Nazi Germany developed numerous tank designs used in World War II . In addition to domestic designs, Germany also used various captured and foreign-built tanks.
171-568: German tanks were an important part of the Wehrmacht and played a fundamental role during the whole war, and especially in the blitzkrieg battle strategy. In the subsequent more troubled and prolonged campaigns, German tanks proved to be adaptable and efficient adversaries to the Allies . When the Allied forces technically managed to surpass the earlier German tanks in battle, they still had to face
342-857: A joint campaign with the Italian Army , and may be considered a separate theatre . More than 6,000,000 soldiers were wounded during the conflict, while more than 11,000,000 became prisoners. In all, approximately 5,318,000 soldiers from Germany and other nationalities fighting for the German armed forces—including the Waffen-SS , Volkssturm and foreign collaborationist units—are estimated to have been killed in action, died of wounds, died in custody or gone missing in World War II. Included in this number are 215,000 Soviet citizens conscripted by Germany. According to Frank Biess, German casualties took
513-536: A clandestine cadre of air force officers in the early 1920s. These officers saw the role of an air force as winning air superiority, strategic bombing, and close air support. That the Luftwaffe did not develop a strategic bombing force in the 1930s was not due to a lack of interest, but because of economic limitations. The leadership of the Navy led by Grand Admiral Erich Raeder , a close protégé of Alfred von Tirpitz ,
684-929: A design intended for training, the Panzer ;I was less capable than some other contemporary light tank designs, such as the Soviet T-26 , although it was still relatively advanced compared to older designs, such as the Renault FT , still in service in several nations, and others. Although lacking in armored combat as a tank, it formed a large part of Germany's mechanized forces and was used in all major campaigns between September 1939 and December 1941, where it still performed much useful service against entrenched infantry and other "soft" targets, which were unable to respond even against thin armor, and who were highly vulnerable to machine gun fire. The small, vulnerable light tank, along with its somewhat more powerful successor
855-610: A different tank, with thicker armor, a new turret, engine and gun. Many of the components from the original Panther were dropped and replaced by components from the Tiger and Tiger II. It would have been faster, though weighed more. One prototype was made but it was halted to focus on the Panther I. Some of the design influence went into the E-50. Number built—1,347 In response to the T-34 after
1026-468: A fast breakthrough tank, similar to the British cruiser tank , which was to be armored against enemy anti-tank weapons and have a large, 75 mm (2.95 in) main gun. Lastly, Germany needed a heavy tank , armed with a 150 mm (5.9 in) cannon to defeat enemy fortifications , and even stronger armor. Such a tank required a weight of 70 to 100 tonnes and was completely impractical given
1197-591: A greater quantity of medium and heavy vehicles, German crews were trained and experienced in the new combined tactics of tanks, anti-tank guns and dive bombers . In particular the Wehrmacht exploited the advantages of the Panzer III, with its modern radio communications system and a crew of three men in the turret, resulting in greater efficiency in the field and winning the Battle of France . The objections to
1368-549: A gun for engaging other tanks and the Panzer IV with a short barreled howitzer to be used in support of the infantry, with production starting in 1936 and 1937 respectively. The design work for the Panzer IV had begun in 1935 and trials of prototypes were undertaken in 1937, but by the time of the invasion of Poland only a few hundred 'troop trial' models were available. Development work was then halted and limited production
1539-587: A larger 75 mm (2.95 in) low-velocity gun in the hull. The French also had around 250 Somua S-35 , widely regarded as one of the best tanks of the period, armed with the same 47 mm main gun and protected by almost 55 mm (2.17 in) of armor at its thickest point. Nevertheless, the French also deployed over 3,000 light tanks, including about 500 World War I-vintage FT-17s . German armor enjoyed multiple advantages: Radios allowed them to coordinate faster than their British or French counterparts, while
1710-596: A maximum of 200 mm of armor plating at the front. Number built—492 Even larger and heavier than the Tiger I , the Pzkpfw VIB Tiger II. It is also known under the informal name Königstiger (the German name for the " Bengal tiger "), often semi-literally translated as the 'King Tiger' or 'Royal Tiger' by Allied soldiers. It was the largest tank mass-produced by German forces during the war, and remains among
1881-532: A modern offensively-capable armed force, fulfilling the Nazi regime's long-term goals of regaining lost territory as well as gaining new territory and dominating its neighbours. This required the reinstatement of conscription and massive investment and defence spending on the arms industry . The Wehrmacht formed the heart of Germany's politico-military power. In the early part of the Second World War ,
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#17327805976592052-596: A month. The panzer force for the early German victories was a mix of the Panzer I ( machine gun only), Panzer II (20 mm autocannon ) light tanks and two models of Czech tanks (the Panzer 38(t) and the Panzer 35(t) ). By May 1940 there were 349 Panzer III tanks available for the attacks on France and the Low Countries . Though the Anglo-French forces appeared numerically and technically superior, with
