Nearing the end of the war Ally forces finally fashioned a tank superior to the Panzer III. This tank boasted a 30mm turret gun, and a 75mm gun mounted on the hull; this tank was named the Grant Tank. “It could go through all other tanks like butter” (Collier 90). This tank was so successful because of its extremely thick reinforced steel plate. Though these tanks ruled the ground, the water was another story.
Tanks ruled most all the land fighting, but the seas were a different story. Ships and u-boats played a huge role in all of World War II. The most popular, and probably most used ship and carried was called the LSD by ally forces, and many names by other Axis countries, but was generally the same model. This ship was used for fighting, carrying troops, and could even serve as a dock for smaller boats. Most of the fighting the Ally forces did on the water was against the Japanese. One admiral had a sign posted on his ships bow that stated: “Kill Japs, Kill Japs, Kill More Goddam Japs!” (Fussel 92).
Though this vessel could serve as a fighter ship, most countries used it as a landing craft for infantry. Axis forces used these ships constantly to send infantry overseas. Rarely were one of these vessels sunk, but soon that would end.
With all the infantry troops easily sent overseas by Allied forces, the Axis power had to devise a way to stop them. U-boats or submarines had been invented years earlier, but did not have the firepower to sink any large vessels. Axis engineers finally devised a way to sink these large ships. The answer was the fused torpedo, which would hit with a tremendous force, but not explode for approximately twenty seconds, almost doubling the damage done (Steinberg 134). These torpedoes could be fired from most all u-boats, and could sink even the largest of ships. This method was very effective for Axis forces, but soon the Allies also had this technology. The seas then became extremely important to control, because if the seas were controlled, the large vessels could send troops anywhere.
Nearing 1943, the Allied forces finally gained control of most all of the seas, making it easy to transport infantry, artillery, and other weaponry. Ally forces invented many amphibious tanks, because they were needed to get infantry to the shores and also to serve as light tanks. The most popular model was the LVT, which could hold up to 70 infantry, and these infantry could use this tank as armor, to shield oncoming fire. This tank held up well against light fire, but against 30mm fire or more it would fall apart. In the waters there was much to attend to; one must not overlook the possibilities of the air.
Both Axis and Ally forces used many kinds of aircraft. Bombers were the most popular for quick damage. B-24’s were the main bombers used by Ally forces early in the war, but their accuracy definitely needed improvement. 480 B-24’s had dropped 1,285 tons of bombs in France. This attack was completely ineffective and costly. The attack killed only French civilians and their livestock (Keegan 46). Many other attacks devastated their own troops, enraging them, and even sometimes opening fire on them. “Opened fire on their own aircraft, an not uncommon practice in Normandy, when suffering at the hands of their own pilots” (Fussel 181). Throughout the war, 25 Americans were killed by friendly fire, 131 were injured.
Allied forces knew they had to do something about this, so with time effort and a little luck, they finally found the cure. After loosing many millions of dollars over meaningless attacks, the Norden Bombsight was crafted. This tool made nothing of the calculations for wind speed, and altitude (Halter 151). Using the Norden Bombsight, any pilot could easily hit small targets. Soon after this invention, Allied forces controlled most neutral airspace by bombing many airports, and also the planes on the ground themselves.
With control of the skies, Ally forces turned to the RAF (Royal Air Force) of Great Britain. The RAF used what were called mosquitoes to shuttle bomb Axis strongholds. First fueling and equipping bombs in Britain, then dropping the bombs on Middle Eastern targets did this. Shuttle bombing worked well, and it was fairly inexpensive. While being bombed around the clock, axis forces had to develop something to counteract these.
Axis powers had depleted resources, and had many repairs to make; even so they developed two very impressive aircraft. The first called the Stuka dive-bomber, which would dive at its target while dropping the bombs, and flying back up to repeat the process (Snyder 101). This method was surprisingly effective, and with these planes the Axis forces could regain some territory. While in action although, Allied fighter planes would often shoot these dive-bombers down, putting the Axis force again in trouble.
