WW2 Weapons

The World Wars 1914-18 and 1939-45.

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Recent reports:

Japanese soldiers crossing a pontoon bridge in China
WW2 War Diary for Tuesday, May 18, 1943: Far East China: Japanese launch offensive in Middle Yangtze area. Politics United Read more
HMS Empress
World War One Diary for Saturday, May 18, 1918: Sea War Western Mediterranean: Heavily damaged (by carrier Empress seaplane escorting Read more
Panzer III under fire at Kursk
Battle of Kursk in July 1943, the greatest tank battle in military history. The strategic decisions, preparations, the German offensive Read more
B-26 Marauder over a target in Europe.
WW2 War Diary for Monday, May 17, 1943: Air War Western Europe - IJMUIDEN RAID: Formation of 10 B-26 Marauders Read more
F.E.2b
World War One Diary for Saturday, May 17, 1918: Air War Germany: Metz-Sablon main station, goods sheds and train hit Read more
Moehne Damm breaks after been hit by the 5th bomb
WW2 War Diary for Sunday, May 16, 1943: Air War Germany - THE DAMBUSTERS RAID (Operation Chastise): 19 Lancaster special Read more
German troops in Ukraine.
World War One Diary for Thursday, May 16, 1918: Eastern Front USSR: Red Army revolt at Saratov on Volga. Southern Read more
German NOC in front of a burning hut
German Orders of Battle from 3 September 1941 and the Eastern Front after the successful start of Operation Barbarossa from Read more
German Rifle unit on anti-partisan operation
WW2 War Diary for Saturday, May 15, 1943: Occupied Territories Yugoslavia: Fifth Axis Offensive against Tito's Partisans (May 15-June 15). Read more
British 8-inch BL howitzer
World War One Diary for Wednesday, May 15, 1918: Western Front Artillery duels (until May 16) and skirmishes. Somme: US Read more
I-176
WW2 War Diary for Friday, May 14, 1943: Sea War Pacific: Australian hospital ship Centaur sunk off Brisbane by Japanese Read more
Czech Legion in Russia
World War One Diary for Tuesday, May 14, 1918: Eastern Front Siberia: Czech 1st Division first clashes with Bolsheviks at Read more
Von Arnim goes into captivity
WW2 War Diary for Thursday, May 13, 1943: Africa Tunisia: Surrender of Marshal Messe, commander of Italian 1st Army. Air Read more
'Grillo' tracked torpedo motorboat.
World War One Diary for Monday, May 13, 1918: Sea War Adriatic: Italian tracked naval torpedo motorboat (like a 'tank') Read more
German paratroopers surrender
WW2 War Diary for Wednesday, May 12, 1943: Africa Tunisia: END OF ALL ORGANIZED AXIS RESISTANCE. Colonel-General von Arnim surrenders Read more
top ace of the British fighter pilots 'Mick' Mannock
World War One Diary for Sunday, May 12, 1918: Air War Western Front: Mannock's SE5a flight of No 74 Squadron Read more
German column of anti-tank guns, infantry and tanks
German Orders of Battle from December 26, 1943. The Russian Front in Winter 43-44 The winter of 1943-44 on the Read more
Attu Operation Landcrap
WW2 War Diary for Tuesday, May 11, 1943: Sea War Pacific - Operation Landcrab: Americans land on Attu (Aleutian Islands). Read more
submarine cruiser 'U-154'
World War One Diary for Saturday, May 11, 1918: Sea War Eastern Atlantic: Royal Navy submarine E35 torpedoes and sinks Read more
Italian armoured cars blazing on the road to Cap Bone.
WW2 War Diary for Monday, May 10, 1943: Africa Tunisia: British 6th Armoured Division races across base of Cap Bon Read more

About WW2 Weapons

WW2 affected virtually almost any corner of the globe. In the six years between 1939 and 1945, some kind of 50 million people lost their lives, and hardly any who survived were not affected. It was the costliest and utmost widespread conflict the world has forever obtained.
It was subsequently battled on ground, sea and in the air with weapons which in fact had first been used in World War One of 1914-18. Ironically, a far greater conflict was to come out from the burning embers of these ‘war to end all wars’, and with it huge innovations in technologies.
The countries engaged in WW2 finally owned the techniques, potential and weapons to fight every other in a much more powerful – and more deadly – manner.

However only Britain, her Empire allies as well as Germany were engaged during the full period (as well as, in fact, Japan and China since 1937). For all the other nations the conflict was of a shorter duration. The US and Japan, for example, were at war from December 1941 to August 1945 (and the USA was at the same time at war with Germany, until Hitler‘s defeat in May 1945).

The state of affairs was so complex, the skeins of partnerships and enmity so connected that it would require a really huge document in fact to illustrate the prospect.
Only one factor was less complicated and widespread to all the nations involved: the nature of the weapons that the soldier used to struggle their way to triumph – or defeat.

Of course, there were differences in detail of the WW2 weapons: the German Panzer V Panther was a very different tank from the US M4 Sherman, the Russian T-34, or the English Cromwell. But in fact they were all much the same – armored vehicles mounting powerful guns running on tracks.

The small arms with which the various opponent countries equipped their armies were totally different weapons in details too, but basically these were all guns for launching projectiles at high speed.
Simply speaking, lots of people would just say that guns are guns, bombs are bombs, aircraft are planes, and so on. But there is definitely even more to it than that, for the abilities to obtain victory or lose a war actually rested on these kinds of WW2 weapons’ qualities, just as a lot of as it did on the fighting abilities of those who employed them and on the strategic sense of those who directed them in their use.

Shermans vs Panthers
Shermans vs Panthers with 3d models.

General about WW2 Weapons:

All information, data, specifications and statistics used on the website WW2 Weapons have been compiled from a variety of sources and the large library of the author – who now lives on Crete for a long time – about military history and history, especially about the world wars, which has been built up over decades.

The most important source references and notes about additional literature can be found at the end for the most articles. To the best of our knowledge and belief, the most secure and reliable information and sources were used, which are also constantly updated and improved.

These data and specifications are used among other things for as accurate as possible historical military simulations, such as the war game WW2 Total. The photos are mostly ‘public domain’, but partly also property of the author.

The author therefore asks for understanding that he can’t handle additional requests for the sources or pictures beyond that due to time constraints and provides the information and its sources to the internet community as ‘as published’, i.e. either the visitor of this website considers it helpful and agrees with it over, or just leaves it.
Discussions and suggestions for improvement are nevertheless welcome and can be held below the respective reports.

Panzermuseum Munster,
Norman ‘Kretaner’ visits Panzer Museum Munster, Germany.
WW2 Weapons
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Conflict of Nations - World War III