Military History Tanks and Other Armored Vehicles of World War II

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1 Military History Tanks and Other Armored Vehicles of World War II 2017 Mr.Smith s Class The Tank Comes of Age The name tank has unglamorous origins. During World War I the British had created the first modern, armored fighting vehicle. Since it was, at the time, a new secret weapon, its development had remained well-guarded secret. Once vehicles were produced they were ready to be shipped to the ports on the English Channel via railroad. Wishing to disguise their new tool of war, the British covered them in canvas and told the press that they were water tanks. The name tank stuck. However, these early tanks, as well as those of Germany and France, were relative failures early on. Though they did offer much need protection in the no-man s land of trench warfare, they were unreliable. Nose-dives into trenches, engine breakdowns and other calamities limited the fighting ability of the tank. Hampered by their slow speed, they did not offer an element of surprise and actually stifled the infantry advance. They were usually dispersed widely along the front rather than being used in concentrated numbers. This limited their role to artillery support for the infantry, rather than powerful units in their own right. The tank made its debut in World War I, but it would be in the next Great War that they would forever change modern warfare. Blitzkrieg Revolution Between the World Wars the German high command focused on modern weapons and modernized tactics to avoid the failures of offensives during the First World War. The tactic of Blitzkrieg was engineered by a German general named Heinz Guderian. Guderian s philosophy was simply that speed kills. Blitzkrieg(transl: lightning war) involved the use of three classes of vehicles, working in concert, to achieve military objectives. The first element was air power. Aircraft would fly close air support for forces on the ground, breaking up enemy ground forces ahead of advancing German columns and attacking any enemy strongholds that held up the advance. The second element, and the most essential, was the panzer, or tank. The tank was to be the spearhead of the German advance. The third element was mobile infantry, or troops carried in armored vehicles such as half-tracks. By providing troops with transportation, they could keep up with the tanks, support them, and capture objectives wherever necessary. Unlike their use in World War I, German tactical doctrine called for tanks to be conglomerated into massive Panzer Divisions, each including 100 s of vehicles. German adversaries such as the Poles and French still employed the outmoded dispersal strategy, thus allowing the Germans to mass their tanks against sectors of the Allied lines were few enemy tanks could oppose them. In the early blitzkrieg campaigns all went as clockwork, sometimes ground was even gained ahead of schedule. For example, in the early weeks of Operation Barbarossa, German forces invading the Soviet Union often advanced up to 100 miles beyond their objectives on a given day. The mobility of the armored spearhead was almost unstoppable but blitzkrieg relied on two things: good weather and a German Panzer IV Tank sufficient number and quality of tanks. Though the weather was ideal for the German invasion of Poland in 1939, the panzers available were barely fit for the job. However, the speed and dominance of the attack proved that solid tactics could mediate the problem of marginally capable vehicles. In the glory years of blitzkrieg in 1940 and 1941, the Germans upgraded their tanks in both quality and numbers, proving successful in even more ambitious campaigns. However, it was in 1941 that the German panzers, and the blitzkrieg, met their match mud and snow in Russia. Then World War II on the Eastern Front devolved into an old-

2 fashioned war of attrition. In such a war, the quality of one s tanks definitely impacts the outcome of the engagement. Types of Vehicles World War II fighting vehicles could be divided into a number of classes including tanks, tankdestroyers, self-propelled guns, armored cars and armored personnel carriers. The tank was a treaded vehicle that had the primary role of providing an armored advance against, and through or around, enemy lines. They were the core of the armored division. Also evolving during the war was the tank destroyer, essentially a tank configured in such a way as to specialize in knocking out other tanks. They were usually lightly armored but heavily armed vehicles. The self-propelled gun was essentially a high caliber artillery piece on treads. It was a cannon that could travel with the armored division on the road, and be rapidly deployed behind the advance to support the tip of the spear panzers up front. The armored car was a four, six or eight-wheeled vehicle that was ideal for reconnaissance, being swifter than the treaded tanks. The armored personnel carrier was a troop transport that provided protection for the mobile infantry. Though its armor was not as hearty as a tank s, it was sufficient against small arms fire, and thus superior to a simple military truck. Other military vehicles included amphibious tanks, trucks and jeeps, and anti-aircraft, bridge-laying and recovery vehicles. Tanks One could compare the various tanks of the Wehrmacht(German Army) over the years and see how quickly armored warfare evolved during World War II: Vehicle Year of Appearance Armament Panzer I x Heavy Machine Guns Panzer II mm Cannon Panzer III Late mm Cannon Panzer IV mm Cannon Panzer V mm Cannon Panzer VI mm Cannon Panzer VIB mm Cannon German Panzer VI Tiger Tank The mainstay of an armored division, the tank, was the spearhead of Axis and Allied armies; the Germans relied on constantly upgrading their arsenal to keep on par with the growing capabilities of Allied tanks. The early German tanks were horribly under-gunned, and were able to defeat heavy duty French Char-B1 tanks only due to the tactics of massing their forces and close air support from dive Soviet T-34 Tank bombers. However, in 1941, the Germans faced a rude awakening when they first encountered the Soviet T-34 tank. The T-34 was a crudely welded machine, but well-armed with a 75mm cannon and very thick armor. The secret to the T-34 s armor was the sloping nature of her hull. Sloped(slanted) armor provided two advantages. First, it increased the chances that an armor-piecing enemy shell would deflect off the surface. Second, by simply sloping the armor, one increased the thickness of the armor that an enemy shell had to penetrate(as shown below): Non sloping armor of 47mm. Sloping armor of 47mm essentially increases effective armor to 70mm.

