Combat experience on the Eastern Front during 1941-42 caused the German Army to reconsider the basic armament of an infantry soldier. Analysts discovered that it was rare for a soldier to engage the enemy with a rifle at distances greater than 400 meters. They also found that automatic weapons were more likely to be used and were deemed to be more practical (even though the troops only had 9mm submachine guns which lacked satisfactory combat range). The Germans concluded that, in place of the standard long range rifles in service, what was needed was a rifle that had the automatic fire attribute of a machine pistol but somewhat greater range.
What the German engineers eventually produced was the MP-44 (there were a couple of intermediary weapons developed and tested, one of which was actually initiated by the Luftwaffe for its paratroopers). The MP-44 used a shortened version of the standard round used at the time and it had the ability to fire automatic or semiautomatic. It had a 30-round clip. Overall, it satisfied the conditions set out perfectly and it was extremely popular at the front.
In principle, arming infantrymen with assault rifles provided each individual with substantially greater small arms fire. On any given length of front, they are able to put up literally a wall of lead compared to an opponent armed with one of the period's standard bolt-action or semiautomatic rifles. Consequently, troops armed with assault rifles were theoretically more likely to force their opponent to ground and win an engagement, all other factors being equal. The basic idea behind the assault rife is that on the typical battlefield, the probability of hitting (or grounding) the enemy is greater with a lot of bullets fired relatively inaccurately than with a few bullets fired accurately.
Hitler is said to have been opposed to the assault gun philosophy. He felt the lack of long range firing ability, the reputed tendency to not aim properly, etc., were serious conceptual flaws. The German Army, aware of the Fuhrer's opposition, hid development and production of the assault rife from Hitler by designating it a machine pistol; Hitler liked and supported the production of the submachine guns. The secret was accidently revealed to Hitler when an officer, visiting the headquarters from the Eastern Front, asked Hitler about the MP-44 requested more of them. Hitler was furious. However, the evidence from the front spoke for itself and Hitler finally approved its production. He designated the new weapon the assault rifle (Sturmgewher 44).
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