Technical Miracles: The Weird Weapons of the Second World War
Open Access
Author:
Welsh, Nicholas Caesar
Area of Honors:
History
Degree:
Bachelor of Arts
Document Type:
Thesis
Thesis Supervisors:
Greg Eghigian, Thesis Supervisor Dr. Michael James Milligan, Thesis Honors Advisor Carol A Reardon, Faculty Reader
Keywords:
WWII Arms Weapons U.S. Germany Great Britain War Atom Bomb
Abstract:
In wartime, nations are stretched to their absolute limits economically, technologically, physically, and morally; during these difficult times, arms development and research finds its boom times. It is only during these times that we see developments so outlandish, strange, and totally absurd receive legitimate attention from militaries seeking to address the complications created by their particular situation. It is only during wartime that “weird” weapons receive attention and funding from governments that would otherwise not have the need for such insane designs. This thesis will describe and analyze weapons designed before and during the Second World War. It will weigh the conventional designs of the interwar period with the increasingly odd designs that were produced during and, I will argue, as a result of the war. This thesis will analyze the impact of many of these creations and what they mean for weapons development in a historical context.