3 At the time of its first appearance in 1941, the T-34 could knock many of the lighter German tanks none of which were of comparable quality in terms of raw effectiveness at that time. Thus, in 1943, the Germans unveiled their Panzer V Panther and Panzer VI Tiger tanks. Though they weren t as reliable as their Russian counterpart in terms of maintenance, they were the heavy tanks so desperately needed. On the Western Front German tanks outclassed their counterparts consistently during the Italian and French campaigns of the British and Americans from The main U.S. M4 Sherman Tank American tank, the M4 Sherman, was a match for the Panzer IV s with its 75mm gun, but a real underdog against German Panthers and Tigers. However, due to the benefits of American industrial power, the U.S. Army could field at least 5 Shermans for every heavy German tank, meaning they could descend on them like a pack of wolves, maneuvering behind to the weaker rear and side armor of the enemy vehicles. Other American tanks like the M5 Grant and M3 Sherman proved to be less battle-worthy. The M3 Stuart was a light tank with a 37mm cannon, the main weapon when the U.S. entered the war in The Grant was armed with a 75mm cannon but it was fixed in a forward-pointing position rather than in a turning turret. British tanks were typically characterized by heavy armor, low speed and small guns. In the desert war of North Africa speedy German tanks ran circles around British counterparts such as the Crusaders and Matildas, but had a tough time breaking their armor. This prompted General Erwin Rommel, The Desert Fox, to use the German 88mm Anti-Aircraft cannon against Allied tanks with Great success. This inspired the installation of such heavy guns as on the Tiger. Later in the war the British relied more and more on U.S. tanks like the Sherman and Grant, due to both attrition and matters of quality. British Crusader Tank Tank Hunters Due to the low caliber of German and Allied tanks early in the war, cheaply outfitted Tank Hunter vehicles were hastily cobbled out of other tanks to counter main battle tanks. The Germans were very innovative at creating Jagdpanzers (tank hunters). As tanks became outdated they would strip them of their turret and use their chassis(wheels, suspension and engine) to support a simple, welded hull with a larger weapon(the small turret that was removed could not support the larger gun). For example, the Marder II was a 75mm cannon mounted on the Panzer II chassis. The Marder III was a 75mm cannon mounted on the Panzer III chassis. The Germans even morphed the Panzer V chassis into the German Marder Tank Hunter Jagdpanther (Hunting Panther) tank hunter which carried a heavier 88mm gun. All of these tanks were handicapped by the fact that larger cannons meant giving up the turret and mounted the gun in a fixed, forward-pointing position. The Americans produced their own tank hunters including the Wolverine, using a modified turret on a Sherman tank chassis and a high caliber 76mm cannon, capable of knocking out heavy German tanks. The British made their U.S. M10 Wolverine Tank Hunter own modification of the Sherman chassis into the Achilles that carried an 88mm gun. Later in the war the Germans and Americans developed heavyduty tank hunters with original designs(rather than retrofitting old tanks). Tank hunters were a cost effective way to put cheaper, and quicker to produce vehicles with heavy hitting power, on the battlefield. By using the hulls of outdated tanks and by not casting turrets and the complicated machinery required to operate them, nations could quickly throw more armored vehicles at the enemy.