2223-534: A new 30–35 tonne tank by spring 1942. The two T-34 influenced proposals were delivered in April 1942. The Daimler-Benz design was an 'homage' to the T-34, ditching the propensity for engineering excellence, and hence complexity, to produce a clean, simple design with plenty of potential. The MAN design was more conventional to German thinking and was the one accepted by the Waffenprüfamt 6 committee. A prototype
2394-580: A preliminary vehicle to train German tank crews. This became the Panzer I. The Panzer I's design history can be traced to the British Carden Loyd tankette , of which it borrowed much of its track and suspension design. After six prototypes Kleintraktor were produced the cover name was changed to Krupp-Traktor whereas the development codename was changed to Landwirtschaftlicher Schlepper (La S) (Agricultural Tractor). The La S
2565-539: A rare command version of the tank. The museum announced in 2023 that a Panzer I replica would take part in its 2023 Tiger Day and TANKFEST events. The replica was built in Belgium but is based on one preserved in a Spanish museum. It uses a modern engine and is marked in colours used during the Spanish Civil War. Between 1934 and the mid-1940s, several variants of the Panzer I were designed, especially during
2736-477: A result of this haste. With a production target of 600 vehicles a month the work had to be expanded out of MAN to include Daimler-Benz, and in 1943 the firms of Maschinenfabrik Niedersachsen-Hannover and Henschel . Due to disruption monthly production never approached the target, peaking in July 1944 with 380 tanks delivered and ending around April 1945 with at least 5,964 built. In addition to these mainstream efforts
2907-637: A seven-speed gearbox and hydraulic disc brakes. The armor was homogenous steel plate , welded but also interlocked for strength. Preproduction models had only 60 mm frontal hull armor, but this was soon increased to 80 mm on the production Ausf. D and later models. The main gun was a 75 mm L/70 with 79 rounds, supported by two MG 34 machine guns. The MAN design was officially accepted in September 1942 and put into immediate production with top priority; finished tanks were being produced just two months later and suffered from reliability problems as
3078-408: A single Joint Chief of Staff, Hitler refused. Even after the defeat at Stalingrad, Hitler refused, stating that Göring as Reichsmarschall and Hitler's deputy, would not submit to someone else or see himself as an equal to other service commanders. However, a more likely reason was Hitler feared it would break his image of having the "Midas touch" concerning military strategy. With the creation of
3249-517: A single Panzer I Ausf. A had previously been sold. A final order was supplied to Hungary in 1942, totalling eight Ausf. Bs and six command versions. These were incorporated into the 1st Armored Division and saw combat in late 1942. At least 1 Panzer I Ausf. B was sent to the Army of the Independent State of Croatia . The British The Tank Museum at Bovington Camp has
3420-764: A sudden jump with the defeat of the Sixth Army at Stalingrad in January 1943, when 180,310 soldiers were killed in one month. Among the 5.3 million Wehrmacht casualties during the Second World War, more than 80 per cent died during the last two years of the war. Approximately three-quarters of these losses occurred on the Eastern front (2.7 million) and during the final stages of the war between January and May 1945 (1.2 million). Jeffrey Herf wrote that: Whereas German deaths between 1941 and 1943 on
3591-463: A superstructure and turret. Two more combat versions of the Panzer I were designed and produced between 1939 and 1942. By this stage, the design concept had been superseded by medium and heavy tanks and neither variant was produced in sufficient numbers to have a real impact on the progress of the war. These new tanks had nothing in common with either the Ausf. A or B except name. One of these,
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#17327805976593762-604: A time frame of 10 years for remilitarization, but soon shortened it to four years. With the remilitarization of the Rhineland and the Anschluss , the German Reich's territory increased significantly, providing a larger population pool for conscription. Recruitment for the Wehrmacht was accomplished through voluntary enlistment and conscription, with 1.3 million being drafted and 2.4 million volunteering in
3933-948: A training tank to introduce the concept of armored warfare to the German Army , the Panzer I saw combat in Spain during the Spanish Civil War , in Poland , France , the Soviet Union and North Africa during the Second World War , and in China during the Second Sino-Japanese War . Experiences with the Panzer I during the Spanish Civil War helped shape the German Panzerwaffe 's invasion of Poland in 1939 and France in 1940. By 1941,
4104-404: Is considered by some to have been the best tank in the war, and to have greatly influenced post-war tank designs, setting a role model for the balance of firepower, mobility, and armor protection. Number built—1 chassis. The Panther II was built as a successor to the Panther tank, featuring improvements from lessons learnt from the Eastern front campaign. While visually similar, it was essentially
