The FP-45 Liberator was a pistol manufactured for the United States military during World War II for use by resistance forces in occupied territories.   Built by General Motors in the latter part of the war, it is a crude, single-shot pistol designed to be cheaply and quickly mass produced.   Valued more for its psychological warfare effect than its actual field performance, the plan was to drop these behind enemy lines in occupied territories in Europe, to be used by resistance fighters to kill German soldiers and then take their better weapons for later use in insurgency operations.  The US Army thought that the presence of so many of these would demoralize the enemy, who could never hope to retrieve the huge quantities planned for insertion.  This example is in excellent condition, and survives with the rare packing box and directions for use.  The directions exhibit the watermark that identifies it as an original specimen.

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