The MP40 ‘Schmeisser’: Great WWII Weapons

The new infantry assault tactics that developed during the latter stages of World War I called for a high degree of individual firepower to be used at close range to clear trenches. The bolt-action rifle was clearly unsuitable for this and pistols could only fire single shots. What was needed was a new weapon midway between a pistol and a rifle with a large-capacity magazine – in short, a miniature machine gun. And arguably the best submachine gun developed by World War II was Germany’s MP40.
The MP40 ‘Schmeisser’ follows the path of the weapon’s development from the first submachine gun designs of World War I through the refinements of later interwar models and the MP40’s direct predecessor, the MP38, culminating in the MP40 itself. Types featured include the MP18, MP28, Thompson submachine gun and Sten. From the Blitzkrieg of 1940 through to the sands of North Africa, from the snows of Russia to the desperate fighting to defend Germany in 1945, the effect of the MP40 in close-quarter battles is explored in depth.
Including first-hand accounts, the book also features how the MP40 was used by other nations both during and after the conflict. Throughout the technical data for the MP40, along with its predecessors and rivals, is provided in depth, while artworks and photographs illustrate the stripping and different components of the weapon and show the MP40 in service during the conflict.
Including 10 artworks and 70 photographs, The MP40 ‘Schmeisser’ is an expert and accessible history of the design and service history of World War II’s most important submachine gun.