We know that the Thomson submachine gun was the standard submachine gun of the US army during World War II, but due to its high price, it was finally replaced by an m3 butter gun that was so simple that it was not even used to pull the handle. But before that, Thomson was once a notorious gangster gun that caused the American police a headache, so today let's talk about its gangster story.
Let's talk about the background at that time, it was during prohibition in the 20s in the United States, and it was after the end of World War I that submachine guns came out and gradually became popular. These two preconditions gave birth to Thomson and for a time became synonymous with "gangsters"
Prohibition was promulgated in 1920, when the Group of Particularly Serious Puritans in the United States was white-left, and their group of abstinence men originally supported prohibition, coupled with the women's liberation movement that year, women also gained the right to vote, and a group of women who were fed up with the domestic violence of their alcoholic husbands also approved of prohibition. In this way, Prohibition came into effect.
But people who are used to drinking alcohol have taken wine as just needed ah ~ on the surface can not buy and sell alcohol products, secretly buy and sell the head office. In particular, the underworld said that they were very happy, there was definitely a market for alcohol products, and the government did not allow it, which was exactly when they played their specialty. So a large number of gangsters began to open a large number of private brewing plants,
But where there is a market, there is competition, and so do gangsters. After Prohibition, the profits of the liquor industry were like drugs, and this huge profit attracted various gangsters to join the industry of liquor dealers. But the market was so good that if they wanted to make more money, they had to grab the turf, so the gangsters did it themselves, and the United States was a place where guns were not allowed (automatic weapons were not prohibited at that time). Therefore, after the advent of Thomson's submachine gun, it was immediately robbed by the gang, and this kind of firepower was not too cool to crush. This kind of firepower also makes it a special headache for police officers who are generally equipped with revolvers.
(The poster of that year also wrote that the anti-bandit gun, which later became a bandit gun, was also reversed)
Back in the 1920s, when the War I was over, submachine guns were a new commodity, and the Germans were very unhappy with their own mp18 sweeps when the Germans first took their own mp18 sweeps. The Americans also intended to develop a submachine gun that fired pistol cartridges to sweep, but it was not released until 1921. The war was over, so the guns were sold in law enforcement and civilian areas.
Its slider-type delayed latching bolt and milled parts, barrels with heat sinking ribs, and delicate wooden parts cost it as much as $200, or $400 for a Ford Model T at the time. Inflation is nearly $3,000 at today's prices.
Ordinary people and strips where so much money to buy a $200 gun, but the gang is no problem ah ~ illegal business to get money fast, shooting is a necessity of life, with Thomson super happy. And I don't know if it was a coincidence or what, Thomson unloaded the drum, removed the handguard and the butt of the gun and just tucked it into a violin box... This kind of large killer that is convenient for concealment is more popular with gangsters.
Over time, Thomson gradually became a gun with a special gangster symbol. (Qiu Fat uses this too suitable for the scene)