What was the most iconic weapon(s of the the 20th century?

Question

What was the most iconic weapon(s of the the 20th century?

Answer 1

The AK-47 for sure, it is the most widely used weapon to this date.

Answer 2

I would also echo many of the above posters with The Kalashnikov AK-47 as the most iconic.  Even someone who knows little about guns or millitary can tell you what it is.  

Runner up would be the Atomic Bomb.

Answer 3

if you look at the first real war in the 20th century thats WW1.

the defining weapons were mustard gas, belt fed machine guns, and the advent of planes and tanks for the first time, it also taught us valuble lessons on trench warfare....dont do it.

Answer 4

Avtomat Kalashnikova model of 1947. More commonly known as the AK-47, or Kalashnikov. It's the world's most popular assault rifle. A weapon all fighters love. An elegantly simple 9 pound amalgamation of forged steel and plywood. It doesn't break, jam, or overheat. It'll shoot whether it's covered in mud or filled with sand. It's so easy, even a child can use it; and they do. The Soviets put the gun on a coin. Mozambique put it on their flag. Since the end of the Cold War, the Kalashnikov has become the Russian people's greatest export. After that comes vodka, caviar, and suicidal novelists.

Answer 5

Golden Gun, lol

Answer 6

Plasma Rifle

Answer 7

The Kalashnikov AK-47

Answer 8

Haha, a freaking plasma rifle?

Actually, I solely believe that the 1911 Colt .45cal pistol deserves its best amongst the rank!  It was first crafted in 1911 and its design is still in sufficient use!  I carried my sidearm during the Invasion of Iraq, the M1911 MEU(SOC) pistol!  I can tell you that it out bested every other pistol the Marine Corps had me test.  Now, why do they still have the standard issue of the M9 Beretta?  The Beretta isn't on my top of the list!

Answer 9

I considered the atomic bomb, but I think the defining weapon [for me] as a mental image, is

the flamethrower.

Answer 10

Agree mostly with the answer above-Mushroom cloud for neclear weapons, tanks, machine gun, aircraft.

Answer 11

You could make a case for the tank or the machine gun, or fighter/ bomber planes, but I'd go with the atomic bomb.  Granted, it wasn't seen until the century was nearly half-ways over and by the time it came on the scene we'd already fought two major world wars.  But not only is it the most destructive weapon, but it's the only weapon ever made that's so powerful that nations are hesitant to use it against their own enemies, even those without similar weaponry.  It defined and shaped our diplomacy and relations for the second half of the century, and probably will from here on out.

Answer 12

Oh, the atom bomb. No question.

Runners up:

* the machine gun

* the motorized tank

* the anti-personnel mine

Any one of these completely changed how wars are waged in the 20th Century. The atom bomb changed everything.