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Culture of Iraq

The culture of Iraq (Arabic: ثقافة العراق) or the culture of Mesopotamia is one of the world's oldest cultural histories and is considered one of the most influential cultures in the world. The region between the Tigris and Euphrates rivers, historically known as Mesopotamia, is often referred to as the cradle of civilisation. Mesopotamian legacy went on to influence and shape the civilizations of the Old World in different ways such as inventing writing, mathematics, law, astrology and many more fields. Iraq is home to diverse ethnic groups who have contributed to the wide spectrum of the Iraqi Culture. The country is known for its poets، architects، painters and sculptors who are among the best in the region, some of them being world-class. The country has one of the longest written traditions in the world including architecture, literature, music, dance, painting, weaving, pottery, calligraphy, stonemasonry and metalworking.

Additionally, Iraq embraces and celebrates the achievements of its past in pre-Islamic times as well as in Islamic times during Islamic Golden Age when Baghdad was the capital of the Abbasid Caliphate.

Art
Iraq's art has a deep heritage that extends back in time to ancient times and refers to all works of visual art originating from the geographical region since ancient Mesopotamian periods. Mesopotamian art include favourite subjects such as deities, either alone or with worshippers, and animals in several types of scenes: repeated in rows, single, fighting each other or a human, confronted animals by themselves or flanking a human or god in the Master of Animals motif, or a Tree of Life.

During the Abbasid Caliphate, which ruled from the heartland of Mesopotamia, pottery achieved a high level of sophistication, calligraphy began to be used to decorate the surface of decorative objects and illuminated manuscripts, particularly Q'ranic texts became more complex and stylised. Iraq's first art school was established during this period, allowing artisans and crafts to flourish. Famous Abbasid artist include Yahya Al-Wasiti who lived in Baghdad in the late Abbasid era (12th to 13th-centuries) and was the pre-eminent artist of the Baghdad school. His most well-known works include the illustrations for the book of the Maqamat (Assemblies) in 1237, a series of anecdotes of social satire written by al-Hariri. Al-Waiti's illustrations served as an inspiration for the 20th-century modern Baghdad art movement.

Languages
The main languages spoken in Iraq are Mesopotamian Arabic and Kurdish, followed by the Iraqi Turkmen/Turkoman dialect of Turkish, and the Neo-Aramaic languages (specifically Chaldean and Assyrian). Arabic and Kurdish are written with versions of the Arabic script. Since 2005, the Turkmen/Turkoman have switched from the Arabic script to the Turkish alphabet.

In addition, the Neo-Aramaic languages use the Syriac script. Other smaller minority languages include Mandaic, English, Shabaki and Armenian.

According to the Constitution of Iraq (Article 4):

 * The Arabic language and the Kurdish language are the two official languages of Iraq. The right of Iraqis to educate their children in their mother tongue, such as Turkmen, Syriac, and Armenian shall be guaranteed in government educational institutions in accordance with educational guidelines, or in any other language in private educational institutions.

Ancient
Sumerian (𒅴𒂠 EME.G̃IR15 "native tongue") was the language of ancient Sumer and a language isolate that was spoken in Mesopotamia (Iraq). The Sumerian language is the earliest known written language. The "proto-literate" period of Sumerian writing spans c. 3300 to 3000 BC. In this period, records are purely logographic, with phonological content. The oldest document of the proto-literate period is the Kish tablet. Falkenstein (1936) lists 939 signs used in the proto-literate period (late Uruk, 34th to 31st centuries). During the 3rd millennium BC, an intimate cultural symbiosis developed between the Sumerians and the Semitic-speaking Akkadians, which included widespread bilingualism. The influence of Sumerian and the East Semitic language Akkadian on each other is evident in all areas, from lexical borrowing on a substantial scale to syntactic, morphological, and phonological convergence. This has prompted scholars to refer to Sumerian and Akkadian in the third millennium BC as a Sprachbund.

Pre-Islamic
Sumerian literature constitutes the earliest known corpus of recorded literature, including the religious writings and other traditional stories maintained by the Sumerian civilization and largely preserved by the later Akkadian and Babylonian empires. These records were written in the Sumerian language during the Middle Bronze Age.

The Sumerians invented one of the first writing systems, developing Sumerian cuneiform writing out of earlier proto-writing systems by about the 30th century BC. The Sumerian language remained in official and literary use in the Akkadian and Babylonian empires, even after the spoken language disappeared from the population; literacy was widespread, and the Sumerian texts that students copied heavily influenced later Babylonian literature.

Poetry
Poetry is the most dominant form of literature in Iraq and the country is known for having notable poets.

An ancient Mesopotamian poem gives the first known story of the invention of writing: Because the messenger's mouth was heavy and he couldn't repeat [the message], the Lord of Kulaba patted some clay and put words on it, like a tablet. Until then, there had been no putting words on clay.

— Sumerian epic poem Enmerkar and the Lord of Aratta. Circa 1800 BC

Gilgamesh (Sumerian: 𒀭𒄑𒉋𒂵𒈨𒌋𒌋𒌋, romanized: Gilgameš; originally Sumerian: 𒀭𒉋𒂵𒈩, romanized: Bilgamesh) was a major hero in ancient Mesopotamian mythology and the protagonist of the Epic of Gilgamesh.

The Epic of Gilgamesh (/ˈɡɪlɡəmɛʃ/) is an epic poem from ancient Mesopotamia, regarded as the earliest surviving notable literature. The literary history of Gilgamesh begins with five Sumerian poems about Bilgamesh (Sumerian for "Gilgamesh"), king of Uruk, dating from the Third Dynasty of Ur ( c.  2100 BCE). These independent stories were later used as source material for a combined epic in Akkadian. The first surviving version of this combined epic, known as the "Old Babylonian" version dates to the 18th century BCE and is titled after its incipit, Shūtur eli sharrī ("Surpassing All Other Kings"). Only a few tablets of it have survived. The later Standard Babylonian version compiled by Sîn-lēqi-unninni dates from the 13th to the 10th centuries BCE and bears the incipit Sha naqba īmuru ("He who Saw the Abyss", in modern terms: "He who Sees the Unknown"). Approximately two-thirds of this longer, twelve-tablet version have been recovered. Some of the best copies were discovered in the library ruins of the 7th-century BC Assyrian king Ashurbanipal.

Post-Islamic
During the Abbasid Caliphate, the well established tradition of poetry continued to be the most dominant form of literature. In addition, Abbasid literature was characterized by the emergence of many new genres and of a scholarly and sophisticated critical consciousness.

Baghdad evolved into a significant cultural, commercial, and intellectual center of the Muslim world. This, in addition to housing several key academic institutions, including the House of Wisdom, as well as hosting a multiethnic and multireligious environment, garnered the city a worldwide reputation as the "Centre of Learning".

Contemporary
Some of the most important figures of 20th century Iraqi literature include, Safa Khulusi Maruf Rusafi and Daisy Al-Amir, Jamil Zahawi, Jawahiri and Khazal al Majidi.

Architecture
The ancient architecture of Mesopotamia, encompassing several distinct cultures and spanning a period from the 10th millennium BC, when the first permanent structures were built in the 6th century BC. Among the Mesopotamian architectural accomplishments are the development of urban planning, the courtyard house, and ziggurats. No architectural profession existed in Mesopotamia; however, scribes drafted and managed construction for the government, nobility, or royalty. The local architecture of Iraq was often based on vernacular architecture inherited from one generation to the next. Since the Iraqi society is composed of multicultural social groups with different architectural heritage, therefore, old Iraqi cities have several types architecture and urban forms.

Iraq is known for having world-class architects, such as Zaha Hadid, Rifat Chadirji and Hisham N. Ashkouri among others.

Cinema
While Iraq's first film projection took place in 1909, cinema was not truly regarded as a cultural activity or pastime until the 1920s. The first cinemas, like the famous al-Zawra cinema on Baghdad's bustling thoroughfare al-Rashid, played mostly American silent films for British citizens. In the 1940s under the rule of King Faisal II of Iraq, a real Iraqi cinema began. Supported by British and French financiers, movie production companies established themselves in Baghdad. The Baghdad Studio was established in 1948, but soon came apart when tensions between the Arab and Jewish founders flared up. For the most part, the product was purely commercial, fluffy romances with plenty of singing and dancing often set in small villages. The World of Arts (Dunyat Alfann) studio, which was founded by actors, reached for more serious fare. In 1955, they produced Haidar Al-Omar's Fitna wa Hassan, an Iraqi retelling of Romeo and Juliet, that received international attention. But for the most part, the strong-fist rule of the state discouraged any socially relevant films. In 1959 when King Faisel II's government was overthrown, the Cinema and Theater General organization came into existence with the purpose of promoting the political goals of the new regime both in documentaries and features. Typical were documentaries like the 1969 Al Maghishi Project, which showcased the government's irrigation campaigns and the 1967 A Wedding in Heaven, which celebrates the air force and their weapons system. The 1968 revolution that put the Ba'ath party in power further solidified the government's control of film material, and the state's need to make all films validate its power.

Saddam Hussein's ascension to power in 1979 pushed the Iraqi cinema in a slightly different direction. The drain on national resources from the 1980 Iraq-Iran war brought film production to a near halt. The few films put into production were mainly intent on glorifying a mythic Iraqi history or celebrating Hussein's rule. In 1981, the government commissioned Egyptian filmmaker Salah Abouseif to make Al-Qadisiya, a period epic recounting the triumph of the Arabs over the Persians in 636 AD. Likewise Mohamed Shukri Jameel's melodramatic The Great Question (al-Mas' Ala Al-Kubra) cast British actor Oliver Reed as the vicious Lt-Col Gerard Leachman who is righteously killed in the 1920 Iraqi revolution. In 1980 Hussein promoted his own mythology with the autobiographical 6-hour epic The Long Days (al-Ayyam al-tawila), the saga of Hussein's participation in the 1958 failed assassination attempt on Prime Minister Abd al-Karim Qasim, and his subsequent heroic escape back to Tikrit. The film was edited and partially directed by Terence Young, the British director who made his name helming the early James Bond films Dr. No and Thunderball (film). Hussein is played by Saddam Kamel, a cousin and son-in-law of Hussein's, who eventually ran afoul of the dictator and was murdered in 1996. After Iraq invaded Kuwait, sanctions against Iraq made filmmaking an impossibility in the country, although a new generation of filmmakers is coming alive in Baghdad.

