In 1862, Richard Gatling developed a weapon that could fire 200 rounds per minute. It would prove to be a formidable weapon, from then on. It was used in the Civil War and is still used today, attached to helicopters and by infantry. Gatling believed that his weapon would end the Civil War because of the horrific damage it could cause. There were limitations to the model that Richard Gatling invented. It was prone to overheating and often got jammed. Over time, Gatling and Sir Hiram Stevens Maxim resolved these problems. In 1884, Sir Maxim invented the continuous belt feed, allowing for the continually loading of ammunition. James Browning invented the first gas-operated machine gun in 1895. The gun was cooled by the air and was lighter, made up of fewer parts. His designs were used in World War I and even the Korean War. Nowadays, machine guns have been combined with lasers and computers to increase range and accuracy. Who is to say that this weapon is not as terrible as the atomic bomb? Over the years, it has probably taken many more lives than the atomic bomb has.

*Pictures from Microsoft Encarta Encyclopedia

• This site had a good timeline. It was very brief concerning each topic but it showed a good progression from innovation to innovation. It also discussed the impacts of each innovation.

Machine Gun. Microsoft Encarta Encyclopedia. 13 December 2003.

• Used to double check the other machine gun references. It is not very detailed but had the basic outline needed for general information.