European countries failed to appre
ciate the value of a larg-e calibre,
hard hitting- weapon of this type and
the chief use of pistols and revolvers
in European armies has been as or
naments for officer's uniforms, it is
said rather than for active fighting.
"The result of Europe's neglect,"
the report says, " was that the small
calibre revolvers of the Germans and
e en of the French and English were
toys in comparison to the big Colts
that slapped the thighs of the Ameri
can doughboys."
With this weapon. It is stated, "any
average soldier with average train
ing can hit what he shoots at. In al
most the fjrst skirmish it proved its
superior usefulness in -trench fight
ing. Such incidents as that of the sin
gle American soldie r who dispersed
killed a v hole squr d of Li-err.) a V
I ayoneteers which had surrounded
nim struck the enemy with fear of
Yankee prowess v. ith the pistol."
This resulted in the adliticn of nis
tols to the fighting equipment cf the
American troops at a rate that over
wr elmed the supply. Every ef ort to
increase the production was made, but
te army was forced to resort to .45
ca'ibre revolvers to supplnen' the
supply. The actual rate, of pro Hution
rtached just before the a -mistime was
si ned was 1.P93 pistols and 1.233 re
vo'ver; a lay ard the totul r.imfer
of th weapons bu!t urin?r te war
wis 743, 66S.
