Shotguns in War

Of Arms & the Law linked this PDF article that considers the legality of the use of shotguns in the military and looks at the historical perspectives.

There is a long history of the use of shotguns in combat. But in the closing days of World War I, Germany objected to the U.S. use of shotguns, claiming their use violated the law of war. Although the German claim was promptly rejected by the United States, questions about the legality of shotguns persisted. This article1 sets forth the history of the combat use of shotguns, the 1918 German protest and U.S. response, and an analysis of the issue in contemporary terms. The memorandum of law upon which this article is based was coordinated with the other services, Army and DOD General Counsel, and the Department of State, and it reaffirms the legality of the shotgun for combat use.

Interesting to read the perspectives on how the US dealt with Germany on this issue. The discussion looks at the Hague conventions related to the use of shotguns and the actual discussion between Germany and the US.

The reason for the article? The US military is looking to upgrade to a new shotgun.