4 Self-Propelled Guns The name self-propelled gun sounds sophisticated, but it basically means artillery on treads. Most artillery in World War II was towed, pulled by horses, tractors or trucks. However, the Germans learned early on that by putting long-range cannons on tank-like chassis the cannons could move with the armored division and quickly set up to fire in support of the advance guard, whereas unhitching and prepping a towed cannon to fire would take more time. Additionally, the self-propelled gun offered some degree of crew and weapon protection, unlike two-wheeled cannons on the battlefield. The Germans carried 105mm and 150mm artillery pieces on their Wespe (Wasp) and Hummel (Bumble Bee) self-propelled guns. Being efficient as the German war machine usually was, old Panzer II and Panzer III chassis were used to mount the guns just as had been done with the tank hunters. The Americans, Russians and British also produced self-propelled guns such as the M7 Priest and its 105mm cannon. During the rapid advances of the American assaults through France, this gun could keep pace with the armored thrusts. The British 88mm Sexton and Soviet SU-76 served in similar roles. Later in the war the Germans lacked main battle tanks to carry on the fight, and impressed the Sturmgeschutz III, a self-propelled gun, into the role as a regular tank. However, like all self- Soviet Su-76 SPG propelled guns, it lacked a turret, and this limited its fighting capabilities. The Most Famous Armored Fighting Vehicles The German Panzer VI Tiger With its thick armor and 88mm cannon it was feared by American and British tank crews on the Western Front. It would usually take the loss of many Allied tanks before a Tiger was taken down. Especially in the hands of the elite Waffen SS German troopers, it was a menacing machine. The Soviet T-34 Most military historians consider this to be the best tank of the war. Easy to crank off of assembly lines with its crudely welded hull, it outclassed most German tanks and could stand toe-to-toe with the heavies. The M4 Sherman It was the most produced tank of the war. It was straightforward in design and an average tank in almost every since of the word. It had average armor, average speed and an average sized cannon. So why is it famous. It was the most seen tank on the Western Front, and the core of two Allied armies. The German Panzer VIB King Tiger German military experiments at the end of World War II were often known as super weapons. The Me-262 fighter jet, the V-2 rocket and the King Tiger tanks all fit this name. The King Tiger was the monster of the battlefield, with incredibly thick armor and, on some versions, a 128mm cannon(which is larger than the modern-day U.S. s M1A1 main battle tank s gun), it was unmatched. However, produced in too few numbers, it couldn t tip the balance of power. Panzer VIB King Tiger

5 Ford Jeep(US) BA-64(RUS) R-35(FRA) T-60(RUS) PANZER II(GER) T-26(RUS) T-70(RUS) M3 Stuart(USA) BT-7RUS) M13(ITA) Type 97 Chi-Ha(JAP) T-34(RUS) M4 Sherman(USA) Crusader II(BRI) PANZER IV(GER) Valentine(BRI) M3 Grant(USA) Semovente(ITA) Char B1(FRA) M26 Pershing(USA) KV-1(RUS) KV-2(RUS) PANZER VI TIGER(GER) PANZER VIB KING TIGER(GER)

6 T-34 s on the advance often loaded up with footsoldiers who needed easy transportation. A Panzer IV Model H(note side armor skirts) on the move through a French town. A column of M4 Sherman tanks moves forward.

7 A Panzer III in Poland. A captured British Matilda in North Africa A German Panzer VI Tiger tank operating in Southern Russia. The gigantic KV-II Soviet tank and its 152mm cannon.

8 Military History Name: Period: Questions 1. Which general from history contributed the most to the development of the use of tanks in modern warfare? 2. What were the three elements of blitzkrieg tactics? a) (b) (c) 3. Why were French and Polish tanks ineffective against German panzer divisions, despite being of equal or superior status in terms of their technology? 4. What were four categories of armored fighting vehicles? a) (b) (c) (d) 5. What does the chart on the middle of the second page indicate about the changing nature of tank warfare in World War II? 6. What Soviet tank posed a serious threat to German panzers in 1941? 7. What were two advantages of sloping armor? a) b) 8. What two heavy German tanks were developed as a response? a) (b) 9. Why did American tank units perform well despite being outgunned and out-armored by German panzers? More on the back

9 10. What was one positive quality of many British tanks despite their limitations? 11. Were most tank-hunter vehicles designed from the ground up? Explain. M3 Grant/Lee Tank 12. Why were Self Propelled Gun artillery pieces superior to traditional, two-wheeled gun chassis?