Mikhail Kalashnikov, inventor of AK-47, dies at 94

So I read that headline on CNN just a little bit ago and it got me thinking... Should we respect/appreciate inventors like this man for their creations or should we feel disdain towards them knowing that their creations have been the catalyst to millions of deaths both past and current??

Mikhail Kalashnikov, the Russian gun designer whose AK-47 rifle became the weapon of choice for many national armies and guerrillas around the world, died Monday
He was 94.
Kalashnikov designed his first machine gun in 1942 after suffering injuries as a tank commander for the Soviet Union's Red Army during World War II, but it wasn't until 1947 -- after years of tweaks -- that the AK-47 was introduced for Soviet military service.
The weapon, recognizable by its banana-shaped ammunition magazine, became known for its simple effectiveness. It was easy to use and maintain, and it was reliable in extreme conditions, be they hot, cold, wet or sandy.

So I think about these inventors/creators who've came up with genius designs whether it be the AK47 here in this story or maybe a guy like J. Robert Oppenheimer, who is most famous for being the "father of the atom bomb"... Do we respect these men for their work or do we treat them differently knowing the amount of deaths their visions have caused? Granted, they weren't the ones who pulled the triggers but they were the minds behind these weapons of destruction.... I always wondered about being famous, but for something like this... Not for winning the Nobel Peace Prize in Economics or some other high academic accolade, but inventing a weapon that was designed to kill on massive levels. Should we respect these people and people like them or should we shake our head at the work they did and they pain that came from that work?

It got me thinking about it after I saw the story about Mikhail Kalashnikov dying today at age 94... His weapon the AK47 is one that is typically wanted by extremists, African fighters, smaller militaries, etc..

Below is the link to his death

CNN

reply to post by jhn7537


Many people who've had NDEs report seeing loved ones, and others they've interacted with in their previous life. I wonder who was waiting in line to see him upon his death? Perhaps a multitude of those who died as a result of his invention.

Cant blame the man for what poeple do with his creation, honestly if it wasnt his gun it would be another doing the same thing. Should we be mad at Henry Ford when pople get hit by a Ford or Zippo if an arsonist uses one to burn down a home? Cant blame the wright brothers for 9/11 can you?

Bad people will find the means to do bad things.

Q33323
reply to post by jhn7537

 

Many people who've had NDEs report seeing loved ones, and others they've interacted with in their previous life. I wonder who was waiting in line to see him upon his death? Perhaps a multitude of those who died as a result of his invention.

Makes you really wonder... And it also makes you wonder how many millions (i think that's a safe figure) have died from his invention the AK47??? I know it's an impossible figure to determine, but it does make me wonder how big it could be...

JHumm
Cant blame the man for what poeple do with his creation, honestly if it wasnt his gun it would be another doing the same thing. Should we be mad at Henry Ford when pople get hit by a Ford or Zippo if an arsonist uses one to burn down a home? Cant blame the wright brothers for 9/11 can you?

Bad people will find the means to do bad things.

Cars are made to drive places, lighters are made to light things like candles, cigaretters, fires, etc...

Guns are designed to do.......... Kill things..... That is all.

I understand the point you are trying to make but it's not a true apples to apples comparison...

I wonder if he will get a 21 gun salute?

LDragonFire
I wonder if he will get a 21 gun salute?

Hahaa very nice... maybe a 47 gun salute would be more suiting

if he didn't invent it someone else eventualy would have
don't hate the player
hate the game of war and violence

JHumm
Cant blame the man for what poeple do with his creation, honestly if it wasnt his gun it would be another doing the same thing. Should we be mad at Henry Ford when pople get hit by a Ford or Zippo if an arsonist uses one to burn down a home? Cant blame the wright brothers for 9/11 can you?

Bad people will find the means to do bad things.

The difference is a car, a cigarette lighter, and a plane were not desgned to kill people deliberatly.

