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Osprey Weapons #31
MP 38 and MP 40 Submachine Guns
Nazi Germany's MP 38 and MP 40 submachine guns are among World War II's most iconic weapons, but it is often forgotten that they continued in use all over the world for many decades after 1945, even being seen during the fighting in Libya in 2011. Widely issued to Fallschirmjäger (parachute infantry) owing to their portability and folding stocks, the MP 38 and MP 40 became the hallmarks of Germany's infantry section and platoon leaders; by the war's end the Germans were following the Soviet practice of issuing entire assault platoons with submachine guns. Over 1 million were produced during World War II, many finding their way after 1945 into the hands of paramilitary and irregular forces, from Israel to Vietnam; the Norwegian armed forces continued to use them until the early 1990s, and examples and derivatives saw widespread use in the Yugoslav wars of that decade.
The submachine-gun concept had its origins in the trenches of World War I, as German designers sought to develop a new weapon that utilized pistol ammunition to deliver devastating bursts of automatic fire at close ranges. The massively influential Bergmann MP 18, the world's first purpose-built 'machine pistol' (submachine gun), spearheaded the German assaults of 1918 and, although the Treaty of Versailles banned the study and manufacture of light automatic weapons in Germany, weapons designers like Berthold Geipel and Heinrich Vollmer of Erfurter Maschinenfabrik (Erma) covertly continued to innovate in this field.
An open-bolt, blowback-operated weapon with a single-feed 32-round magazine offering fully automatic fire only and a patented telescoping return spring guide that served as a pneumatic recoil buffer, Geipel and Vollmer's MP 38 drew upon earlier prototypes such as the VMP 1930 and MP 36, as well as the EMP 35, another Erma design that was widely exported and saw combat in the Spanish Civil War. The MP 38 was one of the first of the lighter, more compact "second generation" of submachine guns, utilizing stamped-steel and plastic components that made it easier to produce than earlier types such as the M1928 Thompson and the MP 18, which featured wooden stocks and employed machined-steel parts. It was rapidly adopted by Germany's armed forces and first saw combat during the invasion of Poland in 1939. An improved version, the MP 40, made greater use of stamped steel and electro-spot welding to simplify production further; a twin-magazine version, the MP 40/II, was briefly and unsuccessfully considered as a counter to the select-fire Soviet PPSh-41 with its 71-round drum magazine.
The MP 38 and the MP 40 saw combat in the hands of German troops in every theater in which they were involved, and have become synonymous with Nazi Germany's war effort in popular perception. Even during the war Geipel and Vollmer's designs, mistakenly attributed to the rival designer Hugo Schmeisser by the Allies, profoundly influenced the British Sten and the US M3 "grease gun" as well as postwar weapons such as the Spanish Star Modelo Z-45 and the Yugoslav M56. Featuring specially commissioned full-color artwork and period and close-up photographs, this is the story of the origins, combat use, and lasting influence of two of World War II's most famous firearms.
The submachine-gun concept had its origins in the trenches of World War I, as German designers sought to develop a new weapon that utilized pistol ammunition to deliver devastating bursts of automatic fire at close ranges. The massively influential Bergmann MP 18, the world's first purpose-built 'machine pistol' (submachine gun), spearheaded the German assaults of 1918 and, although the Treaty of Versailles banned the study and manufacture of light automatic weapons in Germany, weapons designers like Berthold Geipel and Heinrich Vollmer of Erfurter Maschinenfabrik (Erma) covertly continued to innovate in this field.
An open-bolt, blowback-operated weapon with a single-feed 32-round magazine offering fully automatic fire only and a patented telescoping return spring guide that served as a pneumatic recoil buffer, Geipel and Vollmer's MP 38 drew upon earlier prototypes such as the VMP 1930 and MP 36, as well as the EMP 35, another Erma design that was widely exported and saw combat in the Spanish Civil War. The MP 38 was one of the first of the lighter, more compact "second generation" of submachine guns, utilizing stamped-steel and plastic components that made it easier to produce than earlier types such as the M1928 Thompson and the MP 18, which featured wooden stocks and employed machined-steel parts. It was rapidly adopted by Germany's armed forces and first saw combat during the invasion of Poland in 1939. An improved version, the MP 40, made greater use of stamped steel and electro-spot welding to simplify production further; a twin-magazine version, the MP 40/II, was briefly and unsuccessfully considered as a counter to the select-fire Soviet PPSh-41 with its 71-round drum magazine.
