The Long And Bloody History Of The Firearm | War Machines | Timeline

my name's dan snow and i want to tell you about history hit tv it's like the netflix for history hundreds of exclusive documentaries and interviews with the world's best historians we've got an exclusive offer available to fans of timeline if you go to history hit tv you can either follow the information below this video or just google history hit tv and use the code timeline you get a special introductory offer go and check it out in the meantime enjoy this video with nowhere on earth escaping the bloodshed of war the ever-changing battlefield has driven technology and innovation for centuries revered and reviled in equal measure the conception of the gun forever changed the way wars were fought and won bullets soon spiraled from rifles with more force and greater accuracy slow loading weapons evolved into assault rifles as engagement zones grew from meters to kilometers from humble beginnings the firearm has built empires toppled kingdoms and slaughtered millions in an arms race that has no finish line [Music] [Applause] [Music] [Applause] with victory or defeat resting in the hands of troops the evolution of the soldier's firearm has been one of innovation and ingenuity from cumbersome early models to modern firearms with lethal speed and accuracy a soldier's service weapon has influenced the outcome of battle for centuries the modern day combat soldier's weapon of choice it has the ability to perform as a single shot three burst or semi-automatic firing 15 rounds per second the primary infantry weapon for the united states armed forces the colt defense manufactured m4 carbine introduced in 1994 for urban close combat the m4 has been used extensively throughout conflicts in iraq and afghanistan chambered for intermediate cartridges rounds blasting from the m4 travel at more than twice the speed of sound weighing 3.4 kilograms fully loaded it's lightweight and compact yet still packs enough punch to penetrate modern body armor and deliver superior stopping power the gas operated and air-cooled m4 also delivers deadly accurate fire at long distances with an effective range exceeding five football fields the pinnacle of modern firearms technology it is a weapon that carries with it centuries of battlefield evolution the story of the firearm began in ancient china with a mixture of sulfur charcoal and potassium nitrate it was discovered that igniting this black powder generated extreme amounts of heat and volume of gas originally used in fireworks the chinese quickly came to realize the military benefits of black powder and during the song dynasty it was adapted into a killing machine using a bamboo tube packed with this volatile powder they created the fire lance one end of the tube was constricted to contain the blast while the other was stoked with a projectile igniting the powder with a fuse the expanding gases would shoot the projectile out of the tube towards a target a few meters away offering only one shot this disposable new weapon was inaccurate and complicated over the following centuries a search ensued seeking a way to ignite the black powder while taking aim at an enemy target by the 16th century the firearm had become an indispensable battlefield weapon european soldiers were now armed with a muzzle loading gun that utilized a revolutionary new ignition system the archivis weighing a little over four kilograms the shoulder-fired archivist held a slow burning match in a clamp when the trigger was squeezed the clamp dropped down lowering the smoldering match into the flash pan and igniting the black powder [Music] the match lock system allowed both hands to keep a firm grip on the weapon the gunner could line up his shot before firing more powerful and with a faster rate of fire than contemporary crossbows it fired musket ball rounds at a speed of 405 meters per second but the archivist had two obvious flaws it was slow to fire after ignition and the black powder was vulnerable to weather inadvertently catching fire in the heat and non-functional when damp in the early 17th century a french gunsmith combined ancient wisdom with new technology to develop the flintlock the flintlock eliminated the need for an open flame instead a piece of flint held in the gun's [ __ ] was struck against a steel frison to produce a shower of sparks the spark would ignite the powder blasting out a hot lead shot during the american revolutionary war british colonial forces battled american rebels each side in possession of muzzle loading muskets among them the brown bess with each gunshot creating thick clouds of black powder smoke accurate sightings on the battlefield was almost impossible so the speed of reloading and firing was prized over accuracy with only around 20 of shots hitting their target control of the new world would come down to who could fire the most led both sides developed various methods of volley fire in a bid to increase their strike rate a line of men armed with muskets would fire simultaneously at the enemy with another line waiting behind to take the next shot this formation would continue giving each musketeer time to reload [Applause] to reload a musket soldiers would take a paper cartridge from their pouch empty part of the black powder into the pan then pour the remainder down the barrel with the projectile using a ramrod they would push the shot into position before fully coughing the gun with thousands of soldiers firing three to four shots per minute lead balls ripped apart opposing troops up to 160 meters away the wounded were finished off by a 400 millimeter