4275-494: Is considered one of the best tanks of World War II for its excellent firepower and protection, although its initial tech reliability was less impressive. Number built—6 Germany was forbidden to produce and use tanks because of the Treaty of Versailles . But a secret program under the code name "Traktor" was developing armored military vehicles and artillery. Grosstraktors were used only for training. Number built—4 Two years after
4446-517: Is used in English and some other languages as a loanword in the context of the German military. In particular, it is used in the proper names of military formations ( Panzerdivision , 4th Panzer Army , etc.), and in the proper names of tanks, such as Panzer IV , etc. The dated German term is Panzerkampfwagen , "tank" or "armoured combat vehicle". The modern commonly used synonym is Kampfpanzer , or "fight panzer ". The first German tank,
4617-504: The Luftwaffe (air force). The designation " Wehrmacht " replaced the previously used term Reichswehr ( Reich Defence ) and was the manifestation of the Nazi regime's efforts to rearm Germany to a greater extent than the Treaty of Versailles permitted. After the Nazi rise to power in 1933, one of Adolf Hitler 's most overt and bellicose moves was to establish the Wehrmacht ,
4788-703: The Polnische Wehrmacht ('Polish Wehrmacht', 'Polish Defense Force') in German. In January 1919, after World War I ended with the signing of the armistice of 11 November 1918 , the armed forces were dubbed Friedensheer (peace army). In March 1919, the national assembly passed a law founding a 420,000-strong preliminary army, the Vorläufige Reichswehr . The terms of the Treaty of Versailles were announced in May, and in June, Germany signed
4959-525: The Reichswehr , was established on 23 March 1921. General conscription was abolished under another mandate of the Versailles treaty. The Reichswehr was limited to 115,000 men, and thus the armed forces, under the leadership of Hans von Seeckt , retained only the most capable officers. The American historians Alan Millet and Williamson Murray wrote "In reducing the officers corps, Seeckt chose
5130-647: The 15th Panzer Division . This force landed at Tripoli on 12 February 1941 shortly after the British Operation Compass had routed and captured an Italian army in Italian Libya . Upon arrival, Rommel had around 150 tanks, about half Panzer III and IV. The rest were Panzer Is and IIs, although the Panzer I was soon replaced. On 6 April 1941, Germany attacked both Yugoslavia and Greece , with fourteen divisions invading Greece from neighboring Bulgaria , which by then had joined
5301-565: The A7V of 1918, was referred to as a Sturmpanzerwagen (roughly, "armoured assault vehicle"). The German tank forces were a success especially due to tactical innovation. Using so-called Blitzkrieg ("lightning war") tactics, Heinz Guderian , Ewald von Kleist and other field commanders such as Erwin Rommel broke the hiatus of the Phoney War in a manner almost outside the comprehension of
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5472-709: The Allied —and, indeed, the German—High Command. Basically, as a coherent unit, the combined arms tactic of the blitzkrieg shocked the Allies. Despite this, the German Panzer forces at the start of World War II appeared not especially impressive. Only 4% of the defense budget was spent on armored fighting vehicle (AFV) production. Guderian had planned for two main tanks: the Panzer III equipped with
5643-566: The Atlantic Wall . The post- World War I Treaty of Versailles of 1919 prohibited the design, manufacture and deployment of tanks within the Reichswehr . Paragraph Twenty-four of the treaty provided for a 100,000- mark fine and imprisonment of up to six months for anybody who "[manufactured] armored vehicles, tanks or similar machines, which may be turned to military use". Despite the manpower and technical limitations imposed on
5814-492: The Ausf. F , was as different from the Ausf. C as it was from the Ausf. A and B. Intended as an infantry support tank, the Panzer I Ausf. F had a maximum armor thickness of 80 millimeters (3.15 in) and weighed between 18 and 21 tonnes. The Ausf. F was armed with two 7.92 mm MG-34s . Thirty were produced in 1940, and a second order of 100 was later canceled. In order to compensate for
5985-485: The Battle of Moscow (1941); by late 1942, Germany was losing the initiative in all theatres. The German operational art proved no match to that of the Allied coalition , making the Wehrmacht's weaknesses in strategy, doctrine, and logistics apparent. Closely cooperating with the SS and their Einsatzgruppen death squads, the German armed forces committed numerous war crimes (despite later denials and promotion of
6156-641: The Battle of Moscow , the Siege of Leningrad , Stalingrad , Tunis in North Africa , and the Battle of Kursk . The German Army was managed through mission-based tactics (rather than order-based tactics) which was intended to give commanders greater freedom to act on events and exploit opportunities. In public opinion, the German Army was, and sometimes still is, seen as a high-tech army. However, such modern equipment, while featured much in propaganda,
6327-723: The Battle of Nanjing by the 3rd Armored Battalion of the ROC's National Revolutionary Army (NRA) to fight against the Imperial Japanese Army (IJA). Following the fall of Nanking , the Chinese Panzer I Ausf. As were captured by the Japanese and put on display at the Yasukuni Shrine . Because of the close relationship between Hitler's Germany and Imperial Japan by that time, the Chinese Panzer I Ausf. A
