The French Model 1949 9 mm submachine gun is most closely associated with France's decolonization campaigns, including Indochina and Algeria. The MAT 49 (Manufacture Nationale d'Armes de Tulle) is a simple, robust, compact, and reliable weapon that was used throughout Europe, Asia, and Africa.

Though production ceased in 1979, it is still used by some military forces to the present day. With its notable retractable stock and folding magazine well, the MAT 49 was specially favored by airborne and other elite forces. This book covers the early history of French submachine gun design back to 1919 and then details all aspects of the MAT 49 itself, including variants, ammunition, accessories, and combat usage.