Mikhail Kalashnikov Passes Away.

[Scolar Visari]

"The inventor of the iconic AK-47 assault rifle, Mikhail Kalashnikov, has died at the age of 94. His ingenuity earned him widespread admiration, but his legacy became more controversial when his weapons were used in some of the world's bloodiest conflicts".

"Kalashnikov, who had been suffering from heart and intestinal problems in recent years, had been in intensive care in Izhevsk - where the plant that produces the eponymous rifles is located - since November 17. The official cause of death will be revealed following a mandatory autopsy."

" A public funeral will be organized by the regional administration, in consultation with surviving relatives, though no date has been named so far."

" He was forever asked if he regretted engineering the weapon that probably killed more than any other in the last fifty years. "I invented it for the protection of the Motherland. I have no regrets and bear no responsibility for how politicians have used it," he told them. "I would prefer to have invented a machine that people could use and that would help farmers with their work - for example a lawnmower."

A true hero of the Soviet Union and brilliant inventor has passed away today.

I'm interested in how others view the man and his legacy.

 

[Shock and Awe]

This....wow.

I'm actually quite saddened by this. The man was a damned icon, and a brilliant designer. I went and grabbed my AK when I saw this. Mother Russia has lost one of her finest sons and a true angel of death.

 

[Johnny Novgorod]

I'm interested in how others view the man and his legacy.

He made death easier. I'm not exactly bereaved.

 

[AWAR]

Well he did this to defend his country, no one would've thought his particular design would be so popular in the future.

 

[Collin Stewart]

It must have been terrible for him, when he made a rifle for the sole purpose of defeating the invaders of his country only to see it sold en mass to feuding tribal warlords who would use his glorious invention to massacre each other. When he had specifically stated on several occasions that he wanted the AK to be used by Russians and no one else.

 

[Zhukov]

Huh. Didn't realise he was still alive. Well, y'know, up until now.

As for his legacy... eh, not much to say. You can't really blame him for what was done with his invention. Might as well blame whichever long forgotten Chinese dude invented black powder, or perhaps the guy who looked at said powder and thought, "Hm, you could totally fill a tube with that stuff and point it at someone."

 

[Barbas]

Damn. Good design is good design. He couldn't have foreseen what sort of people would be getting a hold of that rifle in the years to follow and he should not bear the responsibility for decisions the government took in their distribution. I hope he isn't lazily used as a target (assuming he isn't already). Might as well vilify Alfred Nobel for inventing dynamite.

 

[bartholen_v1legacy]

He created a weapon that has become a worldwide icon and recognized almost anywhere in the world. That's something I guess. And to create something so simple and effective that it's still being used is a sign of good engineering, if nothing else. But it also means he created a weapon that made waging a war so much easier when you could train even a child to use and maintain it.

 

[Muspelheim]

If I had one, I think I would light a little candle next to it. I'm a sentimental sod, but still. It's one of the iconic devices of the latter 20'th century.

You can't really accuse him for being a merchant for death, either. He simply built a bloody good gun for its time and place, like he intended to. His weapon certainly didn't make him rich.

Damn. Good design is good design. He couldn't have foreseen what sort of people would be getting a hold of that rifle in the years to follow and he should not bear the responsibility for decisions the government took in their distribution. I hope he isn't lazily used as a target (assuming he isn't already). Might as well vilify Alfred Nobel for inventing dynamite.

They did do that. I'm not entirely sure it's true, but there is a story that Nobel was inspired to create the Nobel Awards after reading in a newspaper that had mistaken the death of someone with a similar name for him, and printed a mocking obituary where he was called the Merchant of Death, for all the terrible injuries his invention had done. He was supposedly so horrified with his potential legacy to the world that he decided to work towards peace on earth. It sounds a bit too fanciful to be true, but it's a good story.

 

[skywolfblue]

He's a hero of engineering, the AK is an icon of "cheap and dependable" engineering.

I do not think he is to blame for others misusing it and selling it to terrorists.

 

[Mr. Omega]

A loss of human life is tragic. He was a skilled engineer. He couldn't have possibly guessed that out of the dozens of guns that had been developed before and since it's creation, the AK-47 would become the weapon of choice for terrorists, child soldiers and violent nutjobs. Life can be funny that way. I wish he could have made something a little more productive in his lifetime, but so does he. I just wish more inventors and engineers were given this level of respect when they pass.

 

[MasterOfHisOwnDomain]

[...] there is a story that Nobel was inspired to create the Nobel Awards after reading in a newspaper that had mistaken the death of someone with a similar name for him, and printed a mocking obituary where he was called the Merchant of Death, for all the terrible injuries his invention had done. He was supposedly so horrified with his potential legacy to the world that he decided to work towards peace on earth.

I wish they would make more fake obituaries, would be a great way to jolt some people into changing their ways.

 

[Hero of Lime]

I shot his gun many a time in games, it helped me kill lots of things. Makes me a little sad. (sniff)

It's actually pretty amazing how that model is still used considering how much weapons technology has advanced. Pretty great engineering feat even if it wasn't the most pleasant invention.

 

[Tactical Pause]

Regardless of how people may feel about the actual device that this man invented, it cannot be denied that it was an impressive achievement. He created something ingenious, something functional, dependable, and cheap to construct, which was so solidly designed that it is still used to this day. For that, he has my respect.

 

[Queen Michael]

I cannot help but wish that he'd died from being shot by a Kalashnikov rifle. It's not that I dislike him or anything. It just would have been interesting to see the ensuing debate about whether his death could be classified as ironic.

 

[an annoyed writer]

It is sad to see the guy go. His design was revolutionary in the world of firearms design, that much is a given. It's unfortunate to see his gift being used by so many for a purpose that was not intended by him, but I'd rather remember him as he would have liked to have been: as a man who invented something to help his friends and family survive a brutal war, and as a very good engineer. Perhaps he might not be the most righteous of men, but he was an interesting, and very intelligent one.

 

[Redlin5_v1legacy]

While the man may have never intended it, his greatest legacy is children killing children with his weapon. The history is fascinating but the brutal truth is that the design (and its variations/imitations) will continue to the instrument of atrocity for decades to come.

 

[Worgen]

I'm interested in how others view the man and his legacy.

He made death easier. I'm not exactly bereaved.

Ehhh, not really, his wasn't the first assault rifle. The soviets just used his design as a form of currency, so now they are all over.

 

[Atmos Duality]

He's a hero of engineering, the AK is an icon of "cheap and dependable" engineering.

I do not think he is to blame for others misusing it and selling it to terrorists.

However elegant, novel and efficient his craft, they were weapons were made to kill, regardless of who held them.
Even so, I have respect for his ingenuity and practical thinking.

Rest in peace, Mikhail.

 

[sextus the crazy]

I'm interested in how others view the man and his legacy.

He made death easier. I'm not exactly bereaved.

Yeah, he's not exactly a hero. He's a guy who made a really famous gun. So, yeah. Worth noting, I guess. He's certainly contributed to my field of study.