Do you have a dumb question that you're kind of embarrassed to ask in the main thread? Is there something you're just not sure about?
This is your opportunity to ask questions. No question too simple or too silly.
Culture war topics are accepted, and proposals for a better intro post are appreciated.
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Notes -
Yes, it would be cool if every grunt was universal starship stormtrooper trained to use every weapon or tool from nuclear artillery to toothpick with maximal skill and efficiency, but time (and learning ability) is limited and you have to prioritize.
IRL, if you find yourself in situation when you face the enemy and only thing you have is pistol, you are 99,99% hosed regardless of your marksmanship. (not always, see the famous knife fight from Ukraine trench, where knife fighting skill made a difference)
I think that's part of it, but there was some serious pistol training for some roles in WWII and even WWI. My impression -- and I'll admit I missed the whole 'got assigned a bit of military history as a special interest' thing, so I may well be running on pop history here -- is that doctrine just favored minimizing vulnerability and prioritizing speed of fire, instead. That's a weird decision as an offensive weapon given the limited magazine capacities of the time, but given the realities of trench and urban warfare of the time, may have been reasonable.
It's just strange in retrospect.
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