Military weapons deployed in Malta during the Second World War

Abstract

The Second World War introduced the Maltese Islands to a new and brutal mechanized siege. The concept of the older ground-based siege warfare made way for a threat from the air and sea. The aim of this long essay is to provide a strategic and tactical assessment of the numerous weapons deployed from both attacking and defending forces. The research examines the type of weapons used and effect they had. The logistics of bringing the numerous armaments and munitions to the island are also discussed, and the way Malta had to shift from the defensive to the offensive during the war. This also had an effect on the struggles endured by the aerial fighter planes, and the arrival of the more advanced ones and their effects are also examined. Finally, in terms of surface attacks, the preparations against a ground assault are also investigated. [excerpt]