Millennia ago, primitive people began to use various objects: snags and sticks, sharp stones, etc. to protect themselves from wild animals and hostile people. It is from those distant times that the history of weapons began. With the development of civilization, new types of it appeared, and more perfect than at the previous stage correspond to each historical epoch. In a word, weapons, like everything else on our planet, throughout their entire history have passed along their own special evolutionary paths - from the simplest stone ax to nuclear warheads.
Types of weapons
There are various classifications that divide weapons into different types. According to one of them, it is cold and gunshot. The first, in turn, also happens in several forms: chopping, stabbing, percussion, etc. It is activated due to the muscular strength of a person, but firearms act due to the energy of the charge of gunpowder. Therefore, it was invented exactly when people learned to get gunpowder from saltpeter, sulfur and coal. And the first in this distinguished Chinese (back in the 9th century AD). The history of the weapon does not have accurate data on the date of creation of this explosive mixture, however, the year is known when the “recipe” of gunpowder - 1042 was first described in the manuscript. From China, this information leaked to the Middle East, and from there to Europe.
Firearms also have their own varieties. It is a rifle, artillery and grenade launcher.
According to another classification, both cold and firearms are melee weapons. In addition to them, there are weapons related to weapons of mass destruction: nuclear, atomic, bacterial, chemical, etc.
Primitive weapon
We can judge about the means of protection at the dawn of human civilization by the finds that archaeologists managed to get on the habitats of ancient people. All these findings can be seen in various historical and local history museums.
The most ancient types of primitive weapons were stone or bone arrowheads and spears, which were found in 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 only have to guess. Although the cave paintings to some extent help us restore reality. But about the periods when writing was invented by humanity, literature, historiography, as well as painting began to develop, we have enough information about the new achievements of people, including weapons. From now on, we can trace the full path of transformation of these defensive assets. The history of weapons includes several eras, and the initial is primitive.
At first, the main types of weapons were spears, bows and arrows, knives, axes, at first bone and stone, and later metal (made of bronze, copper and iron).
Medieval weapons
After people learned how to process metals, they invented swords and spades, as well as arrows with sharp metal tips. For protection, shields and armor (helmets, chain mail, etc.) were invented. By the way, even in ancient times, gunsmiths began to make rams and catapults from wood and metal for the siege of fortresses. With each new round in the development of mankind, weapons also improved. It became stronger, sharper, etc.
The medieval history of the creation of weapons is of particular interest, since it was during this period that firearms were invented, which completely changed the approach to fighting. The first representatives of this species were arquebuses and squealing, then muskets appeared. Later, gunsmiths 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 area: guns, pistols, etc.
New time
During this period, cold steel gradually began to be replaced by a firearm, which was constantly being modified. Its rapidity, lethal force and projectile range increased. With the onset 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 war, and aircraft appeared in the sky. In the middle of the 20th century, in the year of involvement in the Second World War of the USSR, a new generation of automatic weapons was created - a Kalashnikov assault rifle, as well as various types of grenade 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 in its danger can be compared with this. To him, as already mentioned, are chemical, biological or bacteriological, atomic and nuclear. The last two are the most dangerous. For the first time, mankind experienced nuclear power in August and November 1945, during atomic bombings by the US Army in the Japanese cities of Hiroshima and Nagasaki. The history of nuclear weapons, or rather, their combat use, originates precisely from this black date. Thank God that such a shock to humanity has never been experienced again.