Music
Iraq is known primarily for its rich maqam heritage which has been passed down orally by the masters of the maqam in an unbroken chain of transmission,

leading up to the present. The maqam al-Iraqi is considered to be the most noble and perfect form of maqam. Al-maqam al-Iraqi is the collection of sung,

poems written either in one of the sixteen meters of classical Arabic or in Iraqi dialect (Zuhayri).

This Form of art is recognised by UNESCO as "an intangible heritage of humanity".

Sport
Football is the most well known sport in Iraq. The Iraq national football team were the 2007 AFC Asian Cup Champions after defeating Saudi Arabia in the final, held in Jakarta, Indonesia. In 2006, Iraq reached the football final of the 2006 Asian Games in Doha, Qatar, after defeating former FIFA World Cup semi-finalists South Korea and eventually finished as runners-up, winning silver. The football tournament at the 2004 Summer Olympics in Athens, Greece, saw Iraq finish in fourth place, with the Italy national football team claiming bronze from a single goal.

The Iraqi Football Association (الاتحاد العراقي لكرة القدم) is the governing body of football in Iraq, controlling the Iraq national football team and the Iraq Super League (also known as Dawri Al-Nokba). It was founded in 1948, and has been a member of FIFA since 1950, and the Asian Football Confederation since 1971.

It was founded in 1948, and has been a member of FIFA since 1950, and the Asian Football Confederation since 1971. Big clubs in Iraq include Al-Shorta, Al-Quwa Al-Jawiya, Al-Zawraa, Erbil SC, Duhok SC, Al Talaba and Najaf FC. Basketball, swimming, weightlifting, bodybuilding, boxing, kickboxing, and tennis are also popular sports.

Cuisine
Iraqi cuisine or Mesopotamian cuisine has a long history going back some 10,000 years – to the Sumerians, Babylonians, Assyrians,

and Ancient Persians. Tablets found in ancient ruins in Iraq show recipes prepared in the temples during religious festivals - the first cookbooks in the world. Ancient Iraq, or Mesopotamia was home to a sophisticated and highly advanced civilization, in all fields of knowledge - including the culinary arts.

However, it was in the Islamic Golden Age when Baghdad was the capital of the Abbasid Caliphate that the Iraqi kitchen reached its zenith. Today, the cuisine of Iraq reflects this rich inheritance, as well as strong influences from the culinary traditions of neighbouring Persia, Turkey, and the Syria region. Some popular dishes include Kebab (often marinated with garlic, lemon, and spices, then grilled), Gauss (grilled meat sandwich wrap, similar to Döner kebab), Bamieh (lamb, okra, and tomato stew), Quzi (lamb with rice, almonds, raisins, and spices), and salad in pita, Kubbah (minced meat ground with bulghur wheat, or rice and spices), Masgûf (grilled fish with pepper and tamarind), and Maqluba (a rice, lamb, tomato, and aubergine dish). Stuffed vegetable dishes such as Dolma and Mahshi are also popular. Machbous is also a popular dish in the south and south east of Iraq.

Contemporary Iraq reflects the same natural division as ancient Mesopotamia, which consisted of Assyria in the arid northern uplands and Babylonia in the southern alluvial plain. Al-Jazira (the ancient Assyria) grows wheat and crops requiring winter chill such as apples and stone fruits. Al-Irāq (Iraq proper, the ancient Babylonia) grows rice and barley, citrus fruits, and is responsible for Iraq's position as the world's largest producer of dates.

Kitab al-tabikh is the oldest surviving Arabic cookbook, written by al-Warraq in the 10th century. It is compiled from the recipes of the 8th and 9th century courts of the Abbasid Caliphate in Baghdad. Some scholars speculate that al-Warraq may have prepared the manuscript on behalf of a patron, the Hamdanid prince Sayf al-Dawla, who sought to improve the cultural prestige of his own court in Aleppo as the court in Baghdad had started to decline.

Cultural heritage
Iraq is a country of a wide and varied heritage, home to religious groups such as Muslims, Christians, Jews, Mandaaeans, Yazidis, and ethnic groups such as Arabs, Kurds and Turkmen who have contributed to the wide spectrum of Iraqi Culture. Many markets reflect local culture and economy such as the famous Al-Safafeer market in Baghdad which is one of the oldest markets in the city established during the Abbasid Caliphate and remains famous for various copper collectables and exhibits.

Tea houses are scattered throughout Iraq, and in the afternoon, it is a habit for shopkeepers to retreat into the back with close friends to sip tea over gossip, an Iraqi "siesta".

Cultural institutions
Some important cultural institutions in the capital include the Iraqi National Orchestra (rehearsals and performances were briefly interrupted during the Occupation of Iraq, but have since returned to normal) and the National Theatre of Iraq (the theatre was looted during the 2003 Invasion of Iraq, but efforts are underway to restore the theatre). The live theatre scene received a boost during the 1990s, when UN sanctions limited the import of foreign films. As many as 30 movie theatres were reported to have been converted to live stages, producing a wide range of comedies and dramatic productions.

Institutions offering cultural education in Baghdad include the Academy of Music, Institute of Fine Arts, and the Music and Ballet school Baghdad. Baghdad also features a number of museums including the National Museum of Iraq - which houses the world's largest and finest collection of artifacts and relics of Ancient Iraq civilizations; some of which were stolen during the Iraq War.

Festivals
Some cultural events are celebrating the Iraqi culture over time. The Iraq's Babylon International Festival is promoting arts including dance and music, hosting thousands of Iraqi visitors. It experienced a break of 19 years, since the American invasion, but was organized again since 2021. The international event founded in 1987, gathers artists coming from all around the world. In 2022 the city of Mosul hosted the festival of traditional music, supported by UNESCO. Organizers of the event expressed their will to perpetuate this festival in the future and to organize an edition each year.

title: Culture of Iraq


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John Norman

John Frederick Lange Jr. (born June 3, 1931) is an American writer who, as John Norman, has authored the Gor series of science fantasy novels. Norman is also a philosophy professor.

Early life and education
Lange was born in Chicago, Illinois, to John Frederick Lange and Almyra D. Lange (née Taylor).

He began his academic career in the early 1950s, earning a Bachelor of Arts degree from the University of Nebraska in 1953, and his Master of Arts degree from the University of Southern California in 1957.

Personal life
Lange married Bernice L. Green on January 14, 1956 while he was still a student at USC. The couple have three children: John, David, and Jennifer.

Academic career
Lange earned his PhD in 1963 from Princeton University. His dissertation was named: "In defence of ethical naturalism: an examination of certain aspects of naturalistic fallacy, with particular attention to the logic of an open question argument". Lange summed it up in an interview by saying "if one cannot make sense of morality within some sort of satisfying, natural context, then one is likely to end up with no morality, which is less than societally reassuring, or is likely to end up with a competitive plethora of moralities in which ninety-nine percent of the world's population is convinced that the other ninety-nine percent is unclean, stupid, uninformed, vicious, depraved, in need of coercive correction, and such. That too, seems less than reassuring."

He was a professor at Queens College of the City University of New York before retirement.

Writing career
Norman's fiction attained popularity in the 1970s and early 1980s with an estimated 6 to 12 million copies sold.

John Norman's Gorean Saga is a long-running series of adventure science fantasy novels, starting in December 1966 with Tarnsman of Gor. The series was put on hold after its twenty-fifth installment, Magicians of Gor, in 1988, when DAW refused to publish its successor, Witness of Gor. After several unsuccessful attempts to find a trade publishing outlet, the series was brought back into print in 2001 with the publication of Witness of Gor. Norman has also produced a separate science fiction series, the Telnarian Histories, plus three other fiction works, five non-fiction works, and a collection of thirty short stories.

Norman has said that the three major influences on his work are Homer, Freud, and Nietzsche.

Themes
According to Norman, his Gor books are science fiction or adventure fantasy works which are also "intellectual, philosophical, and psychological novels". His fiction depicts fantastic worlds where male-dominated bondage relationships are natural and widely practiced and respected culturally, whereas characteristics of modern society are criticized and philosophical themes are explored, especially from a Nietzschean view.

Although the bondage in his Imaginative Sex guide is directed to sexual practices, the bondage and slavery presented on "Gor" follows along the lines of societal or legal slavery; a common way of life as reflected in ancient Rome and other societies. While the philosophy presented is unquestionably that of male dominance, male characters are themselves occasionally enslaved by powerful females. In an interview with Polygraff magazine, Norman stated that he believes that it is obvious that all societies are based on dominance and hierarchy.

Despite his books being associated with BDSM, Norman is openly critical of the community. In a 2011 interview with Gizmodo, he stated, "I dissociate myself from BDSM, at least as I understand it. I may, of course, misunderstand it. I wonder if one would settle merely for 'real-life Gorean slavery', because, as I understand it, BDSM is not Gorean. If something is not beautiful, it is not Gorean."

His non-fiction works cover philosophy, ethics and historiography.

Gorean subculture
A fandom based on his Gor novels, known as the Gorean subculture, has developed without Lange's direct involvement. Scholars have discussed the way that Gorean subculture groups on media such as IMVU, Second Life, and Internet Relay Chat have influenced the development of online role-playing and even the MMORPG genre.

