▁II ▁in ▁Europe , ▁Win chester ▁was ▁awarded ▁an ▁" ed uc ational " ▁production ▁contract ▁for ▁ 6 5 , 0 0 0 ▁rif les , ▁with ▁deliver ies ▁beginning ▁in ▁ 1 9 4 3 . ▁ ▁Service ▁use ▁ ▁The ▁M 1 ▁Gar and ▁was ▁made ▁in ▁large ▁numbers ▁during ▁World ▁War ▁II ; ▁approximately ▁ 5 . 4 ▁million ▁were ▁made . ▁They ▁were ▁used ▁by ▁every ▁branch ▁of ▁the ▁United ▁States ▁military . ▁The ▁rif le ▁generally ▁performed ▁well . ▁General ▁George ▁S . ▁Pat ton ▁called ▁it ▁" the ▁greatest ▁battle ▁implement ▁ever ▁de vised ." ▁The ▁impact ▁of ▁faster - f iring ▁inf antry ▁small ▁arms ▁in ▁general ▁soon ▁stim ulated ▁both ▁Al lied ▁and ▁A xis ▁forces ▁to ▁greatly ▁increase ▁their ▁issue ▁of ▁semi - ▁and ▁fully ▁automatic ▁fire ar ms ▁then ▁in ▁production , ▁as ▁well ▁as ▁to ▁develop ▁new ▁types ▁of ▁inf antry ▁fire ar ms . ▁ ▁Many ▁M 1 s ▁were ▁rep a ired ▁or ▁re built ▁after ▁World ▁War ▁II . ▁While ▁U . S . ▁forces ▁were ▁still ▁engaged ▁in ▁the ▁Korean ▁War , ▁the ▁Department ▁of ▁Def ense ▁decided ▁more ▁were ▁needed . ▁Spring field ▁Arm ory ▁r amp ed ▁up ▁production , ▁but ▁two ▁new ▁contract s ▁were ▁awarded . ▁During ▁ 1 9 5 3 – 5 6 , ▁M 1 s ▁were ▁produced ▁by ▁International ▁Har v ester ▁and ▁Harr ington ▁& ▁Richard son ▁in ▁which ▁International ▁Har v ester ▁alone ▁produced ▁a ▁total ▁of