The Colt .45 M1911 is often considered the most successful pistol ever created. Although John Moses Browning designed the innovative weapon for the U.S. Army in 1911, it has been used and loved by many to this day. The world-famous pistol spawned numerous imitators due to its simplicity and skill, yet Browning had the intellect to create the first model. Since its adoption by the U.S. Army in 1911, conveniently before the outbreak of World War I, the M1911 has become “an iconic part of military and American history.” ("Multi-Million Dollar Order for Colt .45 M1911") In addition to having been very present in World War I, World War II, the Korean War, and the Vietnam War, the weapon also played an incredibly significant role in the use recreationally by American citizens. Furthermore, the Colt .45's status as “the most famous automatic firearm in the history of handguns” is largely due to the fact that American culture has embraced its presence so readily and graciously (Elliot). Indeed, John Browning's simple yet incredibly pioneering design of a single-action semi-automatic pistol greatly influenced the gun industry and the American military, while also leaving an impact on American culture. While the legendary .45 caliber, M1911 pistol first made its debut in 1911, a full view of its formulation begins approximately 15 years earlier, when the United States engaged the Spanish in a war in response to the “sinking of the battleship USS Maine in Havana harbor (Engen). After defeating the “Spanish fleet in Manila Bay in March 1898,” U.S. troops entered Spain, including the southern islands, to abolish the colonial government (Engen). Not surprisingly, the M......half of the newspaper......ews (New York). (Sunday, June 5, 2011): 651 words. Academic LexisNexis. Network. Date accessed: 2013/11/11.Engen, Scott. “The Story of the 1911 Gun.” -Browning article. Np, January 24, 2011. Web. November 11, 2013. Jacobellis, Nick. "Arming Uncle Sam: US Sidearms of World War II." World War II 17.9(2003): 66. Military and Government Collection. Network. November 14, 2013.Shidler, Dan. Gun Digest Book of Combat Hundgun Classics. Gun Digest Books, 2011.Thompson, Leroy. The Colt 1911 Pistol. Osprey Publishing, 2011. "US Marines Place Multi-Million Dollar Order for Colt .45 M1911, 'World's Greatest Pistol'." Asian News International (ANI). (Sunday, July 29, 2012): 279 words. Academic LexisNexis. Network. Date accessed: 2013/11/11.Wright, Becky. “Browning Model 1911 pistols on display.” McClatchy - Tribune BusinessNews May 20, 201. ProQuest. Network. November 11. 2013.