Gor series

 * 1) Tarnsman of Gor (1966) ISBN 0-345-27583-7
 * 2) Outlaw of Gor (1967) ISBN 0-345-27136-X
 * 3) Priest-Kings of Gor (1968) ISBN 0-7592-0036-X
 * 4) Nomads of Gor (1969) ISBN 0-7592-5445-1
 * 5) Assassin of Gor (1970) ISBN 0-7592-0091-2
 * 6) Raiders of Gor (1971) ISBN 0-7592-0153-6
 * 7) Captive of Gor (1972) ISBN 0-7592-0105-6
 * 8) Hunters of Gor (1974) ISBN 0-7592-0130-7
 * 9) Marauders of Gor (1975) ISBN 0-7592-0141-2
 * 10) Tribesmen of Gor (1976) ISBN 0-7592-5446-X
 * 11) Slave Girl of Gor (1977) ISBN 0-7592-0454-3
 * 12) Beasts of Gor (1978) ISBN 0-7592-1125-6
 * 13) Explorers of Gor (1979) ISBN 0-7592-1167-1
 * 14) Fighting Slave of Gor (1980) ISBN 0-7592-1173-6
 * 15) Rogue of Gor (1981) ISBN 0-7592-1179-5
 * 16) Guardsman of Gor (1981) ISBN 0-7592-1368-2
 * 17) Savages of Gor (1982) ISBN 0-7592-1374-7
 * 18) Blood Brothers of Gor (1982) ISBN 0-7592-1380-1
 * 19) Kajira of Gor (1983) ISBN 0-7592-1926-5
 * 20) Players of Gor (1984) ISBN 0-7592-1932-X
 * 21) Mercenaries of Gor (1985) ISBN 0-7592-1944-3
 * 22) Dancer of Gor (1985) ISBN 0-7592-1950-8
 * 23) Renegades of Gor (1986) ISBN 0-7592-1956-7
 * 24) Vagabonds of Gor (1987) ISBN 0-7592-1980-X
 * 25) Magicians of Gor (1988) ISBN 0-7592-1986-9
 * 26) Witness of Gor (2001) ISBN 0-7592-4235-6
 * 27) Prize of Gor (2008) ISBN 0-7592-4580-0
 * 28) Kur of Gor (2009) ISBN 0-7592-9782-7
 * 29) Swordsmen of Gor (2010) ISBN 1-6175-6040-5
 * 30) Mariners of Gor (2011) ISBN 0-7592-9989-7
 * 31) Conspirators of Gor (2012) ISBN 1-6175-6731-0
 * 32) Smugglers of Gor (Oct. 2012) ISBN 1-6175-6865-1
 * 33) Rebels of Gor (Oct. 2013) ISBN 1-6175-6123-1
 * 34) Plunder of Gor (August 2016) ISBN 1-5040-3406-6
 * 35) Quarry of Gor (June 2019) ISBN 1-5040-5832-1
 * 36) Avengers of Gor (May 25, 2021), Open Road Distribution, ISBN 1-5040-6714-2
 * 37) Warriors of Gor (Aug 30, 2022), Open Road Distribution, ISBN 1-5040-7672-9
 * 38) Treasure of Gor (April 23, 2024), Open Road Distribution, ISBN 1-5040-8949-9

Telnarian Histories series

 * 1) The Chieftain (1991) ISBN 1-58586-717-9
 * 2) The Captain (1992) ISBN 1-58586-721-7
 * 3) The King (1993) ISBN 1-58586-725-X
 * 4) The Usurper (2015) ISBN 978-1497679269
 * 5) The Emperor (May 2019) ISBN 1-5040-5816-X

Other novels

 * Ghost Dance (1970) ISBN 0-7592-9774-6
 * Time Slave (1975) ISBN 0-7592-9778-9
 * The Totems of Abydos (2012) ISBN 978-1-6175-6476-5

Short-story collections

 * Norman Invasions (2009) ISBN 0-7592-9577-8

Nonfiction

 * Values and Imperatives: Studies in Ethics. (1969) [as John Lange, ed.; written by C. I. Lewis] ISBN 0-8047-0687-5
 * The Cognitivity Paradox: An Inquiry Concerning the Claims of Philosophy (1970) [as John Lange] ISBN 0-691-07159-4
 * Imaginative Sex (1974) ISBN 0-7592-1728-9
 *  The Philosophy of Historiography (2010) [as John Lange] ISBN 1-61756-130-4
 *  Philosophy and the Challenge of the Future  (2012) [as John Lange] ISBN 1-61756-733-7

license: Creative Commons - Attribution Share-Alike - https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/

title: John Norman


text:
York County, New Brunswick

York County (2016 population 99,411 ) is located in west-central New Brunswick, Canada. The county contains the provincial capital, Fredericton. Outside the city, farming and forestry are two major industries in the county, which is bisected by the Saint John River. The Southwest Miramichi River flows through the northern section of the county.

History
York County was established in 1785, named after the second son of King George III, Prince Frederick-Augustus (1763-1827), who was made Duke of York in 1784. By 1831, the top half was highly populated, due to the rich soil in the region, so it was split off to become Carleton County.

Communities
There are eleven municipalities within York County (listed by 2016 population):

First Nations
There are two First Nations reserves in York County (listed by 2016 population):

Parishes
The county is subdivided into fourteen parishes (listed by 2016 population):

Demographics
As a census division in the 2021 Census of Population conducted by Statistics Canada, York County had a population of $105,261$ living in $45,259$ of its $48,294$ total private dwellings, a change of NaN% from its 2016 population of $99,453$. With a land area of 8095.1 km2, it had a population density of in 2021.

Population trend

Mother tongue (2016)

title: York County, New Brunswick


text:
Eagle (automobile)

Eagle was a brand of the Chrysler Corporation following the purchase of American Motors Corporation (AMC) in 1987 and marketed through the end of the 1998 model year. It was aimed at the enthusiast driver and promoted as more "European" than the automaker's similar models.

Chrysler took the "Eagle" name from the four-wheel drive AMC Eagle models that were introduced for the 1980 model year. This was the last of American Motors' wholly U.S.-designed vehicles and one of the first modern mass-production crossover vehicles. The Eagle name also appeared on several Jeep trim packages and unique models that included the J-10 pickup trucks, the wide-track Cherokee SJ, as well as the CJ-5 and CJ-7 models starting in 1976. American Motors also launched an entirely new front-wheel-drive sedan, the Eagle Premier that was developed with Renault, AMC's French partner before Chrysler purchased AMC.

Various imported and domestic-built vehicles were marketed, primarily by former AMC dealers along with Jeep products, until the brand was discontinued in 1998. The 1993 through 1997 Eagle Vision sedan sold in respectable numbers, with 115,699 built, while the sporty Eagle Talons were made in two generations from 1990 until 1998, with more than 200,000 produced. Most significantly, the Eagle Premier was the basis for Chrysler's successful series of "LH" models that were introduced for 1993.

Origin
Following the introduction of General Motors' Saturn brand automobile, Chrysler promised a similar new brand designed to take Saturn on with innovative design and building methods. In a press release by then Chrysler Chairman Lee Iacocca, it was indicated that Chrysler was working on a car that would be known as the "Liberty" which aimed to achieve significant cost savings. However, these plans never reached fruition. Popular Mechanics reported that Chrysler's Liberty project attempts at using the K-car platform would be replaced by the AMC-developed Premier. The Liberty name was applied for a Jeep model starting with the 2002 model year.

The main objective of Chrysler acquiring American Motors was the long-established Jeep vehicles, but Renault forced the company to take on the contractual obligations of the passenger car models as part of the deal. Another major factor was that, due to state franchise laws, Chrysler could not start selling Jeeps through their existing dealer networks, nor could ex-AMC dealers begin to sell other Chrysler products. Thus, the Eagle marque was born.

Under new ownership, Chrysler quickly discontinued the domestic-built front-wheel drive Alliance and Encore that were developed under Renault (plans by AMC to import the Renault Espace minivan and the Alpine GTA halo car were also scrapped), but continued to build the four-wheel drive AMC Eagle crossover. It was now called Eagle Wagon and marketed into the 1988 model year until production ended in December. This meant the Brampton Assembly (AMC) manufacturing capacity could be used for making more Jeeps. Moreover, Chrysler kept AMC's long-established Eagle brand by continuing to import the mid-sized Renault 21 (now named Eagle Medallion) as well as starting production of the Renault 25-based full-size sedan that was developed by AMC (now named Eagle Premier).

Marketing
To consolidate the marketing and maintain distribution through AMC dealerships following the 1987 acquisition, the Jeep/Eagle division of Chrysler Corporation was formed. Chrysler's initial problem was that unlike the Big Three, which had multiple brands under their corporate name, American Motors had sold passenger cars under its corporate initials of "AMC" since 1970. Thus, without having a separate brand from the now-defunct company, Chrysler looked to re-brand the legacy vehicles inherited through the purchase of AMC under the Eagle name instead of trying to fold those outside-designed products into Chrysler's existing distribution structure. A limiting factor is that almost all states "have dealership-friendly franchise regulations" that do not allow manufacturers flexibility because the laws provide dealerships territorial exclusivity including protection from new competition, as well as limit dealership franchise termination to the point that even "gross inefficiency and poor financial condition are not legitimate grounds for termination."

Two of Eagle's first models, the Eagle Premier and the Eagle Medallion, were designed by AMC in cooperation with its former corporate partner (and 46.4 percent owner), Renault. The remainder of the brand's cars were rebadged versions of cars sold by other Chrysler Corporation divisions, as well as some captive imports produced by Mitsubishi Motors. At one point, an Eagle variant of Chrysler's popular AS platform minivan was in the planning stages, but this variant never made it to market.

