IV~T-34~M4

[plan_D]

If you read Achtung: Panzer by Heinz Guderian, written in 1937, you will discover that Guderian's ideas were developed from the British and French. The Russian deep operation tactical writings were around the same time but strictly secret.

Blitzkrieg was not a term until 1941 when a New York Times journalist coins it.

 

[stonewall23]

Really ,I was alwas under the impression that Hitler coined the term ' blitzkrieg '. I must try and find a copy .Alway's willing to learn from those who know.Thanks again.

 

[DerAdlerIstGelandet]

Several German writers used the word Blitzkrieg before WW2 in articals but it was not officially used by the Germany during the war. It was a 1939 Times magazine artical that coined it.

"Blitzkrieg" is a German compound meaning "lightning war". The word did not enter official terminology of the Wehrmacht either before or during the war, even though it was already used in the military Journal "Deutsche Wehr" in 1935, in the context of an article on how states with insufficient food and raw materials supply can win a war. Another appearance is in 1938 in the "Militär-Wochenblatt", where Blitzkrieg is defined as a "strategic attack", carried out by operational use of tanks, air force, and airborne troops. Karl-Heinz Frieser in his book 'Blitzkrieg Legende', who researched the origin of the term and found the above examples, points out that the pre-war use of the term is rare, and that it practically never entered official terminology throughout the war.[1]

It was first popularised in the English-speaking world by the American newsmagazine TIME describing the 1939 German invasion of Poland. Published on September 25 1939, well into the campaign, the account reads:
Blitzkrieg - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

 

[plan_D]

Yes, my mistake it was 1939. Paul Harris states this in my copy of Achtung-Panzer. He also mentions, in the introduction, that Guderian's ideas resemble the Soviet 'Deep Battle' and 'Deep Operation' theories. But the think tanks behind those doctrines, Tukhachevsky and Triandafillov, are not mentioned.

The major influences were the British Major-General Swinton and Charles De Gaulle.

 

[lesofprimus]

Glad to see u posting again pD...

 

[plan_D]

Thanks. I've been very busy recently with all my assignments. In fact, I should really be doing some now.

 

[DerAdlerIstGelandet]

How are your studies going anyhow?

 

[plan_D]

Good. I've passed my first unit of eighteen! And the unit I've passed doesn't even finish until end of Jan. - but I rushed all my assignments 'n finished 'em. I'll just try to achieve a merit or distingtion on the unit.

Done my first assignment in metal work, and finished three pieces within tolerances. Done my first hydraulics assignment, and passed. Got four of the six passes in Science, and two of the merits. And done my first electronic principles assignment. So it's going good...I seem to be the smartest of the lot - which is terrifying for British holiday makers !

 

[DerAdlerIstGelandet]

Seems to me you will basically have what we call an A&P Liscense. I got mine from going to the military school for it and then getting experience in the Army and then going to a Testing Center and just testing out on the subjects.

If you need help with anything I still have a lot of my books and handbooks. I might be able to help you out with stuff.

 

[Henk]

If you look at one of the best main battle tanks today the Leopard tank from Germany is one of them. The designers looked at the mistakes that were made during WW2 and also used some of those ideas to create one mean tank that is almost perfect.

Were the T-34 ideas used to make a impact on the design of the Leopard tank?

 

[merlin]

A mystery of WW2 to me is why there wasn't a westernised T-34? That is the Russians would have seen what rubbish they were being sent in the way of tank supplies e.g. British Valentine. Why couldn't they spare a couple for the British US to study, and produce something with the balance of its qualities - slopping armour, speed, and weaponry, and western equipement!
The Germans did it - hence the Panther, could we have had a Centurian or a (faster) Black Prince, earlier, and the US replaced the Sherman much earlier!?

Guderian - didn't realise the significance at the time, only later did he think 'that's why' when Russian Military liasion officers inspected the German tank factories (prior to hostilities) they were annoyed when the couldn't see the German 'heavy tanks'! The Russians knew they had the KV series, and assumed the Germans were have something similar, strictly speaking they did but only in prototype form which didn't go into production.

 

[the lancaster kicks ass]

what's wrong with the Sherman in those terms? would just about siffice, mass produced and numbers won the day, granted she wasn't the same as the T-34 but similar ideals..........

 

[mkloby]

what's wrong with the Sherman in those terms? would just about siffice, mass produced and numbers won the day, granted she wasn't the same as the T-34 but similar ideals..........

You're damn right it was sufficient! The quality of mass production is often overlooked for other sexier traits like mobility, armor, and firepower. Of course, the T-34 had quite a production run too.

 

[merlin]

The Sherman was a good tank in '42 - a great help to Montgomery in El Alamein. But not much after that - it was becoming left behind in the arms race against German armour. The Tiger, Panther (Germany's answer to the T-34), and probably the up-gunned Pzw 4, out-ranged the Sherman's 75mm gun. To stand a chance against a Tiger - a Sherman would race the turret as it slowly turned round.
Yes, US mass-production was able to make good the losses, but what about the crews - the Sherman had the unfortunate nicknames of 'Ronson Lighter' 'Tommy Cooker'. How many good men, could have survived with better equipment.
How fortunate, that some could be up-gunned 17 pdr. or 77mm gun (Firefly) but they weren't enough, and the armour still wasn't sufficient.
That's why of the three the T-34 was best, but if the Panther was also an option?

 

[DerAdlerIstGelandet]

I have to agree with merlin on this one.