6498-645: The Heer , the Kriegsmarine , the Luftwaffe , the Waffen-SS , the Volkssturm , and foreign collaborator units ) had lost approximately 11,300,000 men, about 5,318,000 of whom were missing, killed or died in captivity. Only a few of the Wehrmacht ' s upper leadership went on trial for war crimes, despite evidence suggesting that more were involved in illegal actions. According to Ian Kershaw , most of
6669-852: The Iberian Peninsula as Spain dissolved into a state of civil war . After the chaos of the initial uprising, two opposing sides coalesced and began to consolidate their position—the Popular front (the Republicans) and the Spanish Nationalist front . In an early example of a proxy war , both sides quickly received support from other countries, most notably the Soviet Union and Germany as both wanted to test their tactics and equipment. The first shipment of foreign tanks, 50 Soviet T-26s , arrived on 15 October. The shipment
6840-515: The Junkers Ju 87 Stuka dive bomber. The planes cooperated closely with the ground forces. Overwhelming numbers of fighters assured air-supremacy, and the bombers would attack command- and supply-lines, depots, and other support targets close to the front. The Luftwaffe would also be used to transport paratroopers, as first used during Operation Weserübung . Due to the Army's sway with Hitler,
7011-427: The Luftwaffe was often subordinated to the Army, resulting in it being used as a tactical support role and losing its strategic capabilities. The Western Allies' strategic bombing campaign against German industrial targets (particularly the round-the-clock Combined Bomber Offensive ) and Germany's Defence of the Reich deliberately forced the Luftwaffe into a war of attrition. With German fighter force destroyed,
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7182-537: The OKH became the de facto Eastern Theatre higher-echelon command-organization for the Wehrmacht , excluding Waffen-SS except for operational and tactical combat purposes. The OKW conducted operations in the Western Theatre. The operations by the Kriegsmarine in the North and Mid-Atlantic can also be considered as separate theatres, considering the size of the area of operations and their remoteness from other theatres. The Wehrmacht fought on other fronts, sometimes three simultaneously; redeploying troops from
7353-424: The Panzer I Ausf. C , was designed jointly between Krauss-Maffei and Daimler-Benz in 1939 to provide an amply armored and armed reconnaissance light tank. The Ausf. C boasted a completely new chassis and turret, a modern torsion-bar suspension and five Schachtellaufwerk -style interleaved roadwheels. It also had a maximum armor thickness of 30 millimeters (1.18 in), over twice that of either
7524-472: The Panzer II , would soon be surpassed as a front-line armored combat vehicle by more powerful German tanks, such as the Panzer III , and later the Panzer IV , Panzer V , and Panzer VI ; nevertheless, the Panzer I's contribution to the early victories of Nazi Germany during World War II was significant. Later in the war, the turrets of many obsolete Panzer Is and Panzer IIs were repurposed as gun turrets on defensive fighting positions , particularly on
7695-424: The SS and Wehrmacht , many SS officers were former army officers, which ensured continuity and understanding between the two. Throughout the war, army and SS soldiers worked together in various combat situations, creating bonds between the two groups. Guderian noted that every day the war continued the Army and the SS became closer together. Towards the end of the war, army units would even be placed under
7866-501: The SS was to be "procured from the Wehrmacht upon payment", however "in peacetime, no organizational connection with the Wehrmacht exists." The army was however allowed to check the budget of the SS and inspect the combat readiness of the SS troops. In the event of mobilization, the Waffen-SS field units could be placed under the operational control of the OKW or the OKH. All decisions regarding this would be at Hitler's personal discretion. Though there existed conflict between
8037-445: The SS were stepped up as well. Following the Battle of Stalingrad in 1943, fitness and physical health standards for Wehrmacht recruits were drastically lowered, with the regime going so far as to create "special diet" battalions for men with severe stomach ailments. Rear-echelon personnel were more often sent to front-line duty wherever possible, especially during the final two years of the war where, inspired by constant propaganda,
8208-447: The Soviet Union in Operation Barbarossa signaled a very important change in German tank development. In June 1941 Panzer III tanks first encountered the Soviet T-34 medium tank. Initially the Germans had 1,449 Panzer III tanks ready for combat, about 950 of which were versions equipped with the 50 mm L/42 gun, which constituted the Wehrmacht's main tank force. In July 1941 36 Panzer and motorized infantry divisions were assigned to
8379-466: The Soviet Union , including the Caucasian Muslim Legion , Turkestan Legion , Crimean Tatars, ethnic Ukrainians and Russians, Cossacks , and others who wished to fight against the Soviet regime or who were otherwise induced to join. Between 15,000 and 20,000 anti-communist White émigrés who had left Russia after the Russian Revolution joined the ranks of the Wehrmacht and Waffen-SS , with 1,500 acting as interpreters and more than 10,000 serving in
8550-424: The Spanish Civil War . The effectiveness of officer training and recruitment by the Wehrmacht has been identified as a major factor in its early victories as well as its ability to keep the war going as long as it did even as the war turned against Germany. As the Second World War intensified, Kriegsmarine and Luftwaffe personnel were increasingly transferred to the army, and "voluntary" enlistments in