Unlike Chrysler, Dodge, and Plymouth branded automobiles, the Eagle models lacked the Chrysler Corporation "pentastar" logo. Instead, all models prominently featured the Eagle head logo.

Throughout its history, the Eagle brand needed more product recognition, although its Premier was technically more advanced than anything offered by Chrysler. Most of Eagle's models were available in Chrysler-Plymouth, Dodge, and Mitsubishi dealerships under different guises. Chrysler was in financial difficulty at the end of the 1980s and did not have the funds to spread to its new automotive division. Moreover, Jeep vehicles were popular and profitable, so most of the division's marketing resources flowed to the Jeep product range. Since Jeep's products had better recognition and higher profit margins, many dealers emphasized Jeeps. They considered the Eagle line of passenger cars to distract that business. Their sales and service expertise was primarily in the four-wheel drive Jeeps and AMC's Eagle all-wheel-drive models.

Furthermore, the dealership network was realigned following Chrysler's acquisition of AMC. Some former AMC/Jeep dealers were consolidated with Chrysler-Plymouth franchises. Up to this point, Chrysler-Plymouth outlets needed a sport utility vehicle (SUV) to sell, and adding the Jeep line helped dealers offer customers a range of vehicles in a rapidly growing market segment. The merger may have helped the individual dealerships that signed on. Still, it caused the nascent Eagle division and its largely derivative models to compete unfavorably for attention with Chrysler's and Plymouth's often similar, but longer-established and better-recognized lines of passenger cars.

Phase out
The Eagle brand was phased out in stages. In 1996, Chrysler discontinued the Mitsubishi Mirage-based Eagle Summit, having discontinued the nearly identical Dodge Colt and Plymouth Colt models after the 1994 model year. After a decade of slow sales, Chrysler announced the discontinuation of the Eagle brand in September 1997, and the last 1998 Eagle Talon rolled off the line after that. In 1997, the Eagle Vision was discontinued at the end of its design cycle. However, the similar Dodge Intrepid and Chrysler Concorde were redesigned for 1998 and continued through 2004. Only the Mitsubishi Eclipse-based Eagle Talon remained for 1998, after which it, along with the Eagle brand itself, was discontinued.

Chrysler had initially planned to redesign the Eagle Vision for 1999. Prototypes were spotted wearing the Eagle logo. Vision production continued into September 1997 to provide dealers with enough stock of the older car to carry them through to the new car's introduction. However, Chrysler executives decided to pull the plug on the Eagle brand just a few months later. The car they were working on went on to be marketed as the Chrysler 300M.

The AMC name disappeared with Chrysler's acquisition of the independent automaker, "but the Eagle name carried on, worn by various Renault- and Mitsubishi-sourced models through the 1990s when it was finally retired in 1998." Those Eagle cars failed because the automaker did not have a coherent marketing strategy for the mix of models and they also lacked effective promotional efforts in the automotive marketplace. In the end, "Chrysler wasn't fully committed to the nameplate and also left consumers confused about what an Eagle was -- if they knew the name at all."

Eagle cars marketed by Chrysler

The continuation of the AMC Eagle line after Chrysler acquired AMC in only the station wagon body style. Production of the crossover vehicle ended on December 14, 1987. According to the National Automobile Dealers Association NADA Guide, Chrysler's "Eagle was spawned from the buyout of American Motors and their AMC Eagle model." Also badged as the Renault Medallion in March 1987 as an early 1988 model, this car was imported from France, rebadged as an Eagle for the 1989 model year only, and was similar to the Renault 21. Designed by AMC, the Premier was briefly badged as the Renault Premier before launch. Unusual (for an FWD car) in having a longitudinal engine mounting (to accommodate a future AWD version), it shared several parts with the Renault 25, and spawned a rebadged version named Dodge Monaco (1990–1992); this platform was the basis for the 1993 LH cars. Two models were offered. The two-door hatchback and four-door sedan were rebadged Mitsubishi Mirages, and the station wagon (badged as either an Eagle Vista or a Dodge/Plymouth Colt Vista) was a rebadged Mitsubishi Chariot. These cars were marketed only in Canada. Coupe, sedan, and wagon models were available. The coupe and 1987-1991 sedans were rebadged Mitsubishi Mirages, while the wagon was a rebadged Mitsubishi Expo LRV. The 1991-1996 sedan was a rebadged Dodge/Plymouth Colt. Like the Plymouth Laser and the Mitsubishi Eclipse, the Talon was Eagle's halo car and outsold its Plymouth cousin. (see also Diamond Star Motors) A rebadged Mitsubishi Galant four-door sedan. Marketed also as a Dodge only in Canada. One of Chrysler's three original LH-cars. It was marketed in Europe as the Chrysler Vision.
 * Eagle Wagon (1988)
 * Eagle Medallion (1989)
 * Eagle Premier (1988–1992)
 * Eagle Vista (1988–1992)
 * Eagle Summit (1989–1996)
 * Eagle Talon (1990–1998)
 * Eagle 2000GTX (1991–1992)
 * Eagle Vision (1993–1997)

Concept car
The Eagle Optima was a 1990 concept car. It was a four-door sedan that used cab forward design and was powered by an experimental, 32-valve all-aluminum V8 engine with all-wheel drive. The Optima was on the show circuit to judge consumer reaction to the thinly disguised version of the LH platform sedans that were to be introduced for the 1993 model year. Two earlier concept cars emphasizing the cab-forward designs that lead to the LH-based 1993 Eagle Vision were the 1987 Lamborghini Portofino and the 1989 Chrysler Millennium.

title: Eagle (automobile)


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Proton (rocket family)

Proton (Russian: Протон) (formal designation: UR-500) is an expendable launch system used for both commercial and Russian government space launches. The first Proton rocket was launched in 1965. Modern versions of the launch system are still in use, making it one of the most successful heavy boosters in the history of spaceflight. The components of all Protons are manufactured in the Khrunichev State Research and Production Space Center factory in Moscow and Chemical Automatics Design Bureau in Voronezh, then transported to the Baikonur Cosmodrome, where they are assembled at Site 91 to form the launch vehicle. Following payload integration, the rocket is then brought to the launch pad horizontally by rail, and raised into vertical position for launch.

As with many Soviet rockets, the names of recurring payloads became associated with the launch vehicle itself. The moniker "Proton" originates from a series of similarly named scientific satellites, which were among the rocket's first payloads. During the Cold War, it was designated the D-1/D-1e or SL-12/SL-13 by Western intelligence agencies.

Launch capacity to low Earth orbit is about 22.8 t. Geostationary transfer capacity is about 6.3 tonnes. Commercial launches are marketed by International Launch Services (ILS).

In 2013, the rocket was intended to be retired before 2030. , production on the Proton rocket is ceasing as the new Angara launch vehicle comes on line and becomes operational. No new launch service contracts for Proton are likely to be signed.

History
Proton started its life as a "super heavy ICBM". It was designed to launch a 100-megaton (or larger) thermonuclear weapon over a distance of 13,000 km. It was hugely oversized for an ICBM and was never deployed in such a capacity. It was eventually used as a space launch vehicle. It was the brainchild of Vladimir Chelomei's design bureau as a foil to Sergei Korolev's N1 rocket, whose purpose was to send a two-man Zond spacecraft around the Moon; Korolev openly opposed Proton and Chelomei's other designs for their use of toxic propellants.

The unusual appearance of the first stage results from the need to transport components by rail. The central oxidizer tank is the maximum width for the loading gauge of the track. The six tanks surrounding it carry fuel and serve as the attachment points for the engines. Despite resembling strap-on boosters, they are not designed to separate from the central oxidizer tank. The first and second stages are connected by a lattice structure. The second stage engine ignites shortly before separation of the first stage and the lattice allows the exhaust to escape. This is called "hot staging" and it eliminates the need for ullage motors on the second stage.

A rushed development program led to dozens of failures between 1965 and 1972. Proton did not complete its State Trials until 1977, at which point it was judged to have a higher than 90% reliability.

Proton's design was kept secret until 1986, with the public being only shown the upper stages in film clips and photographs, and the first time the complete vehicle was shown to the outside world happened during the televised launch of Mir.

Mass-production of guidance, navigation and control system for Proton has begun in 1964 on "Communard" Industrial Association (Kharkov, Ukraine).

Proton launched the uncrewed Soviet circumlunar flights and was intended to have launched the first crewed Soviet circumlunar spaceflights, before the United States flew the Apollo 8 mission. Proton launched the Salyut space stations, the Mir core segment and expansion modules, and both the Zarya and Zvezda modules of the ISS.

Proton also launches commercial satellites, most of them being managed by International Launch Services. The first ILS Proton launch was on 9 April 1996 with the launch of the SES Astra 1F communications satellite.

Between 1994 and mid-2010, Proton revenues were $4.3 billion, and were projected to grow to $6 billion by 2011.

In January 2017, the Proton was temporarily grounded due to the manufacturer, Voronezh Mechanical Plant, having substituted a heat-resistant alloy in the engines with a cheaper metal.

In June 2018, the state corporation Roscosmos announced that the Proton rocket would cease production as the new Angara launch vehicle comes on line and becomes operational. No new launch service contracts for Proton are likely to be signed.

Proton flew its last scheduled commercial mission on 9 October 2019, delivering Eutelsat 5 West B and Mission Extension Vehicle-1 to geostationary orbit. A number of Roscosmos and other Russian government missions remain on Proton launch manifest.

