Cover of The Thompson Submachine Gun: From Prohibition Chicago to World War II

The Thompson Submachine Gun: From Prohibition Chicago to World War II

Osprey Weapons seriesNext:Sniper Rifles: From the 19th to the 21st Century(2010) →

Osprey's new Weapon series provides a highly-detailed yet affordable overview of the development, use, and impact of small arms throughout history - from the sword to the machine gun.

Read more

Learn the true story of one of history's most well travelled weapons. Developed late in World War I (1914-1918) to be a fearsome trench-warfare weapon, the Thompson submachine gun's fame and success came in unexpected quarters. An iconic and innovative design, the M1921 Thompson was soon adopted by Prohibition-era gangs and used ruthlessly on the streets of New York and Chicago. But its military career was relaunched with the outbreak of World War II (1939-1945), used by armies, commandos and resistance groups worldwide.

Using expert knowledge and first-hand accounts, this chronicle of one of the world's greatest submachine guns analyzes the Thompson's development, its legacy, and the experiences of the men who used it in combat. Features rare photographs and original artwork by Peter Dennis.

Audience
adult
Length
short · 80 pages

Click a tag to see books like this one that share it. Point at it (on a phone, tap it) for less of it instead.

Read it? Sign in to help tag it.

Liked The Thompson Submachine Gun: From Prohibition Chicago to World War II? Here’s where I’d start.

These suit anyone who liked The Thompson Submachine Gun: From Prohibition Chicago to World War II. Sign in and mark a few books for picks shaped around your own taste.

  1. Gun: A Visual History Shares firearms, military, history
  2. Germanic Warrior AD 236–568 Shares osprey, history, military history
  3. The Mongols Shares osprey, military history, history
  4. The Age of Tamerlane Shares osprey, military history, history

“If you want more of the same (history about military history), start with these.”

  1. Zeebrugge: Eleven VCs Before Breakfast
  2. The Napoleonic Wars (4): The Fall of the French Empire 1813-1815
  3. European Warfare, 1494-1660
  4. Brown Water, Black Berets: Coastal and Riverine Warfare in Vietnam

“If it was the osprey that hooked you, try one of these.”

  1. Sherman Medium Tank 1942-45
  2. Israeli Defence Forces since 1973
  3. Japanese Pacific Island Defenses 1941–45
  4. Pike and Shot Tactics 1590–1660

“These start from a similar idea, even if they go somewhere else with it.”

  1. American Gun: A History of the U.S. in Ten Firearms
  2. Tommy: The Gun That Changed America
  3. World War One: History In An Hour
  4. Viking Weapons and Combat Techniques