The Most Lethal Weapons in History

The arquebus was an early firearm that appeared in 15th-century Europe. It was slow to reload, inaccurate and so heavy that it had to be mounted on a pole to fire. Originally, it was used as a defensive weapon for protecting cities and other fortifications. There is a potent French spirit called Arquebuse de l’Hermitage, which legend has it was first formulated to treat those wounded by an arquebus.

First seen in East Asia, crossbows applied many of the principles of bows while allowing users to harness more power and accuracy. They were easier to operate than conventional bows, so took considerably less training to be used effectively.

The rise of cannons changed warfare on land and sea. Fortifications were forced to adapt to siege from cannon fire and in turn, arm themselves with these powerful weapons. Cannons in this period were often difficult to maneuver and not very accurate. However, they would do massive damage if they found their mark.

Flintlocks are front-loading firearms that use flint to ignite gunpowder. It replaced guns with other firing mechanisms in the 17th century. While not the most accurate, flintlocks could be effective if fired in large numbers. The weapon stayed popular until midway through the 19th century.

Breech-loading firearms took off in the 19th century with the advancement of the precision machinery needed to make them effective. These firearms are loaded from the rear instead of the front of the gun. This method is much faster and safer and is used in almost all modern weapons. Combined with their rifling — the spiraling of the inside of the barrel for accuracy — breech-loading rifles were far more lethal and effective than muskets.

The first assault rifle was German-made and first saw widespread action during World War II. Assault rifles have detachable magazines for rapid reloading and several different rates of fire. ARs are the most popular weapon for soldiers in the modern world and have improved considerably since their first conception. The Soviet AK-47 and American M16 are two of the most iconic assault rifles.

Machine guns saw widespread use in World War I with devastating effects. At the time, machine guns were heavy, required several people to operate, and were prone to overheating. However, they unleashed carnage on the battlefield like the world had never seen before. In many ways, the weapons of the time were ahead of the tactics, and commanders often foolishly sent soldiers and cavalry to charge in only to see them mowed down by these rapid-fire weapons.

Tanks were originally invented to break the deadlock of World War I trench warfare. These heavily armored vehicles used treads instead of wheels and were armed with machine guns and naval cannons. Winston Churchill is regarded as one of the key figures who pushed for the development of tanks to turn the tide of the war.

World War I was the first time airplanes saw widespread action in combat. Fight-bombers were equipped with machine guns to take down enemy aircraft and a limited number of bombs to drop on targets. Bombing accuracy was poor at the time but a successful hit could devastate exposed enemy troops. Pilots suffered high numbers of casualties and flying was still very dangerous even when not in combat.

Commonly known as the French 75, the cannon was originally designed to fire anti-personnel shrapnel shells but was later adapted to also use high-explosive shells and toxic gas shells. It was first adopted by French forces in 1898 and was a huge advancement in technology. New aiming and loading technology meant the cannon could fire significantly faster than other similar weapons at the time. Further, the gun did not shift after firing so artillery crews were not forced to re-align it after every shot. It saw extensive usage in World War I and some in World War II.

Created by the Nazis to retaliate against Allied forces for bombing German cities during World War II, the V-2 was the world’s first long-range ballistic missile. Together with V-1s, and its cruise missile predecessors, the V-2 rained down on British cities in 1944 and ’45. There was no way to defend against them and very little warning before they arrived. After the defeat of the Nazis, the Americans and Soviets jostled to acquire V-2 technology and the scientists that had invented the missiles.

Automatic grenade launchers are usually mounted on vehicles or helicopters and can rapidly fire grenades to devastating effect. The U.S. first introduced its M19 automatic grenade launcher in 1966 and used it throughout the Vietnam War. The weapons are used for direct fire on targets and indirect fire like mortars. As technology has advanced some launchers now fire smart grenades that explode at certain points in the air.

Tank technology advanced rapidly during the interwar period. In World War II they were a critical part of combat. Nazi forces took massive amounts of territory with rapid tank advances known as blitzkriegs — literally “lightning wars.” Their ability to move quickly while being armored and carrying massive firepower shocked several armies into submission in the early days of the war. However, as tank technology advanced so did anti-tank weapons, proving that the vehicles were not invincible.

As with tanks, aircraft technology advanced significantly in the inter-war period. Most militaries adopted single-wing aircraft and air power became another staple of combat. Fighter bombers were capable of shooting down other planes as well as devastating ground targets. Advances in weapons and flying technology meant that these planes had significantly larger ranges more firepower, and more advanced tactical abilities.

The atomic bomb nicknamed “Fat Man” brought Armageddon to Nagasaki, Japan, at the end of World War II. More powerful than the bomb dropped on Hiroshima three days earlier, it destroyed Nagasaki in a split second, killing tens of thousands instantly and leaving many more seriously wounded by the blast and sickened by nuclear fallout. The explosion would lead to unconditional surrender by the Japanese. It remains only the second time a nuclear bomb has been used in war.

The B-41 hydrogen bomb is the deadliest weapon on this list. It was created in the manic arms race of the Cold War and although the bomb has never been used in warfare, it is capable of destruction on a colossal scale. Its 25-megaton payload is equivalent to 25 million tons of TNT and significantly more powerful than Fat Man’s 20 kilotons of destructive power. The bomb entered US military service in 1961 and was retired in 1976.