Weapons: An International Encyclopedia From 5000 B.C. to 2000 A.D., Updated Edition

Front Cover
Macmillan, 1990 - History - 336 pages
From primitive flint axes to nuclear and biological warfare, Weapons is the most comprehensive one-volume reference to the history of weaponry. Drawing from museums and private collections, this updated edition describes the exact specifications of each piece and places all weapons in the context of their utilization in particular wars and campaigns. 2,500 illustrations.
 

Selected pages

Contents

ARMING THE HAND
12
Clubs
14
Simple clubs
15
Composite clubs
16
Articulated clubs
17
Allmetal maces
18
Ceremonial maces
19
Picks and warhammers
20
Pack artillery
190
Coastal and fortress artillery
191
Automatic cannon
192
Antiaircraft guns
194
Tank guns
196
Antitank guns
198
Recoi11ess guns
200
Breechloading naval guns
202

Axes
22
Daggers
26
Nonmetal daggers
27
World daggers
28
European daggers
31
Swords
34
African and Midd1e Eastern swords
36
Swords of the Indian subcontinent
38
Far Eastern swords
40
Japanese swords
41
European bronze and early iron swords
44
European Dark Age and Medieval swords
46
Renaissance and 17th century swords
48
Rapiers and smallswords
50
Regulation military swords
52
Polearms
56
Bayonets
64
Plug bayonets
66
Integral bayonets
67
Socket bayonets
68
Sword and knife bayonets
70
Miscellaneous hand weapons
72
HANDTHROWN MISSILES
74
Devices to assist throwing
76
Slings
77
Throwing clubs
78
Boomerangs
79
Edged throwingweapons
80
Throwingspears
82
Hand grenades
84
HANDHELD MISSILETHROWERS
92
Bows
94
Simp1e bows
96
Laminated and backed bows
98
Composite bows
99
Arrows
100
Crossbows
102
Blowguns
106
Airguns
107
Small arms
108
Theory of small arms fire
110
Small arms chronology
111
Small arms ammunition
112
Muzzleloading small arms
114
Singleshot muzzleloading longarms
116
Singleshot muzzleloading pistols
122
Multishot muzzleloaders
126
Frontloading revolvers
128
Breechloading small arms
130
Singleshot breechloaders
132
Multibarreled breechloaders
134
Breechloading repeaters
136
Breechloading revolvers
142
Semiautomatic pistols
146
Submachine guns
148
Selfloading and assault rifles
150
Grenade guns and rifle grenades
154
Handheld recoilless guns
156
MOUNTED MISSILETHROWERS
158
Mechanical artillery
160
Springpowered engines
161
Torsionpowered engines
162
Counterweightpowered engines
163
Explosionpowered artillery
164
Muzzleloading artillery
166
Wroughtiron muzzleloaders
168
Cast muzzleloaders
169
Smoothbore field artillery
170
Smoothbore garrison artillery
172
Smoothbore naval guns
173
Late smoothbore artillery
174
Reinforced and rifled muzzleloaders
175
Modern mortars
176
Breechloading artillery
178
Ammunition for breechloading artillery
180
Breechloading field artillery
182
Siege and railroad artillery
188
Machine guns
206
Early machine guns
207
Machine gun ammunition
208
Machine gun chrono1ogy
209
Machine gun systems
210
Light machine guns
212
Medium and heavy machine guns
214
General purpose machine guns
216
Vehiclemounted machine guns
218
POSITIONED WEAPONS
220
Obstacles
222
Simple and mechanical traps
224
Explosive positioned weapons
226
Positioned missi1ethrowers
227
Explosives in bulk
228
Land mines
230
Naval mines
232
BOMBS AND SELFPROPELLED MISSILES
234
Aerial bombs
236
Depth charges
239
Selfpropelled missiles
240
Methods of propulsion
241
Propellers and torpedoes
242
Jetengine propulsion
243
Solid fuel rocket propulsion
244
Liquid fuel rocket propulsion
246
Launch methods
248
Missile subsystems
249
Guidance systems
250
Rockets in World War 2
252
Antitank missiles
254
Air defense missiles
256
Airlaunched tactical missiles
258
Sealaunched tactical missiles
260
Strategic and tactical nuclear missiles
262
CHEMICAL NUCLEAR AND BIOLOGICAL WEAPONS
264
Incendiary weapons
266
Chemical weapons
268
Nuclear explosive devices
270
Effects of nuclear explosions
272
Applications of nuclear weapons
274
Antiballistic missile systems
276
Biological weapons
277
THE THINKING BATTLEFIELD
278
New technological directions
280
Internal security weapons
282
Infantry weapons
284
Arti11ery systems
286
Antiarmor weapons
288
Helicopter armament and RPVs
290
Air missiles and cluster bombs
292
Maritime attack and defense
294
REGIONAL AND HISTORICAL INDEXES
296
Australia and New Zealand
297
Southeast Asia
298
Old Japan
299
India and Persia
300
Africa
301
European Stone Age
302
Ancient Greece and Rome
303
Medieval Europe
304
16th century Europe
305
17th century Europe
306
18th century Europe and America
307
French Revolutionary Wars
308
181660
309
American Civil War
310
18661913
311
World War 1
312
World War 2
314
The modern world
316
Famous names
318
Acknowledgements
325
Bibliography
326
Index
328
Copyright

Common terms and phrases

19th century aircraft American American Civil War ammunition anti-tank armies armor artillery attack automatic barrel bayonet Belt f blade bolt-action bomb brass breech breech-loading British bronze bullet Caliber cannon carbine cartridge charge clubs crossbow dagger defense depth charge Detonator devices DIAGRAM effective enemy f Air firearms fitted flintlock French fuze Gas-operated German grenade grip ground Halberd High explosive hilt howitzer ICBM ignition impact incendiary Indian infantry iron knife bayonet launched launcher light loading machine gun magazine matchlock mechanism metal military missiles Model modern mortar mounted Museum musket muzzle muzzle-loading Naval nuclear percussion pistol pole-arms projectile propellant radar range Rate of fire recoil recoilless recoilless gun revolver rifle rocket shape shell shot shown Single-shot small arms smallsword smoothbore snaphance spear steel submachine gun sword tactical tank target thrust torpedo trigger tube turret USSR vehicle warhead weapons Weight wheellock wooden

Bibliographic information

TitleWeapons: An International Encyclopedia From 5000 B.C. to 2000 A.D., Updated Edition
AuthorDiagram Group
Editionillustrated, reprint, revised
PublisherMacmillan, 1990
ISBN0312039506, 9780312039509
Length336 pages
Subjects ›  › 

History / Military / Weapons
Reference / Encyclopedias
Technology & Engineering / Military Science
  
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