German liquid-fueled ballistic missile of World War II, forerunner of modern space launch vehicles (See also rocket ) and long-range missiles.
Developed starting in 1936 under Wernher von Braun , it was fired against Paris, Great Britain, and Belgium in 1944 and 1945. After the war, the U.S. and the Soviet Union captured large numbers of V-2s and used them in research that led to the development of their missile and space-exploration programs. See also V-1 missile .