Tommy: The Gun that Changed America

This history traces the Tommy gun from its development during World War I through its later influence in the United States. Because the prototype was completed too late for the war, its manufacturer sought other buyers. Gangsters adopted the weapon during Prohibition-era conflicts in Chicago and elsewhere. The book connects the pursuit of criminals such as John Dillinger with J. Edgar Hoover’s career, new firearms regulations including the National Firearms Act, the National Rifle Association’s lobbying arm, and Hollywood’s campaign to make federal agents into movie heroes.