8721-403: The Tripartite Pact . The invasion of Yugoslavia included six panzer divisions which still fielded the Panzer I. Yugoslavia surrendered 17 April 1941, and Greece fell on 30 April 1941. The final major campaign in which the Panzer I formed a large portion of the armored strength was Operation Barbarossa , 22 June 1941. The 3,300 German tanks included about 410 Panzer Is. By
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#17327805976598892-451: The Wehrmacht employed combined arms tactics (close-cover air-support, tanks and infantry) to devastating effect in what became known as Blitzkrieg (lightning war). Its campaigns in France (1940) , the Soviet Union (1941) and North Africa (1941/42) are regarded by historians as acts of boldness. At the same time, the extent of advances strained the Wehrmacht's capacity to the breaking point, culminating in its first major defeat in
9063-402: The myth of the clean Wehrmacht ). The majority of the war crimes took place in the Soviet Union, Poland, Yugoslavia, Greece, and Italy, as part of the war of annihilation against the Soviet Union, the Holocaust and Nazi security warfare . During World War II about 18 million men served in the Wehrmacht . By the time the war ended in Europe in May 1945, German forces (consisting of
9234-459: The " battle of annihilation ", the Wehrmacht managed many lightning quick victories in the first year of World War II, prompting foreign journalists to create a new word for what they witnessed: Blitzkrieg . Germany's immediate military success on the field at the start of the Second World War coincides the favorable beginning they achieved during the First World War, a fact which some attribute to their superior officer corps. The Heer entered
9405-408: The "German Wehrmacht ", consisting of the Seemacht (sea force) and the Landmacht (land force). In 1919, the term Wehrmacht also appears in Article 47 of the Weimar Constitution , establishing that: "The Reich's President holds supreme command of all armed forces [i.e. the Wehrmacht ] of the Reich". From 1919, Germany's national defense force was known as the Reichswehr , a name that
9576-466: The "Grosstraktor" project, prototypes of "Leichter Traktor" ("Light Tractor") were built. In the early years of World War II they were used as training tanks. The Germans tested the tank in the Soviet Union under the Treaty of Rapallo . Number built—1,493 The first of these German-built tanks was the Panzer I. It was not designed for combat, but rather as a training vehicle to familiarize tank crews with Germany's modern battle concepts, and to prepare
9747-492: The 1st Panzer Division included no less than fourteen Panzer Is, while the other six divisions included thirty-four. About 2,700 tanks were available for the invasion of Poland, but only 310 of the heavier Panzer III and IV tanks were available. Furthermore, 350 were of Czech design—the rest were either Panzer Is or Panzer IIs . The invasion was swift and the last Polish pockets of resistance surrendered on 6 October. The entire campaign had lasted five weeks (with help of
9918-441: The 75 mm weapon on the Sherman at normal combat ranges. The British up-gunned the Sherman with their highly effective 76mm QF 17-pounder gun resulting in the Sherman Firefly , which was the only Allied tank capable of dealing with all German tanks, at normal combat ranges, in time for the Normandy landings . It was not until July 1944 that American Shermans fitted with the 76 mm gun M1 gun achieved parity in firepower with
10089-482: The Armed Forces, retaining the position until his suicide on 30 April 1945. The title of Commander-in-Chief was given to the Minister of the Reichswehr Werner von Blomberg , who was simultaneously renamed the Reich Minister of War. Following the Blomberg-Fritsch Affair , Blomberg resigned and Hitler abolished the Ministry of War. As a replacement for the ministry, the Wehrmacht High Command Oberkommando der Wehrmacht (OKW), under Field Marshal Wilhelm Keitel ,
10260-400: The Ausf. H was put into production with simpler mechanics, wider tracks, and improved armor. In April 1941 there was a general 'recall' of the Panzer III to upgrade the main gun to the new 50 mm KwK L/60 , with the new Panzergranate 40 projectile, and muzzle velocity was pushed to 3875 ft/s (1,181 m/s). New tanks produced with this gun were designated Ausf. J. The invasion of
10431-442: The Ausf. A or B, and was armed with a Mauser EW 141 semi-automatic anti-tank rifle , with a 50-round drum, firing powerful armor-piercing 7.92×94mm Patronen 318 anti-tank rounds. Forty of these tanks were produced, along with six prototypes. Two tanks were deployed to 1st Panzer Division in 1943, and the other thirty-eight were deployed to the LVIII Panzer Reserve Corps during the Normandy landings . The second vehicle,
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#173278059765910602-449: The Ausf. B. The air-cooled engine (producing just 60 metric horsepower (44 kW) was replaced by a water-cooled, six-cylinder Maybach NL 38 TR, developing 100 metric horsepower (74 kW), and the gearbox was changed to a more reliable model. The larger engine required the extension of the vehicle's chassis by 40 cm (16 in), and this allowed the improvement of the tank's suspension, adding another bogie wheel and raising
10773-480: The Battle of Norway in 1940. Number built—6,000 The Panther was a medium tank (45 tonnes) with a crew of five, which was designed to counter the Soviet T-34 tank. In weight it was comparable to Soviet heavy tanks. This tank was introduced in the Battle of Kursk , one of the largest tank battles in history. It had sloped armor which increased the effective relative thickness of the armor from 80 mm (3.1 in) to roughly 140 mm (5.5 in), effectively making
