The V-2 Rocket (1939-1945‪)‬

During World War II, a German rocket team invented the world’s first long-range ballistic missile (rocket). The V-2 rocket ushered in the Ballistic Missile Age and signified an important advance in weaponry.

Between 6 September 1944 and 28 March 1945, the Germans launched about 3,172 V-2 rockets at Allied targets in Europe that killed approximately 5,500 people and injured more than 7,000. However, more slave laborers died mass producing the rocket than were killed form its explosive yield.

The V-2 rocket proved indefensible once in flight despite Allied attempts to destroy the weapon. In fact, the Allies only stopped the rocket onslaught by pushing ballistic missile firing batteries out of range.

After the war, the U.S. military and the Soviet military used captured V-2 hardware, supporting documents, and rocket engineers to assist with the development of their own ballistic missile programs. The V-2 rocket served as the ancestor of Cold War military offensive and defensive ballistic missiles and space launch vehicles.