bayonet attached to the end of the musket after more than eight years of bitter warfare that expanded around the globe the united states of america gained its independence in 1783 the firearm had evolved to influence the rise and fall of nations altering the course of history [Music] the civil war was the bloodiest conflict in america's history with two percent of the population falling in the line of duty the world had never before seen such savage and bloody warfare the south knew more of the terrible destruction and desolation of war than americans had ever known the most common weapon on the battlefield was the rifle and the most widely used was the springfield model 1861 with an effective range of 300 meters the model fired via the percussion cap a water-resistant metal cap containing a small amount of explosive when struck with a gun's hammer the cap created an internal flame that would ignite the gunpowder the industrial revolution enabled machine-made rifles with interchangeable parts increasing their life and reliability on the battlefield however not all troops could be in possession of newly machined arms and many soldiers had older weapons converted to this revolutionary new ignition method the percussion cap was a destructive technology already in place by the time the country split into civil conflict however the four year war would witness even deadlier innovations [Music] at the outset of world war one the british forces were incredibly small compared to their german rivals while the imperial german army had over one million troops the british expeditionary force numbered just 80 000 marching into the european mainland the small professional force carried with them an innovative weapon the lee enfield rifle [Music] introduced in 1904 the short magazine lee enfield had a 10-round magazine the greatest capacity of any rifle in the great war adding to its lethality was the training of the british troops with a focus on rapid fire marksmanship tommy's could last 30 rounds a minute at targets 270 meters away the british mad minute became a wartime legend during one major encounter fire from the lee enfield was so heavy the german troops thought they were under machine gun hail the lee enfield the fastest bolt action rifle of world war one still rivals many modern automatic weapons with the outbreak of the second world war the british expeditionary force was dispatched once again to support france however during the years leading up to the war the british army had sunk into neglect an all-volunteer force until 1939 the british army suffered defeat in almost every theatre in which it was deployed with the advent of mass conscription the british army transformed and equipped itself to fight a global war masses of citizens were rigorously trained in the hands of the conscripts was the british lee enfield have you joined the local defense volunteers you can renew your acquaintance with firearms with all the self-confidence which the rifle gives you although the lee enfield design had been around for 45 years it was still highly effective it outmatched the standard german rifle of the war the carbiner 98k which had a slower action and only five rounds operating the lee enfield a soldier would fire his first round and then pull back the bolt ejecting the spent cartridge and cocking the rifle as the bolt was pushed forward a round was stripped from the magazine and the gun was ready to fire once again absolute mental and physical fitness are necessary for the speed of modern battle and britain's army intends to excel in both respects with victory in africa in 1943 allied forces along with the british wielding the lee enfield would begin to gain the upper hand slowly driving the nazis back into germany by the end of the war over three and a half million men had served in the british army the majority having trained and fought with the lee enfield the firearm had made a remarkable journey since its ancient chinese origins but the story of the gun was far from over in direct contrast to the volley fire tactics of the first battlefield firearms the sniper's deadly aim is patient and precise aided with technology that prizes accuracy the sniper provides command with essential intel on the enemy known as force multipliers snipers dramatically increase the effectiveness of their units by identifying and eliminating key targets one of the most effective sniper rifles in the world designed to eliminate both human and material targets the barrett m82 loaded with ammunition designed to penetrate armor enemy combatants missile launchers or even aircraft can be eliminated from over 1.8 kilometers away working with a spotter comparing point of aim to point of impact a sniper must account for wind temperature gravity and other conditions that will affect the path of the projectile mission critical tools make these seemingly impossible long-range strikes a deadly reality synonymous with the image of the sniper is their scope it's crosshairs trained on an enemy target the m82 can be fitted with a wide variety the standard being a specialized telescopic sight that amplifies the target image by 14 times for missions under the cloak of darkness the modern sniper is aided with devices that collect all available light even infrared and amplify the image the sniper is a master of stealth to blend into their environment they often wear a ghillie suit camouflage designed to break up the human form and blend the snipers color and shape into the natural surroundings modern ghillie suits have a padded belly to protect the sniper during long days of lying in the prone