10944-470: The British. Karl Doenitz , the U-Boat Chief, began unrestricted submarine warfare which cost the Allies 22,898 men and 1,315 ships. The U-boat war remained costly for the Allies until early spring of 1943 when the Allies began to use countermeasures against U-Boats such as the use of Hunter-Killer groups, airborne radar, torpedoes and mines like the FIDO . The submarine war cost the Kriegsmarine 757 U-boats, with more than 30,000 U-boat crewmen killed. In
11115-417: The German Panzerkorps and he subsequently improved logistical support. In October 1938, Germany occupied Czechoslovakia 's Sudetenland , and the remainder of the country in March 1939. The capture of Czechoslovakia allowed several Czech tank designs, such as the Panzer 38(t) , and their subsequent variants and production, to be incorporated into the German Army's strength. It also prepared German forces for
11286-448: The German Army by the Treaty of Versailles, several Reichswehr officers established a clandestine general staff to study World War I and develop future strategies and tactics. Although at first the concept of the tank as a mobile weapon of war met with apathy, German industry was encouraged to look into tank design, while quiet cooperation was undertaken with the Soviet Union . There was also minor military cooperation with Sweden, including
11457-423: The German armed forces prior to 1941. With the invasion of the Soviet Union in 1941, the government's positions changed. German propagandists wanted to present the war not as a purely German concern, but as a multi-national crusade against the so-called Jewish Bolshevism . Hence, the Wehrmacht and the SS began to seek out recruits from occupied and neutral countries across Europe: the Germanic populations of
11628-497: The German army also experimented with a variety of unusual prototypes and also put into production several peculiarities. Some Tiger tanks were fitted with anti-personnel grenade launchers that were loaded and fired from within the tank as an anti-ambush device. The Panther first saw action in the Battle of Kursk beginning on July 5, 1943, where it served alongside the Panzer IV and the heavier Tiger I. The Panther proved to be effective in open country and long range engagements and
11799-418: The German army's early success. In the strategies of the Blitzkrieg , the Wehrmacht combined the mobility of light tanks with airborne assault to quickly progress through weak enemy lines, enabling the German army to quickly take over Poland and France. These tanks were used to break through enemy lines, isolating regiments from the main force so that the infantry behind the tanks could quickly kill or capture
11970-408: The German tank force during World War II. It saw combat in all land theaters, with the exception of the Pacific Theater, and was the only tank to remain in production for the entire war. The Panzer IV was originally intended to be an infantry-support tank. It was thus armed with a 75 mm howitzer intended primarily to fire high-explosive shells in support of other tanks or infantry. By mid 1942, it
12141-400: The Germans also had superior tactical doctrine and markedly faster speed. Setbacks in the Italian invasion of Egypt caused Hitler to dispatch aircraft to Sicily , and a blocking force (the Afrika Korps ) to support their ally in the North Africa campaign . This blocking force was put under the command of Lieutenant General Erwin Rommel and included the motorized 5th Light Division and
12312-670: The Henschel-built VK45.01 (H) design to the same specification, using the same Krupp-designed turret as the Porsche prototype did, was produced as the Tiger I. Most of the 91 existing Porsche-produced chassis were instead rebuilt as self-propelled guns. The original main self-propelled gun made on the Tiger (P)'s chassis was the Ferdinand . This tank also had mechanical problems, partly from the complex, copper-dependent gasoline-electric drive system's poor grade of copper. It had
12483-556: The II made up the bulk of German tank forces during the invasion of Poland and France. Number built—5,764 The Panzer III was intended to be the main medium core of the German armored force when it was designed during the inter-war period. While it was originally designed to fight other tanks, its 37 mm and later 50 mm guns could not keep pace with Soviet T-34 and KV tanks, which, respectively, either had sloped armor or relatively thick armor, and both shared 76 mm guns. By 1941,
12654-584: The Jews serving in the Reichswehr given an automatic and immediate dishonorable discharge . Again, on his own initiative Blomberg had the armed forces adopt Nazi symbols into their uniforms in May 1934. In August of the same year, on Blomberg's initiative and that of the Ministeramt chief General Walther von Reichenau , the entire military took the Hitler oath , an oath of personal loyalty to Hitler. Hitler
12825-586: The KV-1. The performance of the Red Army during the Battle of Moscow and the growing numbers of new Soviet tanks made it obvious the Panzer I was not largely suitable for this front of war. Some less battle-worthy Panzer Is were tasked with towing lorries and other light (mainly wheeled) vehicles through the thick mud of the Russian autumn to alleviate logistical and transportation issues and problems at
