Arsenal
of Dictatorship was created to describe and examine the many weapons produced
and/or designed by Nazi Germany to use against the Allies during World
War II. In only six years of war (1939-1945), the world of warfare was
transformed from two dimensions to three dimensions, from propeller age
to jet age, from using tanks as an infantry-supporters to using infantry
to support tanks, from battleship power to carrier power, from dynamite
age to nuclear age, and from soldiers' war to total war. In all these transformations,
Germany more or less played an indispensable role due to its creative designs
and vigorous developments of new weapons and new tactics. The Germans built
the first operational combat jet plane (Me 262), the first real submarine
(Type XXIII), the first real heavy tank (Tiger II), the first cruise and
ballistic missiles (V-1 and V-2, respectively), and actually, had the technology
to creat weapons of some nuclear potentials. Many weapons of both the United
States and the Soviet Union have their roots in the experiments performed
by German scientists during World War II. Germany's impact on the development
of weapons can hardly be exaggerated.
With Germany's importance in military technology in mind, Arsenal of Dictatorship
was created. The website is designed to function like an encyclopedia of
German weapons. There are also sections for related topics like German
tactics and war technologies. The website is divided into four sections:
Heer, Luftwaffe, Kriegsmarine, and Wonder Weapons. Each weapon is first
classified by the branch of the armed forces (Heer, Luftwaffe, or Kriegsmarine)
to which it belonged. Then it is classified by its function (fighter, bomber,
battleship, cruiser, tank, machine gun, etc.). The Wonder Weapons page
is somewhat of an exception. It contains weapons of all branches of services
that were of extraordinary or unconventional designs. Each weapon in Arsenal
of Dictatorship has its own entry, which includes a description of the
weapon and its history in the war, and when possible, some photos, and
technical diagrams and data of the weapon. There is also an index that
lists all the weapons included in the website for easy and fast searches.
Although Nazi Germany had been destroyed some years ago and had stopped
producing weapons, it is still very difficult to include all of its weapons
or designs. Every now and then I would discover new sources about the more
obscure weapons. As a result the website is constantly under a state of
construction and renovation. Visitor please return frequently to check
for new updates, and interested visitors who are eager to see a weapon
not yet listed in the website may also request me to work on it. I would
do what's within my power and knowledge to improve Arsenal of Dictatorship.
If you
have questions, comments, suggestions, or other issues you would like to
discuss, please feel free to email me at
panzer_iv_rules@hotmail.com.
I shall try to respond promptly.
Welcome to Arsenal of Dictatorship and enjoy your visit!