Small arms commentators have been predicting the demise of the submachine gun ever since the assault rifle made its inception at the end of the Second World War. And yet the weapon is still here with us. While not part of the front-line military outfit of most modern armies, it nevertheless has a role in security work and with certain special forces units. In close quarters combat, few things are more effective than a submachine gun.
In this podcast episode, we address the following reader questions:
1. Are men becoming “infantilized” in today’s society?
2. What is the difference between a “loser” and someone who is just going through a rough period?
3. Do women “dislike” male self-improvement?
The Stoner 63 System was one of those “what ifs” of small arms weapons design. The basic concept behind the system was an attempt to make use of the modular idea of interchangeability: 17 core modular “units” could be assembled to produce various types of weapons for use in different roles.
Readers may know that I’ve written two previous articles here on General William Slim’s Burma campaign during the Second World War. His memoirs continue to provide me with gems of advice on morale, conduct, and taking action.
On Duties deals with a very large number of topics. One of the most important unifying threads of the book is the idea of “greatness of soul.” What is it? Why is it relevant?
In 1942, military forces of the Empire of Japan entered Burma and expelled the British from the country. It was one of many disasters of the war’s early years. At the time, few believed that Allied forces in Burma would be able to reconstitute themselves.
We deal with two questions in this podcast. One question involves a reader’s concerns about procrastination. Another involves a question about a passage from my book On Duties.
If someone were to select the most forgotten and God-forsaken theater of the Second World War, he would unhesitatingly point to the Burmese theater, assuming he even knew it existed. In this obscure country, hard-pressed and dreadfully neglected British forces fought a tenacious campaign against the Japanese that deserves to be far better known. The general who led the fighting there must rank as one of the least appreciated commanders of the war: William Slim.
Alexander the Great knew that if he were to embark on his great project, the conquest of the Persian Empire, he would first need to secure his flanks near the Mediterranean. This meant the bringing of Syria and Egypt under his control; and to this end he moved south after subduing Asia Minor.
Finland’s armaments industry quietly produced one of the very best submachine guns of the Second World War. This weapon was the KP/-31 (also known as the Suomi m/1931). The design is not well-known now, but in its day it was the weapon that everyone else wanted.
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