With very weak fighter planes, Axis forces used many of their parts to produce an unparalleled fighter plane. Called the P-38 this plane was able to travel faster than all fighters used at that time, this plane could out run its opponent, then return to shoot it down (Patton 23). The Ally forces counteracted this plane by also producing P-38’s. No major changes happened in aircraft for over two years, when finally Axis forces found a new way to sink large vessels. The Axis powers used their bombers to skip-bomb torpedoes at ships. Proving to be very effective, Allied forces copied this idea, and did the same. Later in the war, both Axis and Allied forces developed too many ways to shoot down these planes, therefore ground war was much more important.
With few planes now circulating through the skies, both sides turned to ground weaponry to eliminate enemies. The preferred weapon of most troops was the AK-47; it was a fast shooting very accurate rifle that could easily be field repaired. The 30-caliber machine gun could easily devour most all infantry carrying these weapons, especially when in a pillbox. These 30 caliber guns were so effective because they shot farther than the AK-47, and fired much faster. Both sides had much trouble with these guns, and finally the pineapple grenade was carried by most all infantry troops. With this grenade infantry could throw this into a pillbox annihilating all inside. These weapons could easily take out troops at close range, but for long-range shots they had to resort to something else.
Long distance precision shots were often required for snipers to eliminate generals, and important officers. For these shots the 57mm recoilless rifle was developed. Never before could anyone consistently hit small targets at very long distances until this rifle was created. The 57mm had no recoil or “kick” allowing the shooter to put his eye directly on the scope (Tunis 218). With this rifle snipers could make 500+ yard shots with extreme accuracy and precision. Though this gun was worked well to eliminate single important men, they were useless to take out large groups at long ranges.
In 1944 Allied engineers produced a long-range weapon that had high accuracy. This was called the bazooka, and could make 300-400 yard shots and could be used to abolish light tanks. This gun worked well for targeting infantry, but this point of the war light tanks were used very seldom. Realizing this, Allied forces created the super bazooka, which could shoot 700-800 yards, and easily eradicate medium to heavy tanks. With this weapon any man could stop a tank. After the development of this weapon Axis forces rarely could use tanks, and was beginning to fall. With the war slowly coming to an end, Many German officials guilty of numerous crimes took refuge in caves or other hidden enclosures.
With officers frequently hiding away in enclosures, it was dangerous to send troops in after them. Usually armed, these men would kill or injure several men before brought to justice. For these hideaways the flamethrower was made. “This weapon is simply pressurized gasoline and oil being lit while sprayed” (Collier 77). Shooting this into caves quickly absorbs all available oxygen, suffocating its victims. The flamethrower sounds very cruel, but in truth, it rarely comes in contact with its enemies. This weapon was one of the last developed in the war, but Hitler had a few tricks to come.
Throughout the war Hitler had vengeance weapons planned in case defeat was certain for him. When defeat was apparent Hitler sent out his V-1 vengeance rockets, which were not rockets at all, but exploded over a large area. Theses rockets were usually shot down because they flew only 300 mph, and when shot across the English Channel, proximity fuses were shot at it which blew up all around it, causing it to explode mid-air. Hitler knew that to get any real vengeance he had to produce a better rocket, and with that German engineers went straight to work. In only 2 months these engineers had created a real rocket. This V-2 rocket traveled 3,000 mph, and was virtually impossible to shoot down. Though this creation was impressive, it was too late for Hitler, and the launch pads were simply bombed, and so soon after Hitler fell.
To end a World War II book about weapons without mentioning the atomic bomb would be ridiculous. These bombs had 2,000 times the blast power of any bomb ever made. Statistics mean little. Trying to explain them would be as ridiculous as not mentioning them. These bombs are tremendous and could end life on our wonderful earth, and that is all that can be said about them.
Though both Axis and Ally forces were always outdoing each other the truth of the matter is that both were looking for a way to end this terrible war. The dropping of the atomic bomb is what needed to be done, and I think that had it not been created this war would have lasted even longer. We must all hope that modern man will have enough sense to ban them before its too late. Our great American nation is the best hope we have to control these weapons. A defense we cannot now imagine may sometime neutralize these weapons, but until then we all know that necessity is the mother of all invention.
