M1 carbine: World's only red/white rifle?

UCSPanther

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From my research, apparently I learned the m1 carbine was not just used by US allies, but also by Communist forces like the Viet Cong and NVA armies, Castro and his minions and other letist factions in South America. Because many of those groups considered that little rifle a standard armament in their arsenals, I am sort of tempted to label the M1 a red/white rifle for its extensive use by both communist and non-communist forces.

IMO, the M1 is a neat little rifle with a rather interesting service history...
 
Interesting rifle history indeed but I doubt it is the only rifle used as such.

Various Mauser types come to mind.
 
Irregulars generally use whatever they can get their hands on. During the civil war in El Salvador in the 1980s, the Communist FMLN used many M16s that were originally captured in the Vietnam war.
 
I also understand they were quite popular with radical leftist groups in the 'States in the '60s and '70s, back when they were on the civilian surplus market.
 
I'm currently reading a book about guerilla warfare in Malaya against the Japanese during WWII. In it there is a picture of the pro-communist "Malayan Peoples Anti-Japanese Army" on the march and many of them are carrying M1 carbines. After the Japanese defeat they then used these very same carbines against the British in an attempt to install a communist regime in post-war malaya.
 
It was used by the Viet Cong because the Yanks dropped off weapons to them during the second world war, or perhaps the French had them.
 
the americans supplied I have heard as many as 2 million m1/m2 carbines to the south vietamese governmnt durning the war most of which would have fallen into the norths hands after the war
 
NateC said:
It was used by the Viet Cong because the Yanks dropped off weapons to them during the second world war, or perhaps the French had them.
Click to expand...

you're 100% right- the french were sold a bunch of carbines( esp the paras) as well as m24 chaffees, and a lot of other so-called "light" ordinance- shermans, m3 halfs, etc- and some aircraft over runs like the f8f bearcat,anyway, when they felt that they HAD to re-exert their influence over vn,( it was a break away COLONY AT THE TIME) , this ordinance was shipped into either hanoi or siagon and subsequently fell into communist hands- then like you said, the us supplied a bunch to marvin, as well as "droppages"- one of the more intresting "variations " to come out was the "enforcer" m2 pistol- no buttstock, cut off just aft of the pistor grip, usually wrapped in grip tape, and shortened barrel- usually by a grunt with very little to do and won in a poker game with the arvn- but it was reliable , and the m16 wasn't at the time
 
There were close to 7 million made and they will be around for a long time to come. Last winter in Mexico I looked at a couple without rear sights that were issued to state security guards at the Tula ruins.
 
My M1 Carbine was sent to China as US aid to the Nationalist Army of Chang Kai Shek.

When him and his people split for Taiwan, it was taken over by the PRC militia, who used M1 carbines and whatever else was left over from the war until they were replaced by SKS carbines.

It's a first pattern Quality Hardware with a 3/43 Bbl, and let's just say it's been well used.
 
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