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World War II's Five Deadliest Snipers

During the second World War, the sniper as an individual threat became more significant than during any other time in history. This was true not only because the evolution of weapon design led to more accurate rifles, capable of firing explosive, incendiary, and armor-piercing rounds, but also due to the fact that much of the combat took place in tight, low-visibility urban environments that catered to snipers's needs with high ground and plenty of cover. Here are the five deadliest snipers in military history, all from the World War II era.

1. Simo Häyhä

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Of the second World War's deadliest sharpshooters, only the most skillful of them all was of a nationality other than Soviet. His name was Simo Häyhä, but the Finnish farmer and huntsman became known as "White Death" to those who feared and respected him on the battlefield. On his way to tallying more confirmed kills than any other sniper in history (505 of them), Häyhä almost exclusively, and incredibly, shot with iron sights, rather than telescopic, on his Mosin-Nagant M28. What's more, Häyhä accomplished this feat in only 100 days fighting, as he was removed from service after taking an enemy bullet to the face.

2. Ivan Mihailovich Sidorenko

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Considered the second deadliest marksman in history with at least 500 confirmed kills, Ivan Mihailovich Sidorenko was drafted into the Red Army at the commencement of World War II in 1939, and finished his acclaimed career by receiving the title Hero of the Soviet Union. Like Simo Häyhä, Sidorenko equipped mainly a Mosin-Nagant rifle (although with an optical PU scope), which he famously used to fire a calibrated incendiary round (P3) at an enemy tank, successfully disabling it. After being seriously injured in Estonia, Sidorenko was prevented from returning to combat, as the Soviet Army considered his ability as a sniper trainer invaluable.

3. Nikolay Yakovlevich Kiselyov

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Nikolay Yakovlevich Kiselyov is remembered well for playing an instrumental role in saving the lives of over 200 Jews in Belarus, but also is recognized as the third most prolific sniper of World War II, to the tune of 494 confirmed kills. Like Sidorenko, Kiselyov served in the Soviet armed forces after an upbringing in a family of peasants, and later received many commendations for his valiant military service. Also like Sidorenko, Kiselyov made his mark predominantly with the use of a Mosin-Nagant Model 1891/30.

4. Ivan Nikolayevich Kulbertinov

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The third deadliest Soviet sniper in history, and the fourth deadliest overall, Ivan Nikolayevich Kulbertinov is attributed with 487 confirmed kills (489 by some counts). Born in 1917, Kulbertinov was a member of the 23rd Ski Brigade, and in addition to his valuable rifle skills, proved an excellent sniper trainer. He was posthumously awarded the Order of the Red Banner of Fame and the Red Star, and was promoted to the rank of Hero of the Soviet Union.

5. Vladimir Nikolaevich Pchelintsev

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Rounding out the top five deadliest marksmen of World War II, Vladimir Nikolaevich Pchelintsev comes in having acheived 456 confirmed kills. Pchelintsev volunteered to leave behind his college studies at the age of 21 and join the Red Army in 1941, and was quickly promoted to commander of a reconnaissance platoon. He was decorated with the Order of Lenin and Red Star awards, and his rifle is now on display in the State Historical Museum in Leningrad.

You might wonder why the list is dominated by Soviet soldiers, when today's expert marksmen come from all over the globe. The U.S.S.R., however, was the sole nation to offer sniper training to it's military in the decade preceding the war. Although none were prolific enough to make this list, it's also interesting to note that the Soviets fielded as many as 2,000 female snipers as well, including some who recorded more than 200 confirmed kills.

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