[Sawdring]

I wonder if she really killed that many. Stalin war propaganda was notorious for its lies. Not that US or British propaganda was any better.

[katana]

Maybe or even probably propaganda? Sure. But myths and propaganda are seldom made up out of whole cloth. And Annie Oakley made a very successful show business career off the mistaken assumption that women can't be excellent shots. Besides smaller stature, steadier hands and breathing with less "yip!" might just be a secondary gender characteristic.

This could be urban legend, but I recall hearing that anti-terror squads who would be bursting into a room full of mixed gender targets were told to shoot the women first. They would react faster and would not hesitate to shoot back. If any military knows the value of arming its women it would be the IDF. And those are serious folks.