20 Incredible Facts About the Weapons Used in America’s $32 Billion War

Widely considered one of the world’s most terrible wars, “The Great War” is a moment in human history we would like to forget. However, we can’t forget such actions, as we are responsible for remembering why they happened in the hopes of not allowing such global destruction to happen again.

During World War I, the United States spent approximately $32 billion – an amount equivalent to 52% of the country’s gross national product at the time.

To fund this colossal expense, the government relied on a variety of methods including taxation, the sale of war bonds, and war savings stamps, while also borrowing from the public through Liberty Bonds. The Federal Reserve supported these efforts by lowering interest rates to reduce borrowing costs, and the War Industries Board was established to prioritize contracts, set quotas, and allocate raw materials.

Although the U.S. joined the war after it had already begun, the conflict had profound human and economic impacts, with many Americans losing their lives or sustaining injuries and widespread disease. Ultimately, while the government’s funding strategies were largely successful – spurring increased exports to Europe and bolstering the domestic economy – the significant borrowing by businesses and households also contributed to rising inflation.

World War I continues to be an opportunity to look back at some of the fascinating and terrible weapons the United States introduced on the battlefield. Unfortunately, these advancements would help set the stage for even more weapons to be introduced in World War II. 

20. M1911 “Gunfighter”

• Source: Smithsonian Magazine

Already a popular handgun during the war, US troops sanded down the grip of their M1911 pistols so they could be pulled from their holsters more quickly in case of surprise contact with troops. Competitive shooters would later adopt this sandy conversion. 

19. Sound Locators

• Source: CNN

Known as “war tubas” or “sound trumpets,” the US employed these to detect enemy warplanes and artillery from a distance. Something of a predecessor to future radar systems, the US, France, and Britain employed these systems to try to detect incoming enemy fire early. 

18. Trench Periscope

• Source: National Museum of American History

While not an offensive weapon, the “Trench Periscope” shows the ingenuity of American forces during the war. This wood and metal periscope enabled soldiers hidden inside trenches to identify enemy movement without exposing themselves to enemy fire. 

17. Pedersen Device

• Source: Wikipedia

Designed to convert a Springfield bolt-action rifle to a semi-automatic gun in under 15 seconds, the US developed the “Pederson Device” in case of a 1919 military offensive. This offensive never occurred, but had it come to fruition, over 65,000 Pederson devices were ready to be sent to US troops. 

16. Tommy Gun

• Source: Springfield Armory National Historic Site

General John T. Thompson ordered the military to develop a one-handed prototype machine gun during the war. Unfortunately, the gun’s development took too long before the war ended, but the mafia would infamously use the “Tommy” gun during prohibition. 

15. Artillery Importance

• Source: ABMC.gov

Before the US entered The Great War, it only had enough artillery units to support around 8,000 men as of April 1917. When the war ended in 1918, the US had grown its artillery network to more than 460,000 troops, which emphasized the importance of artillery during the war. 

14. Railway Guns

• Source: National Museum of the United States Navy

During the war, Rear Admiral Ralph Earle ordered that the American military repurpose 14-inch, .50-caliber guns as naval railway guns. Capable of attacking German supply depots, this was the first opportunity for the US to utilize any combat equipment from a train during a foreign war. 

13. Military Aircraft

• Source: Britannica

Focused heavily on the De Havilland DH-4 as the only American-built aircraft to see combat during World War I, aircraft during the war went from flimsy machines early on to attack aircraft that started to produce “ace” pilots who knocked out scores of enemy planes. 

12. Entrenching Tool

• Source: History.com

Never designed as a weapon, soldiers were issued an “entrenching tool,” a fancy way of saying a shovel as part of their kit during World War I. The challenge is that this tool, which was meant to help with trench maintenance, was a brutal and effective hand-to-hand combat weapon. 

11. The “Pineapple” Grenade

• Source: Wikipedia

Nicknamed the “Pineapple” grenade, the MK1 grenade was one of the first mass-produced grenades used by the United States military. Labeled as the “simplest” grenade, the nickname stuck because soldiers felt the raised bumps on the side made it look like a pineapple. 

10. Browning Machine Gun

• Source: Wikipedia

First seen in action in World War I in the very last days, the machine gun was a significant factor in why trench warfare, which was so relied upon. Capable of firing up to 450 rounds per minute, the Browning could fire as many bullets as 150 soldiers could achieve at a single time, which again speaks to why trench warfare was such a factor. 

9. M1917 Howitzer

• Source: Wikipedia

Initially released by France, the M1917 Howitzer gun proved incredibly successful after being introduced in service in 1917. What’s incredible about this gun is that the American military purchased 1,500 models from the French military, slapped the US Army logo on the weapons, adopted it for a 155mm cartridge, and called it a day. It took approximately six men to move the 103-tripod to different combat positions. 

8. The “Trench Sweeper”

• Source: Rock Island Auction 

The trench shotgun’s usefulness in World War I remains the stuff of legend to this day. Better known as the “Trench Sweeper,” the gun’s ability to fire multiple rounds quickly helped American forces clear out German trenches, leading to the nickname. 

7. M1911 Pistol

• Source: Wikipedia

First designed by John Browning, the M1911 semi-automatic pistol is a testament to American ingenuity and firepower. Becoming the standard sidearm for the US Military in 1911, the weapon would remain used for over 70 years before the 9mm Beretta replaced it. 

6. The Kettering “Bug” 

• Source: National Museum of the United States Air Force

While the Kettering “Bug” never saw combat, this 1917 design is widely considered the forerunner of the cruise missile. Designed to hit a target up to 75 miles away, this unmanned aerial torpedo would have devastated German lines. 

5. Marlin Machine Guns

• Source: National Museum of the US Air Force

The Marlin machine guns, including the Marlin 1917, 1918, and, in some cases, the Marlin 1919, were mounted on some of the first airplanes to see combat in World War I. This gun is unique because it was synchronized to fire through the propeller of a moving aircraft, an incredible technological achievement. 

4. Liberty Truck

• Source: Dwight D. Eisenhower Library

Widely considered the first mass-produced motor vehicle “adopted and produced by the US Military,” the Liberty Truck was a massive boost to moving equipment and troops on the front lines. Because it was such a remarkable vehicle on the battlefield, a convoy of 81 trucks tested US roadways across 3,251 miles in 62 days after the war to show how quickly the US military could move weapons across the country. Among the soldiers who participated in this road trip was a young Dwight D. Eisenhower. 

3. Mark I Knife

• Source: Wikipedia

The Mark I Knife became a unique design in American military history. It offered a triangular blade to cut through enemy clothing and a brass knuckle handle for close-quarter combat. However, it wasn’t sent out in large buckets, so it was held in reserve until World War II when the Mark II replaced it. 

2. German Shotgun Complaints

• Source: HistoryNet

When the US gave its soldiers the shotgun, more specifically, the “Trench Gun,” there was a diplomatic protest that was filed. In a twisted turn of events, it was Germany that complained that German troops were suffering when hit with this weapon, which violated Article 23(e) of the Hague Conventions. The main focus was the buckshot bullet, which spread out upon exiting the gun, hitting multiple targets simultaneously. 

1. Springfield M1903

• Source: American Rifleman

In an ironic turn of events, the Springfield M1903, the primary infantry weapon of American troops, was almost too similar to that of the German Mauser rifle. As a result, Germany sued the US, and the US had to pay royalties to Mauser Werke, a company and country they were fighting against.

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