Initially developed for use in the trench warfare of WWI, the submachine gun (SMG) was to be a short barreled weapon that would be able to release a volley of bullets at close range. This weapon did not see very widespread use during that conflict as it was developed too late in the war. However, the weapon did impress several military forces and was expanded upon in the inter-war years.

Probably the best known SMG of the 1920s and 1930s was the Thompson, a weapon that saw a lot of use during that time by law enforcement and the criminal crowd more than it was used by the military. However, the start of WWII, saw widespread production of this type of weapon, particularly with the Allies.

One nation that was a bit late in developing the SMG was the Soviet Union. Though they had experimental models, none were widely produced until just before the Soviets entered WWII. One of the reasons for their renewed passion for the weapon was how Soviet units were decimated by a small number of Finnish troops during the Winter War. There, Finnish soldiers with their Suomi SMGs were able to wreak havoc on Soviet troops. Of course, part of this was due to the superior tactics of the Finns, but one has to give the Suomi SMG its due for its effectiveness.

This led the Soviets to quickly begin the design of their own SMG. The basics for a Soviet SMG were for it to be reliable, hold a reasonable amount of ammunition, and be able to operate in the extremes of Russian weather. The initial winner was  the PPD-40. This was a gun that did what was expected, however, it required a lot of raw materials and machining, meaning it took a while to build each one. A total of 90,000 or so were built.

Fortunately, another designer was working on what would become the PPSh-41. This gun was not the most accurate, did not have the highest muzzle velocity, but had the benefit of being easy to maintain, reliable and was easy to manufacture. This meant that it was cranked out by the millions and became the iconic Soviet SMG of the war. It is the gun shown on the book cover. So reliable was the gun, that it was used decades after the war and can still be found today in the hands of insurgents.

The final gun covered in depth is the PPS. This gun did all the PPSh-41 did, but was very light on machined parts. Most of it was stamped steel and was able to be built even faster. This SMG was developed for use by tankers, engineers and cavalry units to name a few. It was lighter and shorter so much more easily carried by these troops. It was also quite reliable and easy to maintain, features that were paramount for successful Soviet equipment as most of the operators and repair types were not always very highly trained.

In this book on the Browning, author Chris McNab covers the development, early years and eventual combat use of the various guns. It also covers the post-war use of the gun and those guns built and modified by other nations. Finally, a look at the impact of the gun is covered as well as a look at the guns that eventually replaced it, the AK-47 assault rifle. In fact, the book using quite a bit of space covering the assault rifle, but it is germane to the initial subject so quite appropriate.

It is a superb book that is fascinating to read. A great addition to this series and one that I am positive you will enjoy. Highly recommended.

July 2014

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