Proton K
Proton K is fuelled by very toxic unsymmetrical dimethyl hydrazine and nitrogen tetroxide. These are hypergolic fuels which ignite on contact, avoiding the need for an ignition system, and can be stored at ambient temperatures. This avoids the need for components that are tolerant of low temperatures, and allows the rocket to remain on the pad indefinitely (other launchers with such capability include the U.S. Titan II GLV, Titan III, and Titan IV, the Chinese Long March 2 and Long March 4, the Soviet/Ukrainian Tsyklon launchers, the Soviet/Russian Kosmos-3 and Kosmos-3M launchers and the European Ariane 1 to Ariane 4 launchers). In contrast, cryogenic fuels need periodic replenishment as they boil off.

The fourth stage has multiple variants, depending on the mission. The simplest, Blok D, was used for interplanetary missions. Blok D had no guidance module, depending on the probe to control flight. Three different Blok DM versions (DM, DM2, and DM-2M) were for high Earth orbits. The Blok D/DM were unusual in that the fuel was stored in a toroidal tank, around the engine and behind the oxidizer tank.

The initial Proton tests in 1965–66 only used the first two stages of the booster, the complete four-stage vehicle being flown for the first time in 1967. When the Soviet space station program began in 1971, Protons began being flown with the Blok D removed for use as a heavy-lift LEO launcher.

Proton-K payloads included all of the Soviet Union's Salyut space stations, almost all Mir modules (with the exception of the Docking Module, which was launched on the United States Space Shuttle), and the Zarya and Zvezda modules of the International Space Station. It was intended to launch the crewed TKS spacecraft, prior to the cancellation of that programme, although a few robotic flights of spacecraft were fulfilled. In addition it was intended to launch the 1970s LKS spaceplane that was never realised.

The final launch of Proton-K was on 30 March 2012.

Proton-M
The initial version of Proton M, could launch 3 - 3.2 t into geostationary orbit or 5.5 t into a geostationary transfer orbit. It could place up to 22 t in low Earth orbit with a 51.6-degree inclination, the orbit of the International Space Station (ISS).

The Proton M's improvements included lower stage modifications to reduce structural mass, increase thrust, and fully use propellants. Generally a Briz-M (Бриз meaning Breeze) storable propellant upper stage is used instead of the Blok D or Blok DM stage, removing the need for multiple fuel supplies and oxygen top-off due to boiling; the Proton-M also flew with a Blok-DM upper stage. Efforts were also made to reduce dependency on foreign (usually Ukrainian) component suppliers. With the Briz-M upper stage, the payload fairing diameter is 4.1 m (13.45 ft).

Proton launch vehicles and Briz-M upper stages are designed and built by Khrunichev State Research and Production Space Center (Khrunichev) in Moscow, the majority owner of International Launch Services (ILS). The center is home to all engineering, assembly and test functions of Proton production. With the recent consolidation of the Russian space enterprises, Khrunichev has direct oversight and control of up to 70% of all Proton manufacturing from suppliers to manufacturers. The consolidation directly supports Khrunichev's ongoing efforts for vertical integration of Proton production.

Phase III
An enhanced variant, the Phase III Proton-M/Briz-M launch vehicle, was flight proven on the Russian Federal dual mission of Express AM-44 and Express MD-1 in February 2009 and performed its first commercial launch in March 2010 with the Echostar XIV satellite. The Proton-M/Briz-M phase III configuration provides 6150 kg of GTO performance, an increase of 1150 kg over the original Proton-M Briz-M, while maintaining the fundamental design configuration.

On 6 August 2012, the Russian Federal Space Agency lost a Russian and an Indonesian communications satellite in an attempt to launch them into orbit on a Proton-M due to technical difficulties with the last stage.

On 2 July 2013, a Proton-M launching three GLONASS navigation satellites experienced a failure reminiscent of the 1960s disasters shortly after liftoff when the booster crashed near LC-39 at Baikonour, ending a 30-year unbroken stretch without a first stage failure; all future Proton flights were suspended pending investigation. The accident was eventually determined to be caused by the rate gyro package having been installed upside-down. Due to the difficulty of installing the package incorrectly, it was widely suspected that it had been done deliberately by a disgruntled or drunk worker at the Khrunichev plant.

On 15 May 2014, a Proton-M/Briz-M carrying an Ekspress satellite suffered a third stage failure from a bad turbopump bearing. Debris fell in Manchuria. On 21 October, another Ekspress satellite was left in a useless orbit when the Briz stage cut off 24 seconds too early.

On 16 May 2015, a MEXSAT communications satellite failed to orbit due to another third stage malfunction, the eighth Proton failure since 2010.

Phase IV
Khrunichev has initiated development of a set of phase IV enhancements in order to keep pace with market demands and the mass growth trends of commercial satellites. The implementation of Phase IV Proton Briz-M enhancements were completed in 2016. The payload mass performance for phase IV has been increased to 6320 kg to a reference GTO orbit with 1500 m/s of residual delta V to GSO.

Future developments
Significant upgrades were temporarily put on hold following announcement (in 1992) of the new Angara launch vehicle. The single largest upgrade was the KVRB stage. This cryogenic stage would have greatly increased capacity. The engine was developed successfully, and the stage as a whole had progressed to hardware. However, as KVRB is noticeably larger than Block D, the vehicle's aerodynamics, flight control, software, and possibly electronics would have to be reevaluated. In addition, the launch pad can supply existing Protons with common hypergolic fuels from single sources. The upper stages, in particular, are fed by common loading pipes running along the rocket. Switching to a stage with different fuels requires the addition of extra support articles; switching to cryogens requires that such support articles top off the stage periodically.

Heavy variants of Angara will be simpler and cheaper than Proton (and like the Atlas V rocket, will not use hypergolic fuels; instead, it will be a kerolox rocket, like the Soyuz rocket). They will also be designed from the start to accept a KVTK stage, and will already have a liquid oxygen supply at the pad; only a hydrogen supply will be called upon.

title: Proton (rocket family)


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M1911 pistol

The Colt M1911 (also known as 1911, Colt 1911 or Colt Government in the case of Colt-produced models) is a single-action, recoil-operated, semi-automatic pistol chambered for the .45 ACP cartridge. The pistol's formal U.S. military designation as of 1940 was Automatic Pistol, Caliber .45, M1911 for the original model adopted in March 1911, and Automatic Pistol, Caliber .45, M1911A1 for the improved M1911A1 model which entered service in 1926. The designation changed to Pistol, Caliber .45, Automatic, M1911A1 in the Vietnam War era.

Designed by John Browning, the M1911 is the best-known of his designs to use the short recoil principle in its basic design. The pistol was widely copied, and this operating system rose to become the preeminent type of the 20th century and of nearly all modern centerfire pistols. It is popular with civilian shooters in competitive events such as the International Defensive Pistol Association and International Practical Shooting Confederation.

The U.S. military procured around 2.7 million M1911 and M1911A1 pistols during its service life. The pistol served as the standard-issue sidearm for the United States Armed Forces from 1911 to 1985. It was widely used in World War I, World War II, the Korean War, and the Vietnam War. The M1911A1 was replaced by the adoption of the 9mm Beretta M9 pistol as the standard U.S. military sidearm in 1985. However, the U.S. Army did not officially replace the M1911A1 with the Beretta M9 until October 1986; production and procurement delays kept the 1911A1 in service with some units past 1989. The 1911A1 has never been completely phased out. Modernized derivative variants of the M1911 are still in use by some units of the U.S. Army Special Forces, U.S. Marine Corps and the U.S. Navy.

Early history and adaptations
The M1911 pistol originated in the late 1890s as the result of a search for a suitable self-loading (or semi-automatic) pistol to replace the variety of revolvers in service at the time.

The United States was adopting new firearms at a phenomenal rate; several new pistols and two all-new service rifles (M1892/96/98 Krag and M1895 Navy Lee), as well as a series of revolvers by Colt and Smith & Wesson for the Army and Navy, were adopted just in that decade.

The next decade would see a similar pace, including the adoption of several more revolvers and an intensive search for a self-loading pistol that would culminate in the official adoption of the M1911 after the turn of the decade.

Hiram S. Maxim had designed a self-loading rifle in the 1880s, but was preoccupied with machine guns. Nevertheless, the application of his principle of using cartridge energy to reload led to several self-loading pistols in 1896. The designs caught the attention of various militaries, each of which began programs to find a suitable one for their forces. In the U.S., such a program would lead to a formal test at the turn of the 20th century.

During the end of 1899 and into 1900, a test of self-loading pistols, including entries from Mauser (C96 "Broomhandle"), Mannlicher (Mannlicher M1894), and Colt (Colt M1900), was conducted.

This led to a purchase of 1,000 DWM Luger pistols, chambered in 7.65mm Luger. During field trials, these ran into some problems, especially with stopping power. Other governments had made similar complaints. Consequently, DWM produced an enlarged version of the round, the 9×19mm Parabellum with fifty weapons chambered for it tested by the U.S. Army in 1903.

American units fighting Tausūg guerrillas in the Moro Rebellion in Sulu during the Philippine–American War using the then-standard Colt M1892 revolver, .38 Long Colt, found it to be unsuitable for the rigors of jungle warfare, particularly in terms of stopping power, as the Moros had high battle morale and often used drugs to inhibit the sensation of pain. The U.S. Army briefly reverted to using the M1873 single-action revolver in .45 Colt caliber, which had been standard during the late 19th century; the heavier bullet was found to be more effective against charging tribesmen. The problems prompted the Chief of Ordnance, General William Crozier, to authorize further testing for a new service pistol.

Following the 1904 Thompson-LaGarde pistol round effectiveness tests, Colonel John T. Thompson stated that the new pistol "should not be of less than .45 caliber" and would preferably be semi-automatic in operation. This led to the 1906 trials of pistols from six firearms manufacturing companies (namely, Colt, Bergmann, Deutsche Waffen und Munitionsfabriken (DWM), Savage Arms, Knoble, Webley, and White-Merrill).