12996-758: The Nationalist armor advanced, it was engaged by the Commune de Paris battalion, equipped with Soviet BA-6 armored cars. The 45 mm gun in the BA-6 was more than sufficient to knock out the poorly armored Panzer I at ranges below 500 meters (550 yd). Although the Panzer I would participate in almost every major Nationalist offensive of the war, the Nationalist army began to deploy more and more captured T-26 tanks to offset their disadvantage in protection and firepower. At one point, von Thoma offered up to 500 pesetas for each T-26 captured. Although
13167-464: The Nationalist tide and gain crucial time for Madrid's defense, Soviet armor was deployed south of the city under the command of Colonel Krivoshein before the end of October. At this time, several T-26 tanks under the command of Captain Paul Arman were thrown into a Republican counterattack directed towards the town of Torrejon de Velasco in an attempt to cut off the Nationalist advance north. This
13338-612: The Netherlands and Norway were recruited largely into the SS , while "non-Germanic" people were recruited into the Wehrmacht . The "voluntary" nature of such recruitment was often dubious, especially in the later years of the war when even Poles living in the Polish Corridor were declared "ethnic Germans" and drafted. After Germany's defeat in the Battle of Stalingrad , the Wehrmacht also made substantial use of personnel from
13509-969: The OKW, Hitler solidified his control over the Wehrmacht . Showing restraint at the beginning of the war, Hitler also became increasingly involved in military operations at every scale. Additionally, there was a clear lack of cohesion between the three High Commands and the OKW, as senior generals were unaware of the needs, capabilities and limitations of the other branches. With Hitler serving as Supreme Commander, branch commands were often forced to fight for influence with Hitler. However, influence with Hitler not only came from rank and merit but also who Hitler perceived as loyal, leading to inter-service rivalry, rather than cohesion between his military advisers. The German Army furthered concepts pioneered during World War I , combining ground ( Heer ) and air force ( Luftwaffe ) assets into combined arms teams. Coupled with traditional war fighting methods such as encirclements and
13680-475: The Panther and Tiger I. Even larger and heavier was the super-heavy tank Löwe . It translates to "Lion" in German. It remained on blueprints and was cancelled in favor of the heavier Maus. Number built—2, 1 was incomplete. The Maus was a super-heavy tank, heavier than the Löwe. It translates to "Mouse" in German. Only two prototypes were built, one of which was incomplete, and only one had the turret mounted, which
13851-505: The Panzer I required the original turret to be opened at the top and then extended by a vertical supplement. Four of these tanks were finished at the Armament Factory of Seville , but further production was canceled as it was decided sufficient numbers of Republican T-26 tanks had been captured to fulfill the Nationalist leadership's request for more lethal tanks. The Breda modification was not particularly liked by German crews, as
14022-559: The Panzer I was initially able to knock out the T-26 at close range—150 meters (165 yd) or less—using an armor-piercing 7.92 mm bullet, the Republican tanks began to engage at ranges where they were immune to the machine guns of the Panzer I. The Panzer I was upgraded in order to increase its lethality. On 8 August 1937, Major General García Pallasar received a note from Generalísimo Francisco Franco that expressed
14193-480: The Panzer III was the most numerous of German tank designs. However, during the later parts of 1943, it was largely replaced by later versions of the Panzer IV and Panzer V "Panther". Its assault gun chassis variant, the Sturmgeschütz III , was, with just over 9,400 units built, the most widely produced German armored fighting vehicle of World War II. Number built—8,800 The Panzer IV was the workhorse of
14364-480: The Panzer III. With an upgrade of the Panzer IV's 75 mm L/24 short gun to a longer high-velocity 75 mm gun, suitable for anti-tank use, the tank proved to be highly effective. This new 43 caliber long gun could penetrate a T-34 at a variety of impact angles beyond 1,000 m (3,300 ft) and up to 1,600 m (5,200 ft) range. On the Eastern Front the shipment of the first model to mount
14535-443: The Panzer IV. Later Panzer IV variants further improved the gun to the 75 mm L/48 but were mainly characterized by increasing the main armor and adding spaced and skirt armor to protect against anti-tank weapons. Zimmerit paste to prevent magnetic charges being attached was also introduced on the Panzer IV from December 1943 to October 1944. About 8,500 Panzer IV tanks were produced overall. Despite continued efforts with
14706-417: The Panzer I to a training and anti-infantry role by design. The final official designation, assigned in 1938, was Panzerkampfwagen I (M.G.) with special ordnance number Sd.Kfz. 101 . The first 150 tanks (1./LaS, 1st series LaS, Krupp-Traktor), produced in 1934, did not include the rotating turret and were used for crew training. Following these, production was switched to the combat version of
14877-640: The Panzer I chassis design was used as the basis of tank destroyers and assault guns . There were attempts to upgrade the Panzer I throughout its service history, including by foreign nations, to extend the design's lifespan. It continued to serve in the Spanish Armed Forces until 1954. The Panzer I's performance in armored combat was limited by its thin armor and light armament of two machine guns , which were never intended for use against armored targets, rather being ideal for infantry suppression, in line with inter-war doctrine. As
