History Channel: Tales of the Gun - AK-47 G

The Avtomat Kalashnikova, 1947...otherwise known as the AK-47, was developed by the Soviets in secrecy at the dawn of the Cold War. Its menacing silhouette, featuring a curved magazine, has gained worldwide recognition...and respect. From Southeast Asia to the Middle East and Central America, the Ak47 came to symbolize armed struggle and national liberation... or insurrection and political violence. In a rare television interview Mikhail Kalashnikov, the inventor of the AK-47, discusses how he designed the gun and what it was like to work within the secret world of the Soviet military during the Cold War. Simple to use and deadly efficient, the AK-47 is one of the most influential guns of the 20th century.