The German MG 34 and MG 42 Machine Guns: In World War II

The German MG (Maschinengewehr) 34, along with the later—war MG 42, was a recoil—operated, air—cooled machine gun and is considered the world’s first general—purpose machine gun. Considered the most advanced machine gun in the world at the time, its ease of mobility and high rate of fire—900 rounds per minute—made it ideal both for infantry and antiaircraft use. First entering service during the Spanish Civil War in 1936, it remained in Wehrmacht service through the end of WWII in 1945, alo...