The MP 38 and the MP 40 saw combat in the hands of German troops in every theater in which they were involved, and have become synonymous with Nazi Germany's war effort in popular perception. Even during the war Geipel and Vollmer's designs, mistakenly attributed to the rival designer Hugo Schmeisser by the Allies, profoundly influenced the British Sten and the US M3 "grease gun" as well as postwar weapons such as the Spanish Star Modelo Z-45 and the Yugoslav M56. Featuring specially commissioned full-color artwork and period and close-up photographs, this is the story of the origins, combat use, and lasting influence of two of World War II's most famous firearms.
80 pages, Paperback
First published November 19, 2013
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Displaying 1 of 1 review
August 11, 2022
The Tank and the Airplane were not the only Advances to come out of WWI- there was also the Machine Pistol/Sub Machine Gun. Trench warfare demanded full auto capability on demand in close quarters. Germany did Ok in this arms race- Theodor Bergmann's MP 18 being one of the first mass produced models. But it was an expensive demanding gun to make with a lot of moving parts, so as WWII approached the Wehrmacht looked around for a less expensive way to give its soldier fully automatic firepower. The result was the MP38 /MP40/MP41 family of weapons- iconic Nazi SMGs from WWII. In this #31 of the Osprey Publishing "Weapon" series, Alejandro De Quesada. a military history writer, give us the story in the classic Osprey way -with lots of pics, diagrams and colour plates that give us the technical, historical and cultural background for this iconic weapon.
Not only was this the weapon of choice for Nazi Parachutists, Officers, Panzer crews and all sort of drivers, but it held its role into the culture into the Cold War. De Quesada discusses how the successful German models- confirmed interwar ideas that a mixture of Bolt Action Rifles and sub machine guns would be the best support for infantry Medium Machine gun teams. The Russians with their massive use of SMGs and the success of the British Sten both were responses to the Nazi SMGs. This mixture of rifles and shorter ranged fully auto SMG was all that was really possible until the creation of the Assault Rifle with the Sturmgewehr 44 and the AK47 at the end of WWII. The sheer usefulness of the SMG kept it around for short ranges and close interior combat- the reason the Uzi made such a sensation in the 60s/70s. The MP38/40 stayed in use into this century- and of course lives on as the basis for several Star War weapons...
There are no adult themes and no graphic injury passages, so this is a good book for a Junior Reader over 10/11 years. For the Gamer/Modeler/Military Enthusiast- a mixed result. The Gamer is mainly getting background on the weapon- and how it was used- stuff they already know- but are good to review. Also the use if the MP 41- sort of an MP 38/40 with a wooden stock- not used by the Wehrmacht- but by police and other paramilitaries may be of interest. The modeler gets ideas for builds and dioramas aplenty. But its the Military Enthusiast who gets the most out of this book- learning about the submachine gun, its roots and development in interwar history, and its footprint in the military and popular culture. A good little book on an interesting topic.
Not only was this the weapon of choice for Nazi Parachutists, Officers, Panzer crews and all sort of drivers, but it held its role into the culture into the Cold War. De Quesada discusses how the successful German models- confirmed interwar ideas that a mixture of Bolt Action Rifles and sub machine guns would be the best support for infantry Medium Machine gun teams. The Russians with their massive use of SMGs and the success of the British Sten both were responses to the Nazi SMGs. This mixture of rifles and shorter ranged fully auto SMG was all that was really possible until the creation of the Assault Rifle with the Sturmgewehr 44 and the AK47 at the end of WWII. The sheer usefulness of the SMG kept it around for short ranges and close interior combat- the reason the Uzi made such a sensation in the 60s/70s. The MP38/40 stayed in use into this century- and of course lives on as the basis for several Star War weapons...
There are no adult themes and no graphic injury passages, so this is a good book for a Junior Reader over 10/11 years. For the Gamer/Modeler/Military Enthusiast- a mixed result. The Gamer is mainly getting background on the weapon- and how it was used- stuff they already know- but are good to review. Also the use if the MP 41- sort of an MP 38/40 with a wooden stock- not used by the Wehrmacht- but by police and other paramilitaries may be of interest. The modeler gets ideas for builds and dioramas aplenty. But its the Military Enthusiast who gets the most out of this book- learning about the submachine gun, its roots and development in interwar history, and its footprint in the military and popular culture. A good little book on an interesting topic.
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