position while they patiently stalk their prey snipers will add mud leaves and other natural elements to their suit making them invisible to even the keenest eye so accurate is the aim of the well-trained and well-equipped sniper most targets are dead before they even know they've been hit by world war one the clouds of black powder on battlefields had cleared with new smokeless gunpowder affording troops clear lines of sight killing from greater distances was easier than ever before a leader in long-range fire was the m1903 springfield a magazine-fed bolt-action rifle with phenomenal accuracy in service with the us army the springfield had an outstanding range of 5 000 meters and was dubbed the silent killer on october 8 1918 during the argonne offensive against the hindenburg line american sergeant alvin c york armed with an m1903 led a 17 man raid against german positions taking out 32 machine guns and capturing 132 german soldiers after the germans launched a counter-attack killing six americans and wounding three more york left his remaining men guarding the prisoners and went on alone to face the enemy the bullets from his m1903 laying waste to as many as 20 german soldiers for his courageous efforts sergeant york was awarded the medal of honor becoming known as one of the greatest american heroes of the great war although the n1903 was officially replaced in 1937 the springfield's exceptional accuracy saw it remain in service until the early stages of the vietnam war where it was still used by some american snipers during the american civil war firearms made quantum leaps forward engineered to be more precise than ever before smooth ball guns although functional and fast loading were wildly inaccurate rifling the barrel of the gun with spiral grooves dramatically increased the range and accuracy of the firearm with the grooves causing the projectile to spin as it shot out of the barrel giving it greater aerodynamic stability among the rifle muskets wielded by civil war snipers was the patton 1853 enfield although rifles have been used for hunting since the 15th century their snug-fitting cartridges were slow to load in 1849 french army officer claude migney invented a cone-shaped bullet made of lead changing the way battles were fought and won also used in the springfield 1861 the menier ball filled the barrel to perfection dramatically increasing the speed and safety of loading the low velocity of the minie ball made from soft lead inflicted horrific injuries upon the enemy slicing through muscle and tendons and shattering bones on impact the outdated napoleonic tactics of soldiers walking shoulder to shoulder into a barrage of gunfire doomed the troops to almost certain death new strategies were quickly developed giving troops protection and the ability to kill from greater distances elaborate trenches and fortifications began appearing on the battlefield as gunners took cover while firing at distant enemies [Applause] [Music] the rifle had become the most accurate killing machine in the world claiming the lives of 620 000 soldiers over the course of the war [Music] in 1941 as the japanese imperial army spread over the islands of the pacific they carried with them a deadly weapon the arasaka rifle allied forces fighting in asia and the pacific found themselves under constant threat from japanese snipers masters of camouflage the japanese snipers positioned themselves in thick jungle or hid in plain sight no smoke or muzzle blast was visible from their deadly weapon our platoon leader doesn't wear any insignia that's because the [ __ ] looks for our officers and ncos to pick them off first to knock out our commands the japanese were amongst the first snipers to conceal themselves in tree tops constructing woven seats from bamboo frames camouflage nets made of mesh with wood fibre strands similar to modern ghillie suits were used to shroud the snipers in the trees while highly adept at stealth japanese marksmanship was characterized as poor and soon allied troops came to realize that fast-moving targets were relatively safe from japanese sniper fire allied troops began flashing them from their positions with brute force [Music] now their tactics are to blast the japanese out of their foxholes and they've got steward tanks to help them on the job crashing through light jungle they search out every small pocket of resistance the tanks being impervious to snipers bullets aimed often enough from the treetops as the allies pushed the imperial army back toward japan the number of snipers decreased when the japanese armed forces surrendered unconditionally the arasaka rifle was retired from service turbulence aircraft vibration and downdraft from rotor blades are just some of the elements that an aerial scout sniper needs to contend with while taking his shot strapped into the doorway of a moving helicopter the aerial scout sniper maintains constant communication with their spotter and pilot to ensure targets are eliminated with deadly precision providing top cover for special operations over land and sea the u.s marine scout sniper is armed with the m110 sniper system winner of the us army's best 10 inventions award the m110 long-range sniper rifle is feared for its deadly power and accuracy equipped with advanced sound and muzzle flash suppressors the m110 masks its shot only the crack of the projectile breaking the sound barrier alerts targets to an incoming round the m110 is the first semi-automatic weapon used for u.s military sniper missions in the hands of the highly trained aerial scout sniper the m110 embodies firearm accuracy highlighting the