Of the six designs submitted, three were eliminated early on, leaving only the Savage, Colt, and DWM designs chambered in the new .45 ACP (Automatic Colt Pistol) cartridge. These three still had issues that needed correction, but only Colt and Savage resubmitted their designs. There is some debate over the reasons for DWM's withdrawal—some say they felt there was bias and that the DWM design was being used primarily as a "whipping boy" for the Savage and Colt pistols, though this does not fit well with the earlier 1900 purchase of the DWM design over the Colt and Steyr entries. In any case, a series of field tests from 1907 to 1911 were held to decide between the Savage and Colt designs. Both designs were improved between each round of testing, leading up to the final test before adoption.

Among the areas of success for the Colt was a test at the end of 1910 attended by its designer, John Browning. Six thousand rounds were fired from a single pistol over the course of two days. When the gun began to grow hot, it was simply immersed in water to cool it. The Colt gun passed with no reported malfunctions, while the Savage designs had 37.

Service history
Following its success in trials, the Colt pistol was formally adopted by the Army on March 29, 1911, when it was designated "Model of 1911", later changed in 1917 to "Model 1911", and then "M1911" in the mid-1920s. The Director of Civilian Marksmanship began manufacture of M1911 pistols for members of the National Rifle Association of America in August 1912. Approximately 100 pistols stamped "N.R.A." below the serial number were manufactured at Springfield Armory and by Colt. The M1911 was formally adopted by the U.S. Navy and Marine Corps in 1913. The .45 ACP "Model of 1911 U.S. Army" was used by both U.S. Army Cavalry troops and infantry soldiers during the United States' Punitive Expedition into Mexico against Pancho Villa in 1916.

World War I
By the beginning of 1917, a total of 68,533 M1911 pistols had been delivered to U.S. armed forces by Colt's Patent Firearms Manufacturing Company and the U.S. government's Springfield Armory. However, the need to greatly expand U.S. military forces and the resultant surge in demand for the firearm in World War I saw the expansion of manufacture to other contractors besides Colt and Springfield Armory, including Remington-UMC and North American Arms Co. of Quebec. Several other manufacturers were awarded contracts to produce the M1911, including the National Cash Register Company, the Savage Arms Company, the Caron Brothers Manufacturing of Montreal, the Burroughs Adding Machine Co., Winchester Repeating Arms Company, and the Lanston Monotype Company, but the signing of the Armistice resulted in the cancellation of the contracts before any pistols had been produced.

Interwar changes
Battlefield experience in World War I led to some more small external changes, completed in 1924. The new version received a modified type classification, M1911A1, in 1926 with a stipulation that M1911A1s should have serial numbers higher than 700,000 with lower serial numbers designated M1911. The M1911A1 changes to the original design consisted of a shorter trigger, cutouts in the frame behind the trigger, an arched mainspring housing, a longer grip safety spur (to prevent hammer bite), a wider front sight, a shortened hammer spur, and simplified grip checkering (eliminating the "Double Diamond" reliefs). These changes were subtle and largely intended to make the pistol easier to shoot for those with smaller hands. No significant internal changes were made, and parts remained interchangeable between the M1911 and the M1911A1.

Working for the U.S. Ordnance Office, David Marshall Williams developed a .22 training version of the M1911 using a floating chamber to give the .22 long rifle rimfire recoil similar to the .45 version. As the Colt Service Ace, this was available both as a pistol and as a conversion kit for .45 M1911 pistols.

Before World War II, 500 M1911s were produced under license by the Norwegian arms factory Kongsberg Vaapenfabrikk, as Automatisk Pistol Model 1912. Then, production moved to a modified version designated Pistol Model 1914 and unofficially known as "Kongsberg Colt". The Pistol M/1914 is noted for its unusual extended slide stop which was specified by Norwegian ordnance authorities. Twenty-two thousand were produced between 1914 and 1940 but production continued after the German occupation of Norway in 1940 and 10,000 were produced for the German armed forces as Pistole 657 (n).

Between 1927 and 1966, 102,000 M1911 pistols were produced as Sistema Colt Modelo 1927 in Argentina, first by the Dirección General de Fabricaciones Militares. A similar gun, the Ballester–Molina, was also designed and produced.

The M1911 and M1911A1 pistols were also ordered from Colt or produced domestically in modified form by several other nations, including Brazil (M1937 contract pistol), Mexico (M1911 Mexican contract pistol and the Obregón pistol), and Spain (private manufacturers Star and Llama).

World War II
World War II and the years leading up to it created a great demand. During the war, about 1.9 million units were procured by the U.S. Government for all forces, production being undertaken by several manufacturers, including Remington Rand (900,000 produced), Colt (400,000), Ithaca Gun Company (400,000), Union Switch & Signal (50,000), and Singer (500). New M1911A1 pistols were given a parkerized metal finish instead of bluing, and the wood grip panels were replaced with panels made of brown plastic. The M1911A1 was a favored small arm of both U.S. and allied military personnel during the war, in particular, the pistol was prized by some British commando units and Britain's highly covert Special Operations Executive, as well as South African Commonwealth forces.

The M1911A1 pistol was produced in very large quantities during the war. At the end of hostilities the government cancelled all contracts for further production and made use of existing stocks of weapons to equip personnel. Many of these weapons had seen service use, and had to be rebuilt and refinished prior to being issued. From the mid-1920s to the mid-1950s thousands of 1911s and 1911A1s were refurbished at U.S. arsenals and service depots. These rebuilds consisted of anything from minor inspections to major overhauls. Pistols that were refurbished at government arsenals will usually be marked on the frame/receiver with the arsenal's initials, such as RIA for Rock Island Armory or SA for Springfield Armory.

Among collectors today, the Singer-produced pistols in particular are highly prized, commanding high prices even in poor condition.

General Officer's Model
From 1943 to 1945 a fine-grade russet-leather M1916 pistol belt set was issued to some generals in the U.S. Army. It was composed of a leather belt, leather enclosed flap-holster with braided leather tie-down leg strap, leather two-pocket magazine pouch, and a rope lanyard. The metal buckle and fittings were in gilded brass. The buckle had the seal of the U.S. on the center (or "male") piece and a laurel wreath on the circular (or "female") piece. The pistol was a standard-issue M1911A1 that came with a cleaning kit and three magazines.

From 1972 to 1981 a modified M1911A1 called the RIA M15 General Officer's Model was issued to general officers in the U.S. Army and U.S. Air Force. From 1982 to 1986 the regular M1911A1 was issued. Both came with a black leather belt, open holster with retaining strap, and a two-pocket magazine pouch. The metal buckle and fittings were similar to the M1916 General Officer's Model except it came in gold metal for the Army and in silver metal for the Air Force.

Post–World War II usage
After World War II, the M1911 continued to be a mainstay of the U.S. Armed Forces in the Korean War and the Vietnam War, where it was used extensively by tunnel rats. It was used during Desert Storm in specialized U.S. Army units and U.S. Navy Mobile Construction Battalions (Seabees), and has seen service in both Operation Iraqi Freedom and Operation Enduring Freedom, with U.S. Army Special Forces Groups and Marine Corps Force Reconnaissance Companies.

However, by the late 1970s, the M1911A1 was acknowledged to be showing its age. Under political pressure from Congress to standardize on a single modern pistol design, the U.S. Air Force ran a Joint Service Small Arms Program to select a new semi-automatic pistol using the NATO-standard 9mm Parabellum pistol cartridge. After trials, the Beretta 92S-1 was chosen. The Army contested this result and subsequently ran its own competition in 1981, the XM9 trials, eventually leading to the official adoption of the Beretta 92F on January 14, 1985. By the late 1980s production was ramping up despite a controversial XM9 retrial and a separate XM10 reconfirmation that was boycotted by some entrants of the original trials, cracks in the frames of some pre-M9 Beretta-produced pistols, and despite a problem with slide separation using higher-than-specified-pressure rounds that resulted in injuries to some U.S. Navy special operations operatives. This last issue resulted in an updated model that includes additional protection for the user, the 92FS, and updates to the ammunition used. During the Gulf War of 1990–1991, M1911A1s were deployed with reserve component U.S. Army units sent to participate in Operations Desert Shield and Desert Storm.

By the early 1990s, most M1911A1s had been replaced by the Beretta M9, though a limited number remain in use by special units. The U.S. Marine Corps (USMC) in particular were noted for continuing the use of M1911 pistols for selected personnel in MEU(SOC) and reconnaissance units (though the USMC also purchased over 50,000 M9 pistols.) For its part, the United States Special Operations Command (USSOCOM) issued a requirement for a .45 ACP pistol in the Offensive Handgun Weapon System (OHWS) trials. This resulted in the Heckler & Koch OHWS becoming the MK23 Mod 0 Offensive Handgun Weapon System (itself being heavily based on the 1911's basic field strip), beating the Colt OHWS, a much-modified M1911. Dissatisfaction with the stopping power of the 9 mm Parabellum cartridge used in the Beretta M9 has actually promoted re-adoption of pistols based on the .45 ACP cartridge such as the M1911 design, along with other pistols, among USSOCOM units in recent years, though the M9 has been predominant both within SOCOM and in the U.S. military in general. Both U.S. Army Special Forces Units and SFOD-D continue to use modernized M1911s, such as the M45 MEU(SOC) and a modified version of the Colt Rail Gun (a 1911 model with an integrated picatinny rail on the underside of the frame) designated as the M45A1 CQBP (Close Quarters Battle Pistol).

Design

Browning's basic M1911 design has seen very little change throughout its production life. The basic principle of the pistol is recoil operation. As the expanding combustion gases force the bullet down the barrel, they give reverse momentum to the slide and barrel which are locked together during this portion of the firing cycle. After the bullet has left the barrel, the slide and barrel continue rearward a short distance.

