Both World war I and World war II resulted in unprecedented technological advancements that would shape the world to come. The advanced military technology developed by Germany under Hitler's rule was held in high esteem by her enemies. After the defeat of Germany in 1945, the victors of the West and East would grab most of what they could find on German weapon technology. As many as 1600 German scientists were allowed to continue their work for American weapon programs after the war in what is called Operation Paperclip. Huge amounts of scientists and engineers where taken to the USSR as well, but often involuntarily.
Lets take a look at some of the major weapon technology used after the Second World War and today that have its origins in Hitler's Germany or were extensively developed under his rule.
The Assault Rifle
The German army was the first military force to make use of dedicated semi/fully automatic intermediate assault rifles.
The StG-44 and later on the StG 45 would greatly influence the AK-47 and all Assault rifle derivatives after the second world war, and eventually set the standard for the type of weapon carried by the standard soldier for decades to come up to this day.
The Main Battle Tank Principle
During World War II, tanks consisted of three classes: light tanks, medium tanks and heavy tanks. But what if there was a universal tank, which would have the speed of a light tank, the armor and gun of a heavy tank, while having the weight of a medium tank? The Germans where the first to really incorporate these aspects in their Pzkfw V Panther Tank. While not a true MBT, it was the closest thing to it when it was first introduced in 1943. After the war, all major nations would swap to using MBTs to replace most other classes of tanks.
The Submarine
While submarines were used in warfare long before World War 2, it was Germany that made the most extensive use of them and subsequently explored all kinds of new concepts related to submarine warfare, including the first use of stealth technology, guided torpedoes, electric propulsion and ballistic missile launch capabilities. Most of the after-war USSR, USA and British submarines were directly based on the German u-Boots. The USSR and the USA made the dream of the Nazis (launching ICBMs from submarines) a reality.
Jet fighters
During world war 2, most aerial combat was done between propeller aircraft. However, both the USA, Britain and Germany were researching Jet-powered fighter aircraft. Germany had the largest progress in this area and managed to build the Me-262 jetfighter, which is considered to be the most advanced operational aircraft during World War II. However, due to its late introduction, it could not turn the tide of the war. After the second world war, Jet fighters would replace most prop-planes in combat roles and the Me-262 had a great influence on post-war designs in the East and the West.
Delta-wing Long Range Stealth Jet-Bombers
The Germans were developing a unique type of Jet-aircraft in the year 1943 and on wards, called the Horten Ho. 229. This aircraft was of the flying wing type, and it was intended to be used as a long range stealth bomber. It's not hard to see where the inspiration for the modern B2 Stealth bomber comes from.
Only prototypes of this type were made and they were not used in combat.
Cruise missiles
Cruise missiles, or "flying torpedoes", were not a new idea, but Germany was the first to implement them in world war 2 in the form of the V-1 flying bomb. They where launched from a ramp and made a horrible noise during flight that installed terror into the hearts of everyone who heard it. Allied fighter pilots would often try and intercept V-1 flying bombs and destroy them in flight. In the post-war period, the cruise-missile concept was heavily researched, engineered and adopted by the victors, and modern variants remain in use to this day.
Ballistic missiles
The German V-2 Rocket or ballistic missile was a wonder of engineering for its time. Development was lead by Wernher von Braun and slave-labour was used for the production of the rockets. While not accurate or reliable, the V-2 opened up a total new form of warfare. After the war, many nations, especially the US and the USSR, tried to get their hands on as many V-2 rockets as possible. The V-2 started a rocket revolution, and eventually lead to the Saturn V that got us to the moon. All modern Intercontinental Ballistic Missiles that carry nuclear warheads, but also all rockets that carry satellites to space, have their origins in the V-2.
Night Vision Devices
Military night vision devices are another invention of Hitler's Germany. Development started as early as 1939, but they were not used a lot during the war period and most stayed experimental. Some were installed on Panther Tanks and others on StG-44 assault rifles or on machineguns. After the war, night vision devices would see their full potential develop.
Helicopters
The first real military helicopters have their origins in Nazi-Germany. Germany developed multiple designs, with the Focke-Achgelis Fa 223 multi-rotor helicopter and the Flettner Fl-282 (see below) being the most influential designs. During the war, the full potential for helicopters was not discovered and they remained niche products with many design flaws and impracticalites. But when the war was over, helicopter development would flourish and they would become a vital asset to any military. Helicopters became increasingly famous due to their operation in the Vietnam war.
The above is just a small collection of some of the very influential German military inventions or concepts of world war 2. Many more different prototypes, designs and concepts were explored by Nazi-Germany, but many did not get further then the blueprint stage. It was all part of the core of Nazi-ideology: be at the forefront and the best at everything to proof German superiority in the world.
Some people ask them-self: how would military technology have looked like if Nazi-Germany had won the second world war? Well, It's quite easy to imagine the technology if the Nazis had won, because the German scientists and engineers who developed all of the Nazi technology and weapons continued their work in America and the USSR.
Sources:
STG-44
Panther Tank
U-boat
Me-262
Horten Ho. 229
V-1 Flying Bomb
V-2 Rocket
Night Vision
Flettner FL 282