I get a little tired of all the fanfare given to Kalashnikov. They handed him a captured MP-43 and said "dumb this down so we can copy it".
I woudn't get too upset over that. Some can't see what's right in front of them.
I get more agitated over those that like to believe the Ruski's are our friends.
Like my dear old Dad used to say ... "Son, at the end of your life you will be able to count all your friends on one hand."
The United States is in the same position. Always has been, and always will be.
Regards
Actually, the AK-47 is a VERY different creature from the Kraut gun. Yes, the Kraut gun inspired and influenced the AK, but they were still completely different. For example, Pete T. Kekkonen, a Finnish gun buff who appears to be well versed states the following about the AK/MP relationship:
"Back to the question re German influence on AK-47: There are some resemblances between AK and StG 44, but they are just superficial similarities. M. T. KALASHNIKOV copied details of many American (not German) firearms, including the breech bolt of U.S. M1 Carbine, a safety/selector lever from REMINGTON Model 8 hunting rifle and principle of trigger mechanism from BROWNING AUTO-5 shotgun, but many applications of these ideas are modified or improved by Kalashnikov himself and many major innovations are his designs, without known predecessors...
...Actions of German assault rifle (with a tilting breech bolt) and that of AK-47 (with a rotating bolt) are, especially, quite different. So are also cocking and safety arrangements."
You guys can look it up here if you like:
http://guns.connect.fi/gow/QA4.html
Yes, the two weapons look similar, but that could be a case of 'form follows function'.