The AK-47 on the other hand was.
It sure wasn't desgned for killing deer...

rupertg
if he didn't invent it someone else eventualy would have
don't hate the player
hate the game of war and violence

So you're saying that, essentially, everything in life is inevitable, so expect each and every possible thing to be created/invented for the sake of... well, even I can't make sense of that.... Just assuming cause if one doesn't invent something, someone else will kinda takes away from the significance of the invention, right? These people who invent/create things, we see, that have never been seen before , how can you just assume that someone else would invent a replica totally similar to the one being discussed??? I believe you are making some rather large assumptions here...

what would have been totally ironic is if someone was to have shot him with an AK. That would be just insane

spartacus699
what would have been totally ironic is if someone was to have shot him with an AK. That would be just insane

That my friend would have been POETIC!!!!!

Which serves up a great question... How many weapon creators do you think have been killed by their own design? I'm not saying during the creation of (by accident), but once the weapon was manufactured and used world wide..

reply to post by rupertg


War is war...it's ugly, people die & we develop tools to get the job done efficiently.

It's a human condition...for some reason we are compelled to fight & kill each other over stupid stuff like land, ego, women, oil, paper & metal...and it will probably never change.

That his contribution was part of a world that we in America don't have to face everyday doesn't make it any less significant.

I only wonder what his own personal thoughts were about how popular the tool he designed was.

reply to post by rupertg


It was designed for the military, so do we not like the guy who designed the M-16 as well?

JHumm
reply to post by rupertg

 

It was designed for the military, so do we not like the guy who designed the M-16 as well?

JHumm, I opened this discussion to those who create weapons of death... So the guy who invented the M-16 is fair game too... I brought up Oppenheimer to go along with Kalashnikov, and I could have added many more but the list would go on forever....

Let me ask you this... Why should i like anyone who invents a military weapon designed for killing people?

reply to post by jhn7537


Mikhail Kalashnikov created the AK-47 for use by his fellow Russians, in order to defend their homeland during one of the most unholy crapstorms of a period in human history. The fellow saw a need and filled it, and short of a few medals, and some serious prestige amongst those who appreciate things which chuck lead, he never earned a whole hell of a lot out of it. He never went and earned himself a fat stack of cash, like some other arms manufacturers have. He himself, was reported to be a humble man of simple means, who did what he did for his country.

He wanted men that his country sent to war, to be able to pick up their weapon, and perform effectively with it, without fear of jamming at critical moments, for his weapon to survive the difficulties of war, so that war fighters sworn to defend his homeland could rely on their weapons to a degree commensurate with the way their homeland relied on them.

He never gave his seal of approval to the way that the weapon ended up being a tool of criminals and terrorists, indeed, these things happened due largely to corruption higher up the food chain in Russia, at least at the start. The break up of the Soviet Union, many, many, years after did not help either. Fact is, that there is not a real difference between Mikhail Kalashnikov, and Barnes Wallis. Barnes Wallis, in case this fact had eluded you until this point in time, was a British inventor, scientist, and genius, who invented several key bits of gear used by the British, primarily in airforce roles, which ably assisted the severe bashing of German supply lines, weapons manufacture and scientific infrastructure during the Second World War.

He invented the bouncing bomb, famously used to screw up dams, flooding huge manufacturing compounds, not to mention designing airframes with geodetic principles, leading them to be very light, but very strong. The only difference is that his inventions were never used by criminals, but the intent behind their creation was the same. Defence of their homelands, against the threat of an overwhelming foe. I respect Mr Kalashnikov, just as I do Mr Wallis, because both men turned their minds to solving tough problems, in tough times.

TrueBrit
reply to post by jhn7537

 

Mikhail Kalashnikov created the AK-47 for use by his fellow Russians, in order to defend their homeland during one of the most unholy crapstorms of a period in human history. The fellow saw a need and filled it, and short of a few medals, and some serious prestige amongst those who appreciate things which chuck lead, he never earned a whole hell of a lot out of it. He never went and earned himself a fat stack of cash, like some other arms manufacturers have. He himself, was reported to be a humble man of simple means, who did what he did for his country.

He wanted men that his country sent to war, to be able to pick up their weapon, and perform effectively with it, without fear of jamming at critical moments, for his weapon to survive the difficulties of war, so that war fighters sworn to defend his homeland could rely on their weapons to a degree commensurate with the way their homeland relied on them.

