Book excerpt: There is no shortage of reference books on the warships that fought the Second World War, but the weapons they carried have been largely ignored. This situation is entirely rectified in this classic work, which is encyclopaedic in scope and largely based on original research. Divided by country (including minor powers not directly involved in the war), the book covers all the major weaponry of the period. Weapons of earlier vintage that were employed during the war, and those that were at an experimental, trial or design stage in 1945 are also included. The size, scope and originality of this work make it one of the most important reference works available on naval warfare during the Second World War.