Of all infantry weapons conceived during the 20th century, few were as important as the submachine gun, a weapon designed specifically for close-quarter combat. This illustrated history examines what was arguably the best such weapon during World War II: the German MP-40. Heavily illustrated with archival photography, cutaway drawings, and twelve color artworks, this account follows the MP-40 from its genesis in preliminary World War I designs through its use by the German forces on all fronts and its postwar service with other nations. Comprehensive appendices include full specifications and extensive comparisons with Allied contemporaries.