The Thompson submachine gun, or Tommy gun developed an almost iconic status during the 20th century. It had an unusual beginning, for it was developed during the dying days of World War I as a 'one-man, hand-held machine gun'. The war ended before these first prototypes could be shipped to Europe but once the M1921 Thompson formally entered production it was used by the criminals working in Chicago and New York during the 1920s. With the police increasingly outgunned they too were forced to equip themselves with the Tommy gun. It quickly came to be used in Hollywood films, and by the end of the 1930s it would have probably faded from view had history not intervened. With the entry of the US into World War II there was an urgent need to equip and arm a force of epic proportions; the Thompson submachine gun began a second career as part of the US Army. It also became the weapon of choice for the small band of British commandos as they conducted a number of daring raids against the heart of occupied Europe.
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The Thompson submachine gun, or Tommy gun developed an almost iconic status during the 20th century. It had an unusual beginning, for it was developed during the dying days of World War I as a 'one-man, hand-held machine gun'. With the police increasingly outgunned they too were forced to equip themselves with the Tommy gun.
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Introduction /Development /Use /Impact /Conclusion
A fascinating and insightful look at the development history of an iconic weapon that virtually spanned the 20th century from the close of World War I to Yugoslav War.

Produktdetaljer

ISBN
9781849081498
Publisert
2010-09-10
Utgiver
Vendor
Osprey Publishing
Vekt
260 gr
Høyde
248 mm
Bredde
184 mm
Dybde
7 mm
Aldersnivå
G, 01
Språk
Product language
Engelsk
Format
Product format
Heftet
Antall sider
80

Forfatter
Illustratør

Om bidragsyterne

Martin Pegler has a BA Hons in Medieval and Modern History and an MA in Museum Studies, both from University College, London, and was for many years the Senior Curator of Firearms at the Royal Armouries Museum, Leeds. He now lives in the Somme, France, where he and his wife run a small bed and breakfast, which is situated on top of the old German front line! Martin has established The Somme Historical Centre (www.martinpegler.com), where visitors can see the technology used in the 1914–18 trench warfare. In his spare time Martin runs motorcycle tours of the battlefield. He is the author of a number of books including 'The Military Sniper since 1914' (Osprey, 2001) and the highly acclaimed ‘Out of Nowhere: A History of the Military Sniper’ (Osprey, 2004), and he has also contributed to a number of magazines.

Peter Dennis was born in 1950. Inspired by contemporary magazines such as Look and Learn he studied illustration at Liverpool Art College. Peter has since contributed to hundreds of books, predominantly on historical subjects, including many Osprey titles.