Afghanistan and the AK-47

An item from the Legion Magazine.

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Afghanistan and the AK-47

Story and photogtaphy by Stephen J. Thorne

With more than 75 million estimated to be in circulation, the Avtomat Kalashnikova, or AK-47 (for the year Mikhail Kalashnikov completed his work), is the most popular and most copied weapon in the world. Light, simple, reliable and stable, the AK-47 has for decades been the weapon of choice among revolutionaries, insurgents, terrorists and resistance fighters in virtually every corner of the globe. Easy to maintain and easy to use, it is ideal for child soldiers and marginally trained fighters, though its accuracy leaves something to be desired. In Afghanistan, the AK-47 is ubiquitous, and every one has a story. And while journalists don’t carry weapons, they have stories too. Here are mine.

Jitter and snatch patrols in Korea

Story by Sharon Adams

In the spring of 1952, the Allies in Korea were starving for intelligence on Chinese forces, which went to ground (and underground) between attacks. Two new strategies were employed, one to get enemy soldiers to give away their positions, and the other to capture prisoners for interrogation. The troops labelled them jitter and snatch patrols.