Arming the World tells the story of the American small arms industry from the early 1800's through the post-Civil War era. From the first days of the republic, the federal government determined that the United States should produce arms in a new, and radically different, way. Rejecting the time-worn artisanal methods followed in European countries, America established government-owned weapons factories where arms would be mass-produced using water-powered machinery. Spreading to the private sector this "armory practice" led to ground-breaking advances in machine tools, fundamental changes in labor relations and, crucially, the ability to mass-produce guns with interchangeable parts. Soon, American gun-makers were experimenting with new types of small arms, including revolvers, breech-loading guns, repeating rifles, and even the first machine guns. Almost from the beginning, American arms-makers looked for opportunities overseas. By the 1850's they had found success selling guns and gun-making machinery to Britain, Russia, and other countries. The federal government's staggering purchases of arms during the Civil War fueled the industry's explosive growth and, simultaneously, stimulated the development of fast-firing breech-loading rifles and metal-cased ammunition. When, in 1865, it became evident that every country in the world had no choice but to re-arm itself with these modern weapons, the American advantage was overwhelming. Salesmen from Remington, Winchester, Colt, and Smith & Wesson--and from lesser-known firms, too-- traveled the world marketing their guns, dominating--or, perhaps, even inventing-- the international arms business. American gun-makers sold rifles and side-arms by the millions and cartridges by the billions to great powers, restive colonies, and fading empires alike. At a time when the uneasy European balance of power was shifting, this outpouring of Yankee ingenuity and ambition had repercussions that reverberate even today.
Geoffrey S. Stewart is a retired Washington and New York lawyer. He received A.B. and A.M. degrees from Brown University and his legal training at Harvard Law School. In addition to his years of private practice, Mr. Stewart served as Deputy Assistant Attorney General for the Department of Justice's Office of Legal Policy and, later, was Associate Counsel in the Iran/Contra investigation and prosecutions. Mr. Stewart was a partner of the firm Hale and Dorr from 1986 to 1999 and then of the firm Jones Day until 2018.