At this point, a link pivots the rear of the barrel down, out of locking recesses in the slide, and the barrel is stopped by making contact with the lower barrel lugs against the frame. As the slide continues rearward, a claw extractor pulls the spent casing from the firing chamber and an ejector strikes the rear of the case, pivoting the casing out and away from the pistol through the ejection port. The slide stops its rearward motion then, and is propelled forward again by the recoil spring to strip a fresh cartridge from the magazine and feed it into the firing chamber. At the forward end of its travel, the slide locks into the barrel and is ready to fire again.

However, if the fired round was the last in the magazine, the slide will lock in the rearward position, which notifies the shooter to reload by ejecting the empty magazine and inserting a loaded magazine, and facilitates (by being rearwards) reloading the chamber, which is accomplished by either pulling the slide back slightly and releasing, or by pushing down on the slide stop, which releases the slide to move forward under spring pressure, strip a fresh cartridge from the magazine, and feed it into the firing chamber.

Other than grip screws there are no fasteners of any type in the 1911 design. The main components of the gun are held in place by the force of the main spring. The pistol can be "field stripped" by partially retracting the slide, removing the slide stop, and removing the barrel bushing. Full disassembly (and subsequent reassembly) of the pistol to its component parts can be accomplished using several manually removed components as tools to complete the disassembly.

The military mandated a grip safety and a manual safety. A grip safety, sear disconnect, slide stop, half cock position, and manual safety (located on the left rear of the frame) are on all standard M1911A1s. Several companies have developed a firing pin block safety. Colt's 80 series uses a trigger operated one and several other manufacturers, including Kimber and Smith & Wesson, use a Swartz firing-pin safety, which is operated by the grip safety. Language cautioning against pulling the trigger with the second finger was included in the initial M1911 manual and later manuals up to the 1940s.

The same basic design has been offered commercially and has been used by other militaries. In addition to the .45 ACP (Automatic Colt Pistol), models chambered for .38 Super, 9×19mm Parabellum, 7.65mm Parabellum, 9mm Steyr, .400 Corbon, and other cartridges were offered. The M1911 was developed from earlier Colt semi-automatic designs, firing rounds such as .38 ACP. The design beat out many other contenders during the government's selection period, during the late 1890s and early 1900s, up to the pistol's adoption. The M1911 officially replaced a range of revolvers and pistols across branches of the U.S. armed forces, though a number of other designs have seen use in certain niches.

Despite being challenged by newer and lighter weight pistol designs in .45 caliber, such as the Glock 21, the SIG Sauer P220, the Springfield XD and the Heckler & Koch USP, the M1911 shows no signs of decreasing popularity and continues to be widely present in various competitive matches such as those of USPSA, IDPA, IPSC, and Bullseye.

M45 MEU(SOC)
In 1986, the USMC Precision Weapon Section (PWS) at Marine Corps Base Quantico began customizing M1911A1s for reconnaissance units. The units served in a new Marine Corps program Marine expeditionary unit (special operations capable) (MEU(SOC)). The pistol was designated the M45 MEU(SOC). Hand-selected Colt M1911A1 frames were gutted, deburred and were then assembled with after-market grip safeties, ambidextrous thumb safeties, triggers, improved high-visibility sights, accurized barrels, grips, and improved Wilson magazines. These hand-made pistols were tuned to specifications and preferences of end users.

In the late 1980s, the Marines laid out a series of specifications and improvements to make Browning's design ready for 21st-century combat, many of which have been included in MEU(SOC) pistol designs, but design and supply time was limited. Discovering that the Los Angeles Police Department was pleased with their special Kimber M1911 pistols, a single source request was issued to Kimber for just such a pistol despite the imminent release of their TLE/RLII models. Kimber shortly began producing a limited number of what would be later termed the Interim Close Quarters Battle pistol (ICQB). Maintaining the simple recoil assembly, 5-inch barrel (though using a stainless steel match grade barrel), and internal extractor, the ICQB is not much different from Browning's original design.

M45A1
In July 2012, the USMC awarded Colt a $22.5 million contract for up to 12,000 M45A1 pistols with an initial order of 4036 pistols to replace the M45 MEU(SOC) pistol. The Marine Corps issued the M45A1 to Force Reconnaissance companies, Marine Corps Special Operations Command (MARSOC) and Special Reaction Teams from the Provost Marshal’s Office. The new 1911 was designated M45A1 or "Close Quarters Battle Pistol" CQBP. The M45A1 features a dual recoil spring assembly, Picatinny rails and is cerakoted tan in color.

In 2019, the USMC selected the SIG Sauer M18 to replace the M45A1. The Marines began the roll out of the M18 in 2020. The replacement was completed by October 2022.

Civilian models

 * Colt Commander: In 1949 Colt began production of the Colt Commander, an aluminum-framed 1911 with a $4 1/4$ inch barrel and a rounded hammer. It was developed in response to an Army requirement issued in 1949, for a lighter replacement for the M1911 pistol, for issue to officers. In 1970, Colt introduced the all-steel "Colt Combat Commander", with an optional model in satin nickel. To differentiate between the two models, the aluminum-framed model was renamed the "Lightweight Commander".
 * Colt Government Mk. IV Series 70 (1970–1983): Introduced the accurized Split Barrel Bushing (collet bushing). The first 1000 prototypes in the serial number range 35800NM–37025NM were marked BB on the barrel and the slide. Commander-sized pistols retained the solid bushing.
 * Colt Government Mk. IV Series 80 (1983–present): Introduced an internal firing pin safety and a new half-cock notch on the sear; pulling the trigger on these models while at half-cock will cause the hammer to drop. Models after 1988 returned to the solid barrel bushing due to concerns about breakages of collet bushings.
 * Colt Gold Cup National Match 1911/Mk. IV Series 70/Mk. IV Series 80 MKIV/Series 70 Gold Cup 75th Anniversary National Match/Camp Perry 1978. Limited to 200 pistols. (1983–1996) Gold Cup MKIV Series 80 National Match: .45 ACP, Colt-Elliason adjustable rear sight, fully adjustable Bomar-Style rear sight, target post front sight, spur hammer, wide target trigger, lowered and flared ejection port, National Match barrel, beveled top slide, wrap-around rubber stocks with nickel medallion.
 * Colt 1991 Series (1991–2001 ORM; 2001–present NRM): A hybrid of the M1911A1 military model redesigned to use the slide of the Mk. IV Series 80; these models aimed at providing a more "mil-spec" pistol to be sold at a lower price than Colt's other 1911 models in order to compete with imported pistols from manufacturers such as Springfield Armory and Norinco. The 1991–2001 model used a large "M1991A1" roll mark engraved on the slide. The 2001 model introduced a new "Colt's Government Model" roll mark engraving. The 1991 series incorporates full-sized blued and stainless models in either .45 ACP or .38 Super, as well as blued and stainless Commander models in .45 ACP.

Custom models
Since its inception, the M1911 has lent itself to easy customization. Replacement sights, grips, and other aftermarket accessories are the most commonly offered parts. Since the 1950s and the rise of competitive pistol shooting, many companies have been offering the M1911 as a base model for major customization. These modifications can range from changing the external finish, checkering the frame, to hand fitting custom hammers, triggers, and sears. Some modifications include installing compensators and the addition of accessories such as tactical lights and even scopes. A common modification of John Browning's design is to use a full-length guide rod that runs the full length of the recoil spring. This adds weight to the front of the pistol, but does not increase accuracy, and does make the pistol slightly more difficult to disassemble. As of 2002, custom guns could cost over and are built from scratch or on existing base models. Some notable companies offering custom M1911s include Dan Wesson Firearms, Les Baer, Nighthawk Custom, Springfield Custom Shop, and Wilson Combat. IPSC models are offered by BUL Armory, Strayer Voigt Inc (Infinity Firearms).

Current users in the U.S.

Many military and law enforcement organizations in the U.S. and other countries continue to use (often modified) M1911A1 pistols including Los Angeles Police Department SWAT and S.I.S., the FBI Hostage Rescue Team, FBI regional SWAT teams, and 1st Special Forces Operational Detachment—Delta (Delta Force).

The M1911A1 is popular among the general public in the U.S. for practical and recreational purposes. The pistol is commonly used for concealed carry thanks in part to a single-stack magazine (which makes for a thinner pistol that is, therefore, easier to conceal), personal defense, target shooting, and competition as well as collections. Numerous aftermarket accessories allow users to customize the pistol to their liking. There are a growing number of manufacturers of M1911-style pistols and the model continues to be quite popular for its reliability, simplicity, and patriotic appeal. Various tactical, target and compact models are available. Price ranges from a low end of around $400 for basic models imported from Turkey (TİSAŞ and GİRSAN) and the Philippines (Armscor, Metro Arms, and SAM Inc.) to more than $4,000 for the best competition or tactical versions (Wilson Combat, Ed Brown, Les Baer, Nighthawk Custom, and Staccato).

Due to an increased demand for M1911 pistols among Army Special Operations units, who are known to field a variety of M1911 pistols, the U.S. Army Marksmanship Unit began looking to develop a new generation of M1911s and launched the M1911-A2 project in late 2004. The goal was to produce a minimum of seven variants with various sights, internal and external extractors, flat and arched mainspring housings, integral and add-on magazine wells, a variety of finishes and other options, with the idea of providing the end-user a selection from which to select the features that best fit their missions. The AMU performed a well-received demonstration of the first group of pistols to the Marine Corps at Quantico and various Special Operations units at Ft. Bragg and other locations. The project provided a feasibility study with insight into future projects. Models were loaned to various Special Operations units, the results of which are classified. An RFP was issued for a Joint Combat Pistol but it was ultimately canceled. Currently, units are experimenting with an M1911 pistol in .40 S&W, which will incorporate lessons learned from the A2 project. Ultimately, the M1911A2 project provided a testbed for improving existing M1911s. An improved M1911 variant becoming available in the future is a possibility.

