History of weapons - from ancient times to modern times

Thousands of years ago, primitive people began to use various objects to protect themselves from wild animals and hostile people: driftwood and sticks, sharp stones, etc. It was from those distant times that the history of arms began. With the development of civilization, new species appeared, and each historical epoch corresponds to more perfect ones than at the previous stage. In a word, weapons, like everything on our planet, have passed through their evolutionary path from the simplest stone ax to the nuclear warheads.

Types of weapons

There are different classifications that divide weapons into different types. According to one of them, it is cold and gunshot. The first, in its turn, is also of several types: chopping, piercing, shock, etc. It is activated due to the muscular strength of man, but the firearm operates due to the energy of the charge of gunpowder. Therefore, it was invented precisely when people learned to receive gunpowder from saltpeter, sulfur and coal. And the first in this distinguished the Chinese (back in the 9th century AD). The history of the weapon does not have exact data on the date of creation of this explosive mixture, however, the year when the "recipe" of gunpowder - 1042 was first described in the manuscript, is known. From China, this information leaked to the Middle East, and from there to Europe.

Firearms also have their own varieties. It can be rifle, artillery and grenade launcher.

According to another classification, both cold and firearms are means of close combat. In addition to these, there are weapons related to weapons of mass destruction: nuclear, atomic, bacterial, chemical, etc.

Primitive weapons

About what the remedies were at the dawn of human civilization, we can judge by the finds that archaeologists have managed to obtain in the places where ancient people lived. All these findings can be seen in various historical and local history museums.

The most ancient types of primitive weapons were stone or bone tips for arrows and spears, which were found in the territory of modern Germany. These exhibits are about three hundred thousand years old. The figure, of course, is impressive. For what purposes they were used, for hunting wild animals or for war with other tribes - we have only to guess. Although the rock paintings to some extent help us to restore reality. But about the periods when man was invented writing, began to develop literature, historiography, as well as painting, we have enough information about new achievements of people, including weapons. From now on we can trace the full path of the transformation of these defensive means. The history of weapons includes several eras, and the initial is primitive.

At first, the main weapons were spears, bow and arrows, knives, axes first bone and stone, and later - metal (bronze, copper and iron).

Medieval weapons

After people learned how to handle metals, they invented swords and spears, as well as arrows with metal sharp points. To protect, shields and armor were invented (helmets, chain mail, etc.). By the way, even in ancient times, arms masters began to make wood and metal rams and catapults for the siege of fortresses. With each new turn in the development of mankind, weapons were also improved. It became stronger, sharper, and so on.

The medieval history of the creation of weapons is of particular interest, because it was during this period that firearms were invented, which completely changed the approach to combat. The first representatives of this species were arquebus and squeaked, then muskets appeared. Later, arms masters decided to increase the size of the latter, and then the first artillery guns appeared on the military field . Further, the history of firearms begins to state more and more new discoveries in this field: guns, pistols, etc.

New time

During this period, cold steel gradually began to be replaced by a firearm, which was constantly modified. Increased its speed, lethal force and range of flight of shells. With the advent of the 20th century, the history of weapons did not keep pace with inventions in this field. During the First World War, tanks began to appear in the theater of operations, and in the sky - aircraft. In the middle of the 20th century, in the year of involvement in the Second World USSR, automatic weapons of a new generation were created - the Kalashnikov assault rifle, as well as various types of rocket launchers and types of rocket artillery, for example the Soviet Katyusha, underwater military equipment.

Weapons of mass destruction

None of the above types of weapons by their own danger can not be compared with this one. To him, as already mentioned, are chemical, biological or bacteriological, atomic and nuclear. The last two are the most dangerous. For the first time, humanity experienced nuclear power in August and November 1945, during the atomic bombing by the US Air Force of the Japanese cities of Hiroshima and Nagasaki. The history of nuclear weapons, or rather, of its combat use, originates precisely from this black date. Thank God that such a shock to mankind has never been experienced again.