deadly role of the sniper on the modern battlefield while one well-aimed shot can eliminate targets from afar battling multiple adversaries requires a fast succession of bullets as rapid-fire weapons developed being outgunned on the battlefield no longer meant facing a larger army rather one that could unleash rounds with increasing frequency as the united states expanded into the vast plains of the american frontier soldiers armed with single-shot weapons routinely battled native americans skilled warriors armed with bows and arrows that fired more quickly than a rifle could be reloaded with many battles fought on horseback the cavalry troops needed a handheld weapon that could provide continuous fire in 1836 a revolutionary repeating handgun was introduced comprised of a revolving cylinder with five chambers aligned to a single stationary barrel although the original colt patterson was not an immediate success the cult manufacturing company was well established by the onset of the american civil war the new and improved cult army model 1860 was the most widely used revolver of the civil war with the u.s government purchasing over 120 000 over the course of the conflict at the rear of each chamber was a percussion cap once the gun was loaded troops engaged the hammer to [ __ ] the revolver and rotate the cylinder allowing them to fire off all six shots in a single action before reloading the colt 1860 remained in production for 13 years until it was superseded by the most famous six shooter in the world ironically known as the peacemaker the colt single action army's powerful 6.45 caliber cartridges could be fired in six seconds the 0.45 cartridge provided enormous stopping power and was devastating in the hands of frontline infantry troops and mounted cavalry wielded by theodore roosevelt and his rough riders in the spanish-american war the colt single action army gave the mounted troops repeating firepower aiding the american victory the american indian wars saw clashes with the native people of north america who for more than 300 years fought to retain their indigenous lands and traditional ways the indian had grown bold and powerful in the years the country was absorbed in its struggle for the union in june 1876 one of the most legendary battles would be fought between the cheyenne warriors and the us cavalry led by lieutenant colonel george custer in the countryside surrounding the little bighorn river in montana the cavalry arrived at the battle armed with a revolutionary new rifle the 1873 trapdoor springfield the first breech loading service rifle adopted by the us army the 1873 along with its carbine variant was issued with self-contained cartridges that were loaded through the trap door opening on the bridge block not only did this design enable faster reloading the gunner could keep his weapon trained on his target throughout the process although its speed and accuracy would go on to become a major factor in opening the western frontier during the battle of little bighorn the 1873 was issued with copper cartridges which often expanded and jammed in the breach grossly outnumbered and played with poor intelligence caster and his men were doomed to a swift defeat new battlefield technology can be the deciding factor between victory and defeat first seeing combat in world war ii this revolutionary weapon was praised by general george patton as the greatest battle implement ever devised the m1 garand issued in 1936 the m1 was the us army's first standard issue semi-automatic weapon rugged and accurate the m1 excelled in every theater of war it's eight round clip giving u.s troops the advantage of rapid fire without having to break point of aim and reload [Music] developed over a period of 16 years by john garand at the time of its inception some believed the m1 was too advanced and complicated to be produced so garand himself invented the machines to produce the gas operated rifle after the m1's bullet is fired the exploding gases travel down a cylinder driving the piston and operating rod back unlocking the bolt and ejecting the spent cartridge allowing the clip to move up and strip a new bullet into the chamber ready for firing the entire process taking a split second during world war ii the rapid firepower of the m1 dominated the battlefield it gave us forces a distinct advantage in firefights against their axis enemies who struggled with outdated bolt-action rifles the semi-automatic enabled troops to unleash up to 50 bullets per minute tearing through the enemy at speeds over 700 meters per second gaining a fearsome reputation the m1 garand was referred to as the rifle that won world war ii the liberation of france like that of every other conquered country presented scenes of wild ovation after its victorious tour of duty in world war ii the m1 went on to serve american troops in korea variants were also used at the beginning of the vietnam war in 1963 wielded by american snipers [Music] during the american civil war two-thirds of all troop fatalities came from disease rather than gunshot wounds intending to save the lives of troops by reducing their numbers on the battlefield dr richard gatling invented a new weapon stating now the work of a few men can perform the work of an entire regiment in 1862 his new creation was unveiled the gatling gun unleashed during the spanish-american war the gatling gun had up to 10 barrels each with its own breach and firing pin after each barrel fired it had time to cool before it was rotated by hand around a central shaft at the battle of san juan hill cuba three swivel mounted gatling guns raked