Comments on Rubber Wars

OK, this requires checking snopes.com. I can't at work because it's blocked, but when i get a chance...

The soviet PPSh 41 ( below) which was standard for world war 2 Soviet infantry couldn’t possibly be fitted with a condom or if it could, it wouldn’t really help with the push in Stalingrad and the freezing winters when the Soviet Army pushed forward. Rain wasn’t really a concern in Stalingrad, I’ve fired the PPSH 41 before ( long story, the 80’s Central America) it tends to jam a lot and it’s a lousy gun, prolly one of the worst in world war 2, thus it was quickly replaced in the 1950’s with the Kalashnikov 47, which mos def can not take a condom over it. The only one that could arguably hold a condom would be the Simonov, which is the standard soviet sniper rifle for that era, but it was replaced by the tokarjev when the Russian army made its push. The M-1 Garand which US soldiers used in world war 2 could take a condom, and probably would have been helpful in the Pacific. Most likely another story told by North Americans to try to hide the fact that if it wasn’t for Stalingrad and the 20 million Russians that died in world war 2, Germany would not have been defeated as quickly as it was. Not to say that US sacrifices and push from France were not huge in determining the war, but very small compared to the Russians’ lost in human life and battle field victories. .

http://www.a-human-right.com/ppsh.html

Goddam right the sailors needed the condoms. Those guys will put their wieners anywhere (said as the proud grandchild of a WWII Navy-man).

Secondly, SeMe, you're kind of scaring me.

Nah pope, its all good, you know that life be taking you places.

BTW, From the account of German women who were brutalized by the Red Army in Berlin, the Soviets didnt use condoms.

I tried snopes and came up with zilch using "condom." Weird because I've heard the story too (the Texan version).

Yeah, I understand. Maybe I'm just jealous because me life hasn't taken me to a place where I get to fire automatics with revolutionaries/terrorists (tomato/to-mah-to).

And I’m not being sarcastic here, I'm sure there is a great story behind that.

In actual practice, there was a standard issue rubber cover for rifles used for WW I and WW II - if you had to fire it and needed a replacement, you used your standard issue condoms.

This could be the "origin" of the story. They're fairly thick rubber covers - a condom would tear way too easily for long duration usage, however, based on my field experience with them.

brad, it's still a good story, and a genius marketing scheme. not to mention a fine example of why most wars are started in the first place -- it all comes down to cock waggling.

as a responsible single woman, i have a fine assortment of condoms in my War Chest (nightstand drawer). i've noticed that gentleman callers almost always go for the magnum.

unfortunately, it is rarely a necessary choice.

Interesting Will. Never heard or seen pics of such rubbers from WW2. I of course beleive you, but now Im curious. Links?

what, the rubber covers? they used WW II vintage rifles in Canada for militia training and those had standard issue rubber covers for field exercises. even had some for some WW I rifles (used mostly by people who liked Lee-Enfields) for the local gun clubs found in each city.

I presume if they existed for multiple models that the same would also exist in the US market. Condoms just work as a makeshift field repair - if you fire it you blow out the end part, and then cover it with a rubber or cram it down the barrel but not below the flash supressor slots.

Um, just for the sake of clarity, the Naval condom debate was from WWI not WWII. Roosevelt was undersecretary of the Navy during that war. He was obviously president during WWII.

Excellent research on this urban legend (note, urban legends do not have to be false; this is a UL because there are so many variants of the story.) Fascinating how it changes. Good luck finding actual confirmation from a reliable source on such a delicate topic!

so this story raises a question: just when did condom manufacturers actually start producing different size condoms?

I was never much of condom user prior to AIDS, but my recollection of those days was that variety was incredibly limited (Trojan or Trojan?) and that it was only after the AIDS inspired explosion in condom usage that different colors, flavors, sizes, etc. became common.

Or was I just oblivious?

One of my favorite anecdotes about World War II...

And that's exactly where I stopped reading.

and yet, you still had to post. poor boomer.

totally cracking up at kerri back @ 8...a couple of sex worker pals were lamenting this same issue over drinks one evening. One said something about how all her tricks insisted they needed magnums when snugger fit would've been perfectly adequate.

The other pulled out a regular old Lifestyle, opened it and fit it over her hand and most of her forearm. She said she did this one night w/a guy who said he couldn't use condoms cause they were too tight...she told him unless you're bigger than this there's no problem. Poor guy couldn't get it up after that.

If you send this to snopes.com, they wuill investigate it.