History's Most Terrifying Conventional Weapons

FoxNews.com ^ | Monday, January 05, 2009 | Catherine Donaldson-Evans and Paul Wagenseil

[Joiseydude]

Modern conventional weapons, deadly as they are, have no monopoly on terrorizing soldiers and civilians. Many military innovations of the past scared the enemy senseless — especially when only one side got to use them.

"When you defeat someone psychologically, that's really how you win battles," says Pentagon spokesman and artillery officer Lt. Col. Mark Wright. "If [enemy forces] think they've been beaten, they're going to turn and run."

Here, then, are five of the most terrifying conventional weapons of all time. Each was effective because it was a surprise introduction to a conflict, permitted essentially no defense, and only one side got to use it — though, as we'll see, that didn't always guarantee victory.

[PzLdr]

The Tiger Tank
The pilum
The Mongol Bow
The Spencer Carbine
The Needle Gun

[mountn man]

1. Greek fire Chuck Norris

2. Napalm Chuck Norris

3. The Gatling gun Chuck Norris

4. The Paris gun Chuck Norris

5. The V-2 rocket Chuck Norris

[SERE_DOC]

perhaps warped minds think alike?

[Still Thinking]

First things I thought of were Greek Fire, the Gatling gun, and a bomb case full of flachetes.

[MahatmaGandu]

1. Greek fire

2. Napalm

3. The Gatling gun

4. The Paris gun

5. Tuna casserole

[MeanWestTexan]

I know nukes aren’t “conventional” — but I would certainly deem mustard gas and nerve gas “conventional” in their own way.

A combo of V-2 and nerve gas -— that would have been a real terror weapon.

[Red Badger]

[Joiseydude]

I would have included cluster muntions in that list.

[MeanWestTexan]

I have the privilege of playing with a water-cooled machine gun of the WWI vintage.

Don’t believe it was a Maxim Gun, but it was too cool.

[Joiseydude]

Yeah it’s funny till someone loses their sight from that picture.

[Le Chien Rouge]

I understand that carpet bombing from a B52 scared the bejesus out of the NVA......

[varmintman]

The longest period of time anything has ever held the title of ultimate weapon was the thousand-year span from around the end of the Western Roman Empire until the rise of workable gunpowder weapons and armies trained to use them, during which the Turko/Mongol composite bow actually was the ultimate weapon.

[Psycho_Bunny]

I don’t know....the slow motion test shots of anti-personal missiles scare the crap out of me. And the “buckshot” tank rounds......ouch.

[meandog]

Most terrifying conventional weapon ever invented: The submarine—swift, silent and deadly!

[Philo1962]

Several of these examples seem to have been chosen for their ineffectiveness (in terms of winning the wars that saw their introduction). The author, I think, was just trying to prove a point.

[mad puppy]

“The real beneficiary of the V-2 program was the U.S. military, which spirited dozens of its scientists and engineers , including project leader Wernher von Braun, across the Atlantic, where they became the foundation of the U.S. ballistic-missile program and then later of NASA”

Sure the US has enjoyed the technical lead established, but we have lost the kind of stones it took to “spirit” people away and aggressively build cutting edge weapons WHICH WE THEN USE against enemies. Now, we try to be nice, nation-build and send money to our enemies. If only our enemies responded to our ‘kill them with kindness’ feelings.....

[ThE_RiPpEr.]

My father was at Anzio in WWII. He would have told you “Anzio Annie” would make the list.

[ArrogantBustard]

That’s a biological weapon ...

[Still Thinking]

Sort of a “Weapon of Mass Deflation”.

[Philo1962]

The Tiger Tank
The pilum
The Mongol Bow
The Spencer Carbine
The Needle Gun

Not a bad list, though I probably would have gone with the T-34 rather than the Tiger. The Mitsubishi Zero surely earned a mention, and the submarine and composite bow are also obvious choices.