spanish defenses with over 700 rounds per minute allowing u.s infantry to ascend and defeat the spanish the battle marked the first time that the us army used closed support machine guns to attack an enemy position a strategy that would change battlefield tactics for years to come during the late 1800s a prolific us inventor was advised by a colleague that the best way to make money was to invent something that will help these europeans kill one another more quickly reviving the design of a weapon he had begun tinkering with at just 14 years of age hirom maxim created the first recoil operated machine gun in 1883 maxim devised a way to harness the energy from the weapons recoil to load chamber and fire repeatedly for as long as ammunition was available the deadly maxim machine gun could shoot up to 600 rounds a minute providing the same firepower as 100 rifles of the day when the british faced off against german forces during world war one the germans were in possession of the maxim copy called the machine and gave 08. both sides aren't with the same devastating weapon the carnage was unprecedented on the first day of the battle of the somme 57 000 british troops were mowed down in a hail of machine gun bullets charges with suicide missions and troops dug into treachers to shield themselves from the relentless barrage of gunfire rapid fire now a deadly reality it would not be long until this killing power would be placed into the hands of the individual soldier having unleashed the machine gun technicians and designers worked to place that power in the hands of the individual the light machine gun would evolve into the modern assault rifle the soldiers trusted ally on the ever-shifting sands of the battlefield throughout world war ii soviet soldiers found themselves outgunned by heavily armed german forces a soviet tank commander recovering from wounds sustained in battle began devising a weapon that would eclipse those wielded by the germans mikhail kalashnikov designed the modern assault rifle a weapon of brute force also known as the kalashnikov the ak-47 entered service with the red army in 1949 the world's largest army at the time the soviet force was largely comprised of conscripted peasants and the ak-47 was designed to be durable cheap to produce and simple to operate kalashnikov said i was a soldier and i created a machine gun for a soldier a traditional design of steel and wood the low-tech assault rifle has a long stroke gas piston and loosely fitted moving parts allowing it to endure large amounts of fouling without jamming it could take anything the battlefield threw at it and still keep firing its distinctive curved 30 round magazine firing a single bullet in semi-automatic mode or a continuous spray when fully automatic it has an effective range of 350 meters although precision is another matter entirely as it takes a battlefield beating accuracy declines even further but the tough wearing nature of the ak-47 along with its pure firepower make it so popular during the cold war the ak-47 spread throughout the communist world entering service with military forces in 106 countries after the fall of the soviet union the ak-47 was sold on the black market to any group with cash the war has brought a thriving new sideline trading in soviet arms captured by afghan rebels kalashnikov here changes hands for sixteen hundred dollars in pro-communist states the ak-47 became a symbol of revolution while in the western world it represented terror the unbreakable nature of the ak-47 and its iconic status means it is still in production 70 years after its inception this robust and indestructible weapon is the most produced firearm in history with 75 million in existence today after world war one armed forces around the world began developing light machine guns that could be carried by troops based on a czech design the british adapted a weapon that would see active service for almost 70 years the bren light machine gun yet powerful the magazine fed bren was the primary infantry weapon for british and commonwealth troops throughout world war ii chambered for the same 0.303 ammunition as the lee enfield the bren fired up to 540 rounds per minute the bread was popular with the soldiers as it was light and durable with a reputation for accuracy it could be stripped quickly in the field and reassembled within minutes weighing just 10 kilos it was highly portable during long marches over arduous battlefield terrain in the pacific theatre japanese forces had invaded papua new guinea their plan was to capture port moresby vital to the strategic defense of the australian mainland in an effort to stop them reaching the capital australian and papuan forces battled the japanese for seven months on the treacherous and muddy kokoda track every japanese machine gun nest every sniper's outpost cleverly concealed in the jungle has to be wiped out during the battle of the saraba australian private bruce kingsbury voluntarily fought off japanese soldiers firing his bread gun he cleared a jungle path and saved his battalion's headquarters however during his heroic attack private kingsbury was killed by a japanese sniper rapid firepower now in the hands of the individual soldier was said to become even more punishing when the us military attacks troops beheading the assault are armed with standard service rifles while specialist soldiers provide heavier suppressive fire with larger automatic weapons during the vietnam war the us army recognized that smaller units lacked automatic firepower development began on a mobile rapid-fire weapon with precision aim that didn't require