WWII: annual mortar production 1939-1945, by country

Mortars were used by virtually all armies during the Second World War, due to their maneuverability and effectiveness on the battlefield. The mortars used in the Second World War were largely based on the Stokes Mortar, invented in 1915 - this design was more lightweight and portable than the traditional mortars that had been used in centuries past, and generally consisted of one longer barrel supported by a bipod. Not only did mortars allow units to attack the enemy from behind cover, but different ammunition could be used to illuminate or create smoke cover on the battlefield. During the war, the Soviet Union produced more mortars than all other major powers combined, manufacturing 230,000 mortars in 1942 alone.