle. The British just made a copy of the German MP 28--the Lanchester. It performed well enough, but was difficult and expensive to manufacture in any number. As a result, the British came up with the much simpler STEN submachine gun. It performed just as well, but was less expensive and faster to produce. It could be mass produced. The British manufactured 4 million STEN Guns during the War. This was less than the Soviets, but the British had a much smaller army. The STEN was such a sucessful weapon gthat the Germans began manufacturing a copy late in the War--the MP 3008) towards the end of World War II. The British also used many M1928 Thompson submachine guns during World War II. And unlike the Germans, the British and Americans had the logistical infrastructure to supply its soldiers whith vurtually unlimited quantities of amunition. The United States already had the Thompson submachine gun, but it and the simplified M1 were complicated and thus expensive and slow to produce. They could not be pass produced. As a result, the United States developed the M3 submachine gun (1942). It became known as the Grease Gun because it resemled the injector used by mechanics. The improved M3A1 was introduced (1944). The M3 did not improve performance, but it solved the manufacturing problem. It was made mostly of stamped parts whuch were simply welded together. It was configured to fire either .45 ACP or 9mm Luger ammunition. The United States produced some 1.8 million Thopson variants. The fact that the M1 Garand was semi-automatic probably explains why more were not produced. The M3A1 was an extremely long serving submachine gun design and was produced into the 1960s and serving in American forces into the 1990s. The Japanese produced the Type 100 submachine gun, but only in small quantities. The Italians developed the Bareta MAB 38, but only produced it in limited numbers. It was issued to elite units inckuding paratroopers, Alpini 'Monte Cervino' assault battalion, 10th Arditi Regiment, 'M' Black shirt Battalions of Milizia Volontaria per la Sicurezza Nazionale (MVSN), and the military police.

America

The American called them sub-machine gun and they are the precursor to the modern assault rifle like the Soviet AK-47 and American M-16. The slang term was 'burp gun' The Americans had the Browning Automtic Rifle, known as the Tommy Gun, which they chose not to use during World War I. It was too heavy for general issue. It fired a .30 caliber bullet and used until the 1960s when it was replaced by the M-16. The United States already had the Thompson submachine gun, but it and the simplified M1 were complicated and thus expensive and slow to produce. They could not be pass produced. As a result, the United States developed the M3 submachine gun (1942). It became known as the Grease Gun because it resemled the injector used by mechanics. The improved M3A1 was introduced (1944). The M3 did not improve performance, but it solved the manufacturing problem. It was made mostly of stamped parts whuch were simply welded together. It was configured to fire either .45 ACP or 9mm Luger ammunition. The United States produced some 1.8 million Thopson variants. The fact that the M1 Garand was semi-automatic probably explains why more were not produced. The M3A1 was an extremely long serving submachine gun design and was produced into the 1960s and serving in American forces into the 1990s.

Britain

Britain recovering from the sisaster on the Continent developed the 9 mm Parabellum Lanchester submachine gun (1941). In the emergency after Dunkirk evacuation there was no time for the standard research and development cycle. The British just made a copy of the German MP 28--the Lanchester. It performed well enough, but was difficult and expensive to manufacture in any number. As a result, the British came up with the much simpler STEN submachine gun. It performed just as well, but was less expensive and faster to produce. It could be mass produced. The British manufactured 4 million STEN Guns during the War. This was less than the Soviets, but the British had a much smaller army. The STEN was such a sucessful weapon gthat the Germans began manufacturing a copy late in the War--the MP 3008) towards the end of World War II. The British also used many M1928 Thompson submachine guns during World War II. And unlike the Germans, the British and Americans had the logistical infrastructure to supply its soldiers whith vurtually unlimited quantities of amunition. The STEN gun was made to be able to use the German 9mm rounds from the MP-40. This was done to allow British and Commonwealth Commando soldiers to use captured German ammo when on a mission. We believe that this was a decision that primarily had Commmando units in mind rather than regular units. The Commando's mission was to raid German coastal positions and who might have to rely on captured German munitions.

Finland

Germany

The Germans produced related sub-machine guns, much admired MP-38 and MP-40 machine pistols christened Schmeissers. The MP-38 and even MP-40 was not for general issued, but given to guards, storm troopers, and the Waffen-SS. A good example is a Waffen-SS soldier holding one, probably about 1942-43. They were produced ar Berthold-Giepel works. Production was delayed by Hitler. He did not like it becaue it did nbot have the look and feel of a finally craftd weapon. The irony is that only if mass production methods were used like stmped metal could large enough numbrs be used for it to have a real battlefield impact. At the end of the War, the German began deliverinf the MP-43. The collapse of German industry limited deliveries, but it was the first of a whole new generation of post-War infantry weapons. The Sturmgewehr 44 (STG 44), literally 'storm' (or assault) rifle model of 1944, was an assault rifle developed and issued by the Germans in the last months of the War. It was the first of its kind to see major deployment and is considered by many historians to be the first modern assault rifle. This weapon used a .30 caliber bullet - about 7.9mm.

Italy

The Italians developed the Bareta MAB 38, but only produced it in limited numbers. It was issued to elite units inckuding paratroopers, Alpini 'Monte Cervino' assault battalion, 10th Arditi Regiment, 'M' Black shirt Battalions of Milizia Volontaria per la Sicurezza Nazionale (MVSN), and the military police.

Japan

The Japanese produced the Type 100 submachine gun, but only in small quantities. The Japanese also captured substantial numbers of Thompson M1928 SMGs and ammunition fom Commonwealth forces when they captured Hong Kong and Malaysia/Sinapore at the outset of the War (December 1041-February 1942). This allowed them to us the weapon. It surpassed any Japanese-made weapon at the time. The ammunition was captured American 42-round Lend-Lease commercial cartons or Australian 28-round military cartons. It was sampled, tested, and resealed with Japanese arsenal stickers.

Soviet Union

Of all the World War II conbatants, the Soviet Union produced the greates number of assult guns and used them to greatest effect--primarily because whole units were equipped with them. The PPD-40 was developed (1935), but not issued in any numbers at the time the Soviets invaded Finland (1939). With the reverses at the hands of the Finns who had the Suomi. The Soviets beagn issuing the PPD (1940). It was a 7.62×25mm weaon. The Soviets began working on the PPSh-41 which could be mass produced. The PPSh's 71-round drum magazine was a copy of the Finnish Suomi. After the Germans invased (1941), the Soviets began issuing the PPSh-41 in large numbers. It was crude, mass-produced weapon, but it was both durable and reliable and it could fire 900 rounds per minute. The drum magazine became an ioconic symol of the Red Army in its fight again NAZI aggression. The PPSh-41 was followed by the PPS submachine gun which was even easier to mass produce. These weapons were much admired by the German soldiers who would use captured guns. The Soviets by the end of the War produced 6 million PPSh-41s and 2 million PPSs. This gave the Red Army soldier a level of fire bpower the individial Wehrnacht soldier could not match. And it gave the Red Arm's huge numbers a real combat bite. Whole infantry battalions being armed with little else which was not the case for the Germans. And the Soviet sub-machine guns could be used effectyively by conscript soldiers with little or no training. The volume of fire produced by units with these weapons often proved overwhelming on the Eastern Front.

Created: 6:52 PM 2/9/2014
Last updated: 4:08 PM 3/8/2019