a crew to operate delivered to american forces for frontline combat in 1989 the m249 light machine gun has served through every major us conflict since the m249 can be belt fed or it can use the detachable nato magazine a standardized magazine that allows ammunition to be shared under emergency battlefield conditions after a marine pulls the trigger the firing pin moves through the bolt to strike the primer which ignites the gunpowder expelling around energy from the recoil thrusts the bolt and carrier forward stripping a new round into the chamber expanding propellant gases eject the empty shell casing and advance the belt priming the m249 for the next round all these processes happen within a split second showering the enemy with up to 750 rounds per minute after service in iraq and afghanistan returning troops provided mixed reports of the n249 although the high volume firepower was an asset against insurgents at over a meter long it weighed over nine kilo when fully loaded the m249 is a cumbersome weapon and it's best used as a stationary weapon rather than fired from the shoulder in the ever-evolving landscape of war many forces are shifting back to the traditional lighter magazine-fed automatic rifles in the 1950s a u.s military study of infantry tactics revealed that the average soldier tended not to fire upon their target until they were within a 100 meter range for the common gi long-range rifles were obsolete and the military wanted a weapon that would provide a spray of bullets at a shorter range to compensate for any shooter inaccuracy entering into service during the vietnam war with peak production of 45 000 per month the m16 provided troops with single shot semi-automatic and fully automatic capabilities initially u.s troops armed with the m16 struggled against the communist forces equipped with the unbreakable ak-47 engagements between enemies often occurred accidentally or by ambush whoever unleashed the greatest firepower was usually the victor while the battle hardened ak-47 was robust and durable the newly introduced m16s began jamming with the only solution to strip and clean the weapon this fatal floor was often deadly during a firefight at the outset troops issued with m16s had been told that the sophisticated weapon was self-cleaning with fowling the main culprit behind weapon malfunctions troops were quickly issued with cleaning kits a failure to chrome plate the chamber which eliminates rust corrosion and pitting was another cause of faults and so the plating was rapidly retrofitted after these hasty upgrades malfunctions decreased dramatically and despite shaking beginnings by 1967 the m16 had become a trusted weapon with much less recoil than the low-tech ak the m16 displayed greater accuracy and was much easier to control while in full automatic mode fully loaded the m16 weighed a third less than the ak meaning us troops could carry more ammunition critical when firing large numbers of rounds enemy troops often had to forgo food and water rations to carry the same amount of bullets superior to the ak-47 the m16 has remained in use with us forces for over half a century the industrial revolution birthed a new age of machines bringing destructive power to each new conflict from the land to the sea and up into the clouds military vehicles have become the platform for a range of guns each more destructive than the last the boeing ch-47 chinook troop transport helicopter a workhorse of the military ferrying troops into frontline combat for 60 years their defense against any attack are the door gunners positioned on either side the weapon of choice for the modern door gunner is the m240 general purpose machine gun [Music] in service with u.s armed forces since 1977 the gas operated m240 displays never surrendering durability with belt-fed cartridges designed to destroy iron targets the ever-reliable m240 can tear apart just about anything in its way the concept of the door gunner originated during the vietnam war as helicopters charged into combat for the first time in large numbers the gunship was born according to a myth among the troops the door gunner on a huey had a life span of five minutes helicopter aircrews were however three times more likely to be killed than infantry soldiers the function of the door gunner was initially defensive but the gunship evolved into the role of close air support gauging enemy targets in close proximity to friendly forces now classified as special mission aviators modern door gunners are highly trained in everything from helicopter maintenance to weapons defense and are equipped with a range of heavy duty firepower including the m240 weighing 12.5 kilograms the m240 makes up for its bulk with superb accuracy and reliability maintaining perfect kill consistency in extreme conditions with a combination of power and reliability the m240 continues its lethal service after more than 30 years [Music] in 1896 the vickers gun company produced a modified and improved version of the maxim which like its predecessor proved to be an incredibly reliable weapon with an impressive service record spanning countless conflicts around the globe it served with the british army for over 60 years the vicar's machine gun able to blast about 450 rounds per minute the vickers avoided overheating with a water jacket wrapped around the main barrel providing a steady supply of cold water the tripod mounted vickers weighed around 20 kilograms requiring as many as six troops to operate it despite its bulk and complexity it was an incredibly powerful defensive weapon so effective was the vicar's machine gun it was