Standard Weapons issued in WWII?

Question

I get alot of conflicting answers about which weapons were standard during WWII, my dad would rarely talk about the War.
I have heard some soldiers bought their own, some were traded, etc.

Sorry I meant American. :)

Answer 1

For what side? I assume for the Americans. It was possible to for NCO's (I think) use thier own weapon, my grandpa used his own shotgun in the Pacific during WWII.

The standard rifle was the M1 Garand, the standard for offline troops was the M1 Carbine, though it did see plenty of front line action. The sub-machine gun was the M1 Thompson, the squad automatic rifle was the M1918 B.A.R. and the issued sidearm was the M1911 pistol.

If you meant for another country, say so and I will put down more info.

Answer 2

There were more than the M1 too. I am shooting from the hip and have not verified this however.

Airborne may have had Thompson .45 Cal machine guns.

There was a cheap machine gun I've seen on Mail Call but do not recall it's nomenclature.

There were Colt 45 side arms. Pilots might have had a .38 revolver.

Infantry Battalions would have a mortar platoon and machine gun platoon in each Company I think along with 2 rifle platoons. The mortar and machine gun guy's would have an M1 as well.

I was in the rear with the gear. Hope I got close

Answer 3

Standard issue was the M1 semi automatic, along with that was what was called the grease gun a cheap but effective weapon that looked just like its name. Soldiers would collect weapons off of the dead most looked after was the Lugar a 9mm pistil which to this day is well sought after to this day. Watch Mail call for more information on this as they have a few shows showing the effect of of weaponry in the war.

Answer 4

U2 V2 Germany and Japan both had WWII programs to build an atomic bomb. While German efforts are well documented in the Farm Hall transcripts, Japan's work and progress is still a closely guarded secret.
Had either of these two nations succeeded, the world would be a different place.













1938 - Japan purchases a cyclotron from the University of California. At the end of the war, American service men find five cyclotrons. 1942 - Headed by Bunsaku Arakatsu, The Japanese Navy was diligently working to create its own atomic bomb, - "genzai bakudan" under a project that was dubbed F-Go [or No. F, for fission]. May, 1945: German submarine U-234 surrendered to US forces found to be carrying 560 kilograms of Uranium oxide destined for Japan's own atomic program. The oxide contained about 3.5 kilograms of the isotope U-235, which would have been about a fifth of the total U-235 needed to make one bomb. August 12, 1945 Japanese scientist Nishina tested an atomic bomb near a small island off the coast of Korea. Witnesses said it produced a mushroom shaped cloud a thousand yards wide. Several vessels in the test area were vaporized while others farther away burnt fiercely. At the end of the war, Russia captured the secret Japanese military installations in Konan, Korea. Research shows that a atomic research and development center was run by Japan.

September 16, 1939 - Germany Army Weapons Bureau (Heereswaffenamt) recruits German scientists for a wartime uranium project. Organizing scientists are Nazi party members.
September 26, 1939 - A second conference of the Germany Army Weapons Bureau meets to discuss Uranium fission. The Kaiser Wilhem Institute will now house Germany's secret military nuclear-fission project.
December 6, 1939: Heisenberg reports that enrichment of U235 is the only method of producing explosives "several orders of magnitude more powerful than the strongest explosives yet known." January 1940: The first ton of highly purified uranium oxide is delivered to the German Army Weapons office by the Auer Company. May 3, 1940: German troops in Norway seize control of the world's only heavy water production facility and step up production to supply the German fission program. September 1941: Heisenberg meets with Niels Bohr in Nazi-occupied Copenhagen and brings up nuclear fission research. February 26, 1942: At a conference in Berlin to Nazi Leaders, Heisenberg explains that a reactor could be used in submarines, U235 can be used to make a bomb and that a reactor could generate plutonium. June 4, 1942: A secret meeting with War Minister Speer and nuclear scientists including Heisenberg who describes atomic bombs as possible but not in the near future.

Answer 5

american soldiers had an m-1 garand as standard issue. my grandfather was issued a m-1 for the 1st 2 years of the war then had a BAR for the rest of the time he served. although the garand was standard for the US army and Marines during the whole war.

Answer 6

The M1 Garand was the standard issue rifle. It was a smi-automaic weapon and I believe the only one in the war. As well, many soldiers were issued with M1 Carbines and squades always had at least one BAR (heavy hand carried machine gun and a few Thompson sub-machine guns. These were the most common, so take your pick:Garand, Carbine, Thompson or Bar).

Answer 7

Colt .45
US M1 Carbine
US M1 Garand rifle
Thompson sub-machine gun
.30 cal machine gun
.50 cal machine gun developed later in the war
Browning automatic rifles (BAR)

Soldiers were issued these weapons free by the US gov.
In Germany many Germans hated the KAR rifles and they then picked up some lee enfields when they could find dead british soldiers.

Answer 8

The U.S. infantryman was issued the M-1 Garand combat rifle.

General George Patton said there were three things that won the war: the jeep, the M-1 Garand, and the American soldier.

Answer 9

Standard issue rifle was the M-1 Garand, and the standard sidearm was the Colt 1911A1 semi auto pistol in .45 ACP caliber.

Answer 10

Cruelty, determination, blind obedience, physical fitness................oh yes and a 40 year old rifle, a copy of the bren gun, some tanks made out of baked bean cans, and sharp swords. Their Navy had some of the largest ships afloat, and the airforce had a superb air superiority fighter called the Navy Type Zero (usually called the Zero).