The Springfield Custom Professional Model 1911A1 pistol is produced under contract by Springfield Armory for the FBI regional SWAT teams and the Hostage Rescue Team. This pistol is made in batches on a regular basis by the Springfield Custom Shop, and a few examples from most runs are made available for sale to the general public at a selling price of approximately US$2,700 each.

International users

 * The Brazilian company IMBEL (Indústria de Material Bélico do Brasil) still produces the pistol in several variants for civilian, military and law enforcement uses in .45 ACP, .40 S&W, .380 ACP and 9 mm calibers. IMBEL also produces for US civilian market as the supplier to Springfield Armory.
 * The Chinese Arms manufacturer, Norinco, exports a clone of the M1911A1 for civilian purchase as the M1911A1 and the high-capacity NP-30, as well 9mm variants the NP-28 and NP-29. China has also manufactured conversion kits to chamber the 7.62×25mm Tokarev round following the Korean War. Importation of Norinco-made M1911 pistols into the United States was blocked by trade rules in 1993 but Norinco still manages to import the weapon into Canada and successfully adopted by IPSC shooters, gunsmiths and firearms enthusiasts there because of the cheaper price of the pistol than the other M1911s.
 * The German Volkssturm used captured M1911s at the end of World War II under the weapon code P.660(a), in which the letter 'a' refers to "Amerika", the weapon's country of origin.
 * Norway used the Kongsberg Colt which was a license-produced variant and is identified by the unique slide catch. Many Spanish firearms manufacturers produced pistols derived from 1911, such as the STAR Model B, the ASTRA 1911PL, and the Llama Model IX, to name just a few.
 * Argentine Navy received 1,721 M1911 between 1914 and 1919. 21,616 were received for Argentine Armed Forces between 1914 and 1941. Later, some ex-US Navy Colts were transferred with ex-US ships. Argentina produced under license some 102,494 M1911A1s as Model 1927 Sistema Colt, which eventually led to production of the cheaper Ballester–Molina, which resembles the 1911.
 * The Armed Forces of the Philippines issues Mil-spec M1911A1 pistols as a sidearm to the special forces, military police, and officers. These pistols are mostly produced by Colt, though some of them are produced locally by Armscor, a Philippine company specialized in making 1911-style pistols.
 * The Indonesian Army issued a locally produced version of the Colt M1911A1, chambered in .45 ACP along with the Pindad P1, the locally manufactured Browning Hi-Power pistol as the standard-issue sidearm.
 * In the 1950s, the Republic of China Army (Taiwan) used original M1911A1s, and the batches are now still used by some forces. In 1962, Taiwan copied the M1911A1 as the T51 pistol, and it saw limited use in the Army. After that, the T51 was improved and introduced for export as the T51K1. Now the pistols in service are replaced by locally-made Beretta 92 pistols- the T75 pistol.
 * The Royal Thai Army and Royal Thai Police uses the Type 86, the Thai copy of the M1911 chambered in the .45 ACP round,
 * The Turkish Land Forces uses "MC 1911" Girsan made copy of M1911.
 * Numbers of Colt M1911s were used by the Royal Navy as sidearms during World War I in .455 Webley Automatic caliber. The pistols were then transferred to the Royal Air Force where they saw use in limited numbers up until the end of World War II as sidearms for aircrew in event of bailing out in enemy territory. The weapon also found use among the British airborne, commandos, Special Air Service, and Special Operations Executive
 * Some units of the South Korean Air Force still use these original batches as officers' sidearms (along with Daewoo K5).

Current

 * 🇧🇷 Brazil: 16,880 pistols received, mostly from 1937 to 1941. The Brazilian Army uses a version of the M1911 developed by IMBEL chambered in 9×19mm Parabellum and designated M973.
 * 🇧🇴 Bolivia
 * 🇨🇱 Chile: Used by the Chilean Marine Corps in security tasks.
 * 🇨🇴 Colombia
 * 🇨🇷 Costa Rica
 * 🇩🇴 Dominican Republic
 * 🇬🇷 Greece
 * East Timor
 * 🇪🇬 Egypt used by both Sa'ka Forces and Unit 777
 * 🇪🇨 Ecuador
 * 🇫🇯 Fiji
 * Georgia: Used by Police Special Forces.
 * 🇬🇹 Guatemala
 * 🇭🇹 Haiti
 * 🇮🇩 Indonesia
 * 🇮🇷 Iran
 * 🇱🇷 Liberia
 * 🇱🇹 Lithuania: Lithuanian Armed Forces
 * 🇲🇾 Malaysia: In service with PGK special forces of the Royal Malaysian Police
 * 🇲🇽 Mexico:  5,400 M1911s and M1911A1s were acquired from 1922 to 1941.
 * 🇳🇮 Nicaragua
 * 🇰🇵 North Korea: Local copies used by North Korean Special forces and Presidential Guard.
 * 🇵🇭 Philippines - Armed Forces of the Philippines Standard issue sidearm for regular infantry units. Being refurbished by Government Arsenal, while replacing key parts.
 * 🇵🇬 Papua New Guinea
 * Republic of China (Taiwan)
 * 🇪🇸 Spain
 * 🇰🇷 South Korea: The Armed Forces was equipped with 4,603 M1911A1s before the Korean War, and 6,604 were in service with the Army by the end of the war. Also manufactured around 500 clone variant Type Independence (aka Busanjin Colt) from 1950 to 1951 at Busanjin Ironworks. Currently mostly used by the Navy while a limited number is used by the Special Warfare Command.
 * 🇹🇭 Thailand: Made under license. Known as the "Type 86" pistol.
 * 🇹🇷 Turkey
 * 🇺🇸 United States: Former standard-issue service pistol of the U.S. Armed Forces and is in use by some U.S. Special Operations troops. The pistol is in service with various law enforcement agencies across the U.S.
 * Vietnam: Local copies chambered in 7.62×25mm Tokarev and captured US M1911A1s in .45 ACP used by the Viet Cong and the North Vietnamese Army during Vietnam War.
 * 🇿🇼 Zimbabwe

Former

 * 🇦🇷 Argentina: Manufactured M1911 pistols under license from 1945 to 1966 by Dirección General de Fabricaciones Militares.
 * 🇦🇹 Austria
 * 🇧🇪 Belgium
 * 🇨🇦 Canada: In both World Wars, Canadian officers had the option of privately purchasing their own sidearm and the M1911/M1911A1 was a popular choice. The joint Canadian-US First Special Service Force (aka "The Devil's Brigade") also used American infantry weapons, including the M1911A1.
 * Republic of China (1912-1949): Some use indigenously-made copies.
 * 🇨🇺 Cuba
 * 🇸🇻 El Salvador
 * 🇪🇪 Estonia: replaced by USP pistols
 * Ethiopian Empire: used by the Kagnew Battalion
 * 🇫🇮 Finland: About 51,000 bought by Russian military from United States in years 1915–1917. But only relatively small number of these captured pistols ended up to hands of authorities after Finnish Civil War. Finnish military had about 120 pistols during World War 2, most of them were issued to field army.
 * 🇫🇷 France: 5,500 M1911 received during World War I, especially for tank units, officers and trench raiders. Free French Forces received 19,325 Colts. Known in French service as Pistolet automatique 11 mm 4 (C.45) (Automatic pistol 11.4mm (calibre .45)). Both M1911 and M1911A1 pistols were used.
 * Democratic Republic of Georgia
 * Kingdom of Laos: Received M1911A1s from US during Laotian Civil War (1955-1975).
 * 🇱🇺 Luxembourg: In service with 1st Artillery Battalion 1963–1967.
 * Nazi Germany: Used captured pistols during World War II.
 * 🇳🇿 New Zealand: Used during WWII
 * 🇯🇵 Japan: After World War II, the Japan Self-Defense Forces and Police were provided 101,700 M1911A1s from the US. These were used until the 1980s.
 * 🇳🇱 Netherlands: 50 received during World War I
 * 🇳🇴 Norway: 700 received during World War I Produced under license as Kongsberg Colt.
 * 🇵🇦 Panama: Used by the Panama Defense Forces
 * 🇵🇱 Poland: Polish Armed Forces in the West used pistols during World War II.
 * Russian Empire: 51,000 purchased between February 1916 and January 1917
 * Shanghai International Settlement: Colt M1911 and M1911A1s were used by non-Chinese members of the Shanghai Municipal Police from 1926
 * South Vietnam
 * Soviet Union: Some M1911 pistols were captured during Allied intervention in the Russian Civil War and used in Red Army. Extra 12,977 pistols were received as Lend-Lease during World War II.
 * 🇬🇧 United Kingdom: Some M1911s chambered for .455 Webley Automatic were supplied to the Royal Flying Corps during WWI. Saw service among elite and special forces during WWII in .45 and .455. Possibly still in use by UKSF.
 * Viet Cong: Crude clones used by VC guerrillas with some captured in the Vietnam War.

State firearm
On March 18, 2011, the U.S. state of Utah—as a way of honoring M1911 designer John Browning, who was born and raised in the state—adopted the Browning M1911 as the "official firearm of Utah".

Similar pistols

 * AMT Hardballer
 * Ballester–Molina
 * Browning Hi-Power
 * Kimber Custom
 * Kongsberg Colt
 * M15 pistol
 * Obregón pistol
 * FB Vis
 * FN Model 1903
 * Rock Island Armory 1911
 * Ruger SR1911
 * Sig Sauer 1911
 * Smith & Wesson SW1911
 * Springfield Armory 911
 * Springfield Armory EMP
 * Star Model BM
 * TT pistol

title: M1911 pistol