equipped at sea to defend against raiders from the sky another little picture of the detail behind that amazing organization the royal navy the sailors are filling drums with ammunition for those vicious little 0.5 anti-aircraft machine guns which makes the royal navy such a supreme fighting force during the battle of the atlantic germany launched a counter blockade against the united kingdom which required more than a million tonnes of imported supplies each week just to stay in the war more and more escort vessels are needed and fresh aid is coming from america in the form of revenue cutter allied convoys carrying vital supplies from north america were under constant attack by sea and air a raise of vickers provided vital anti-aircraft fire the .50 caliber rounds devastating the luftwaffe aircraft evolving dramatically since the days of the vietnam war modern close air support firepower is delivered in the form of a veritable flying cannon charging forth delivering deadly strafing runs the a10 thunderbolt 2 is a powerful tank killer making a distinctive sound this weapon system has earned the moniker of warthog purpose built to carry one very enormous gun the gau-8 avenger weighing 1.8 tons the seven-barrel avenger is the a-10's primary weapon system and the frame around which the aircraft was built loading the gau-8 requires a crew equipped with a custom ammunition loading adapter referred to by crews as the dragon the adapter directly loads 575 rounds into the system from each ammunition can [Music] delivering up to 3 900 rounds a minute its 30 millimeter caliber bullets show no mercy the spent cartridges are not ejected from the weapon instead they are stored internally if the rounds were ejected the force and frequency would throw off the plane's center of gravity when flying their mission warthog pilots coordinate with a joint terminal attack controller on the ground who directs the avengers fire to the desired target as the first world war continued it was clear the conventional weapons were no longer piercing the armored vehicles and aircraft that had arrived on the battlefield in order to arm their fleet of war machines american forces turned to legendary gunsmith john browning arriving too late for world war one the browning n2 heavy machine gun would dominate the second global conflict weighing 38 kilograms and dispensing a monstrously powerful 0.50 caliber payload it had colossal stopping power in the skies it was fitted to bombers and fighter planes to penetrate the luftwaffe's armor on land it was essential armament for mobile infantry to supply forces with a high number of brownings required one general motors factory producing refrigerators was overhauled for the war effort initiating over 500 design and manufacturing changes by the close of the war the browning was being produced at a quarter of the initial production cost soldiers in the last war can well remember this scene guns packed in thick heavy grease to provide the needed protection eight hours of slow tedious cleaning they don't do it that way in this factory engineers also develop new packaging techniques developing rust preventative oil and moisture-proof bags containing drying material guns shipped for frontline combat were ready to use on arrival after the allied invasion of france american troops fought their way to the swiss border when one unit came under a barrage of german artillery fire nineteen-year-old second lieutenant ordy murphy jumped aboard a burning tank destroyer to man an n2 browning machine gun screened by a wall of flames and smoke for over an hour he single-handedly fought off 250 advancing nazi troops and six german tanks earning him the medal of honor still in use more than 80 years after it first entered service its longevity puts it in a class of its own the revered m2 has been produced longer than any other machine gun in history when a military's outer defenses have been penetrated they need to call in the b guns to exterminate the impending attack the phalanx close-in weapon system a radar-guided gun system designed to obliterate anti-ship missiles and anything hostile above the water line named after ancient greek infantry defensive tactics the phalanx's firepower comes courtesy of the m61 vulcan gatling gun controlled by the balance's computer system the n61 can unleash a deadly onslaught of 20 millimeter rounds at a rate of 6 000 shots per minute in semi-autonomous mode the balancer will request permission from troops manning its command console before firing the balance is used by 24 allied nations around the world and is installed on all service combat ships within the u.s navy's fleet protecting them from incoming strikes that have slipped past long-range detection systems this latest evolution of the very first machine gun has seemingly come to represent what dr gatling desired more than 150 years ago a weapon so fearsome that it provides a last line of defense for the troops that it serves [Music] [Applause] [Music]

Channel: Timeline - World History Documentaries

Views: 185,551

Keywords: Timeline - World History Documentaries, amazing war stories, ancient weapons, destructive force of war, historical battlefields, historical documentaries, historical narratives of war, historical warfare, history's deadliest weapons, human resourcefulness, military conquests, military engineering, sticks and stones, technology and war, the art of war, the horrors of war, the legacy of war, the price of war, war and society, weapons development, world history in conflict

Id: 9x4Ctz9F6yU

Length: 50min 13sec (3013 seconds)

Published: Sat Oct 30 2021