"Developed in the early years of Israeli independence to arm the nascent IDF, the Uzi has become arguably the most successful submachine gun in history. Simple, well-balanced, and ultra-reliable, the Uzi first entered Isaeli service in time for the 1956 Suez conflict, and was the principal IDF submachine gun of the Six-Day War. Progressively updated and modified, it remained in use with some Israeli units into the 21st century, and it became a huge export success, favoured by discerning users from the US Secret Service to commando units worldwide - and notorious as an icon of 1980's gang culture. With first-hand accounts from those who have used it in action, this book explains the technical qualities of the ingeniously simple submachine gun, its history as combat weapon, and how it came to occupy its place in firearms folklore." -- P. 4 of cover.