He never gave his seal of approval to the way that the weapon ended up being a tool of criminals and terrorists, indeed, these things happened due largely to corruption higher up the food chain in Russia, at least at the start. The break up of the Soviet Union, many, many, years after did not help either. Fact is, that there is not a real difference between Mikhail Kalashnikov, and Barnes Wallis. Barnes Wallis, in case this fact had eluded you until this point in time, was a British inventor, scientist, and genius, who invented several key bits of gear used by the British, primarily in airforce roles, which ably assisted the severe bashing of German supply lines, weapons manufacture and scientific infrastructure during the Second World War.

He invented the bouncing bomb, famously used to screw up dams, flooding huge manufacturing compounds, not to mention designing airframes with geodetic principles, leading them to be very light, but very strong. The only difference is that his inventions were never used by criminals, but the intent behind their creation was the same. Defence of their homelands, against the threat of an overwhelming foe. I respect Mr Kalashnikov, just as I do Mr Wallis, because both men turned their minds to solving tough problems, in tough times.

Well said sir: Maybe he was met by all the lives saved by the AK-47... People think guns just kill but they also save lives; guess it depends on what side of the debate you are on. He was a true patriot for his countrymen... One countries evil foe is another countries hero, etc etc

jhn7537

spartacus699
what would have been totally ironic is if someone was to have shot him with an AK. That would be just insane

That my friend would have been POETIC!!!!!

Which serves up a great question... How many weapon creators do you think have been killed by their own design? I'm not saying during the creation of (by accident), but once the weapon was manufactured and used world wide..

edit on 23-12-2013 by jhn7537 because: (no reason given)

When i was in jr high my friend and I would always make home made bmbs, like ALL THE TIME. We did that for years! This one time, one bleeewwwhh up in my friends face. It was a bit scary. He had some minor burn marks and he burnt off his eye brows.

I was thinking earlier I hate to think about the ramifications of where he might be now, after this world. But maybe he made his peace with God before he died who knows. But it does go to show the scary potential that man is capable of. Like one silly design. Maybe he thought "ahhh this is crap, I doubt it will be accepted, but I'll just submit it to my boss anyway so that I don't lose my job." Then later it turns into the most popular MG ever made! I had a hit like that once. It was something completely different though. My one hit wonder. Then that eventaully fell apart. But lasted like 11 years. It was really good times. Now I'm down and out again and I'm like "how the heck did I do that the first time, and is there some way I could replicate that same success???" I've been trying but it's pretty hard. I guess chatting on here certainly doesn't help to advance those efforts ha ha. But ya anyone can be a one hit wonder. And then if you get it successful you really got to nurture it, like really work hard at it even after it's successful so that it can set you up for life. Anyway ya tha't my 2 cents

jhn7537

JHumm
reply to post by rupertg

 

It was designed for the military, so do we not like the guy who designed the M-16 as well?

JHumm, I opened this discussion to those who create weapons of death... So the guy who invented the M-16 is fair game too... I brought up Oppenheimer to go along with Kalashnikov, and I could have added many more but the list would go on forever....

Let me ask you this... Why should i like anyone who invents a military weapon designed for killing people?

You know that's why some of these scientists kinda scare be because although most are normal, there's the mad scientists who have no conscience. They're out to kill, and get off on the idea. And the way things have now progressed with technology and wide spread information, it's possible that anyone in there basement could create something that could have profound implications. Like a virus for example. There was some cases of the bird flu being transmitted to humans but they contained that spread. But it's stuff like that. some kind of zombie virus, who knows right. But we have the Avengers looking out for us. When you see a UFO that's actually one of their ships out hunting the bad guys.

rupertg


The difference is a car, a cigarette lighter, and a plane were not desgned to kill people deliberatly.

The AK-47 on the other hand was.
It sure wasn't desgned for killing deer...

Dynamite was invented to be a safe alternative to blasting powder for construction and land clearing. Created with only good intentions never considered a weapon by Nobel.

Others turned it into a weapon and Nobel hated himself and it for that.

The intent of the thing is pointless and irrelevant.

Most often weapons are designed to end wars. The nuclear bomb was rushed to deployment by men who wanted a quick end to war. Many foolishly thought it would usher in a new age where war would be so costly and so horrible it would cease to exist.

Same motivation drove Richard Gatling.

What's good and bad is relative. Reducing it to intent even more so.

One of the findings of the Milgram experiment was that people will cause harm to others for the greater good or the perceived greater good. I believe every participant in the experiment supported that finding. Are those people evil? Maybe.