Benjamin Fay

WW2 weapons from the ETO / Warfare History
The best American Infantry weapon had to be the M1 Garand. Even General Patton credited the American semi-automatic rifle as one reason we won the war. While other nations were equipped primarily with WWI vintage bolt action rifles that held no more than 5-6 rounds, the Garand held 10 rounds and was semi automatic. This increased the fire power of a 12 man squad dramatically over that of a similar squad armed with only bolt action rifles. The Germans also introduced a semi automatic rifle but never in large numbers.

The best German Infantry weapon were actually two, the MG42. this light air cooled machine gun replaced the MG34. It was easier to build and maintain and barrels could be rapidly changed, something important to sustaining a high rate of fire. The German infantry squad tactics were different than the Allies. The squad consisted of two light machine gun fire teams. The six rifle men in the squad were there soley to support the machine guns. The US forces had a different outlook and light machine guns were used in support of infantry. The American counterpart of the MG42 in the squad was taken by the BAR. It being a magazine fed (20 rounds) autorifle, it could not produce the sustained firepower that the two MG34s could. So on a squad to squad basis, the German squad could produce a lot more fire down range than the US squad could.

It has taken 65 years, but the US Army now emulates the German Wehrmacht. It now has squads based around two fire teams which have M249 SAWs or Squad automatic Weapons or light machine guns. We have learned that a smaller 9 man squad based around two light machine guns can produce more firepower with fewer men and are easier to handle and maneuver than the larger 12 man squad. The Germans learned this a long time ago.

To show you how good the MG34 was, it is still in use today by the German Army and is the basis for almost every light machine gun fielded since WWII including the US Army M60 which was replaced in favor of the M249.

The best overal tank in the ETO was the T-34. I would go on to say that the M-26 Pershing would probably have gotten top honors if it had seen more service. The T-34 was the best for several reasons. First it was easy to produce. It was built in vast numbers line the M4 Sherman. It was the first to introduce sloped armor. It was first to use the Christie suspension, probably superior to any other suspension and allowed higher rates of speed. It was the first to use wide tracks which reduced ground pressure and gave it unmatched off road maneuverability. While the narrow tracked German tanks became mired by General Mud in the spring, the T-34s did not. It used a simple diesel engine which improved performance and made it easy to maintain. The 76 mm high velocity gun could defeat most German tanks except the King Tiger, Elephant, and Jagdtiger. While it had its short comings, cramped turret, and no radio, its strong points more than made up for it. There Germans could not destroy the T-34 fast enough, in fact the Germans used the T-34 whenever they managed to capture them in running condition. Joe Steel (Stalin) said, "Quantity has a quality all its own". He was right with the T-34.

The plane that had the greates effect in Normandy was probably the P-47 Thunderbolt for the Americans and the Hawker Typhoon. Both Jabo's or fighter bombers were the scourge of the Panzer divisions trying to move to the front, and later when they tried to withdraw after the breakout during Operation Cobra. There were 26 squadrons of Typhoons in operation at Normandy. , but whichever type was operational in the largest number probably had the biggest impact. From Wikipedia:

A system of close liaison with the ground troops was set up by the RAF and army: RAF radio operators in vehicles equipped with VHF R/T travelled with the troops, often close to the front line. In situations where air support was needed they were able to call up Typhoons operating in a "Cab Rank", which then continuously attacked the targets marked for them (usually with smoke shells fired by mortar or artillery) until they were destroyed.

On 7 August, the German counter-attack at Mortain, threatening Patton's breakout from the beachhead. In the ensuing Falaise pocket, was repulsed by 2nd TAF Typhoons, some 81 vehicles destroyed or damaged. In the Vire area, where the British Army was under attack, Typhoons flew 294 sorties on one day, with 2,088 rockets and 80 tons of bombs dispatched. On 24 October 1944, No. 146 Wing of Typhoons attacked a building in Dordrecht where senior German 15th Army staff were meeting; 17 staff officers and 55 other officers were killed. Dwight D. Eisenhower regarded the contribution of RAF Hawker Typhoon squadrons as the essential factor;

The chief credit in smashing the enemy's spearhead, however, must go to the rocket-firing Typhoon aircraft of the Second Tactical Air Force. The result of the strafing was that the enemy attack was effectively brought to a halt, and a threat was turned into a great victory.[13]

It is hard to determine the exact contribution of each type to the overwhelming suppression of the German forces by the Jabos. The 2nd Tactcal Air Force and the 9th Air Force both operated fighter bombers in Normandy.

The German Sniper was equipped with the Mauser Model 98 bold action rifle the same as the infantry. It was just accurized and mounted a scope. Some snipers preferred the Gewehr 43 Semi auto as a sniper rifle. I read a book recently by a sniper of the Alpine Truppen on the Eastern front and he preferred this weapon to the M98. He was credited with a phenomenal number of kills and survived the war. The reason a semi auto is effective in the sniper role is it provides the capacity for a quick follow up shot. The bolt action is somewhat slower. Many prefer the bolt action's greater accurracy, but it is really a matter of preference.