15048-412: The Panzer I was also used in the invasion of France in May 1940. Of 2,574 tanks available for the campaign, no fewer than 523 were Panzer Is, while there were 627 Panzer IIIs and IVs, 955 Panzer II, 106 Czech Panzer 35(t) , and 228 Panzer 38(t). For their defense, the French boasted up to 4,000 tanks, including 300 Char B1 , armed with a 47 mm (1.7 in) gun in the turret and
15219-499: The Soviet forces, which attacked on 17 September), and the success of Germany's tanks in the campaign was summed up in response to Hitler on 5 September: when asked if it had been the dive bombers who destroyed a Polish artillery regiment, Guderian replied, "No, our panzers!" Some 832 German tanks (including 320 PzI, 259 PzII, 40 Pz III, 76 PzIV, 77 Pz35(t), 13 PzBef III, 7 PzBef 38(t), 34 other PzBef and some Pz38(t)) were lost during
15390-456: The Soviet ship A. Andreiev. It remains unknown to what extent these trials and adaptations were completed, although it is safe to assume neither adaptation was successful beyond the drawing board. In 1937, around ten Panzer I Ausf. As were sold to the Republic of China (ROC) during a period of strong co-operative ties between the ROC and Nazi Germany , which were subsequently fielded in
15561-399: The Spanish Civil War did, however, provide vital information to the German military about modern tank warfare. Number built—1,850 The Panzer II was ordered into production because the construction of medium tanks, the Panzer III and IV, was falling behind schedule. The Panzer II was intended to “fill the gap” until the Panzer III and IV could come into full production. Along with the Panzer I,
15732-466: The Spanish Civil War only five years earlier, the Panzer I was clearly no match for even the weakest of Soviet armor it encountered, with even armored cars such as the BA-10 proving capable of defeating the Panzer I when fitted with medium-caliber anti-tank weapons. Army Group North quickly realized that none of the tank guns currently in use by German armor could reliably penetrate the thick frontal armor of
15903-405: The T-34 and report. Two features of the Soviet tank were considered the most significant: the top was the sloped armor all round which gave much-improved shot deflection and also increased the armor effective relative thickness against penetration; the second was the long over-hanging gun, a feature German designers had avoided up to then. Daimler-Benz and MAN were tasked with designing and building
16074-513: The United States in 1954 when they were replaced by the relatively modern M47 Patton . Between 1935 and 1936, an export version of the Panzer I Ausf. B, named the L.K.B. ( Leichte Kampfwagen B ), was designed for export to Bulgaria . Modifications included up-gunning to a 20 mm gun and fitting a Krupp M 311 V-8 gasoline engine. Although three examples were built, none were exported to Bulgaria, although
16245-631: The Western Allies had air supremacy over the battlefield, denying support to German forces on the ground and using its own fighter-bombers to attack and disrupt. Following the losses in Operation Bodenplatte in 1945, the Luftwaffe was no longer an effective force. The Treaty of Versailles disallowed submarines, while limiting the size of the Reichsmarine to six battleships, six cruisers, and twelve destroyers. Following
16416-503: The army that existed in World War I. In the 1920s, Seeckt and his officers developed new doctrines that emphasized speed, aggression, combined arms and initiative on the part of lower officers to take advantage of momentary opportunities. Though Seeckt retired in 1926, his influence on the army was still apparent when it went to war in 1939. Germany was forbidden to have an air force by the Versailles treaty; nonetheless, Seeckt created
16587-419: The base for a range of vehicles chiefly the Sturmgeschütz III assault gun. Although slow, production of the Panzer IV had continued; by the end of 1940 386 Ausf. D models were in service and in 1941 a further 480 were produced, despite an order from the army for 2,200. The short 75 mm (2.95 in) L/24 gun was the main advantage of the Panzer IV; the weight and armor of early models were close to that of
16758-410: The beginning, there was friction between the SS and the army, as the army feared the SS would attempt to become a legitimate part of the armed forces of Nazi Germany, partly due to the fighting between the limited armaments, and the perceived fanaticism towards Nazism. However, on 17 August 1938, Hitler codified the role of the SS and the army in order to end the feud between the two. The arming of
16929-455: The campaign, approximately 341 of which were never to return to service. This represented about a third of Germany's armor deployed for the Polish campaign. During the campaign, no less than half of Germany's tanks were unavailable due to maintenance issues or enemy action, and of all tanks, the Panzer I proved the most vulnerable to Polish anti-tank weapons. Furthermore, it was found that
17100-543: The coast of Norway, which had been occupied since 1940, convoys from North America to the Soviet port of Murmansk could be intercepted though the Tirpitz spent most of her career as fleet in being . After the appointment of Karl Dönitz as Grand Admiral of the Kriegsmarine (in the aftermath of the Battle of the Barents Sea ), Germany stopped constructing battleships and cruisers in favor of U-boats. Though by 1941,
17271-515: The command of the SS , in Italy and the Netherlands. The relationship between the Wehrmacht and the SS improved; however, the Waffen-SS was never considered "the fourth branch of the Wehrmacht ." The Wehrmacht directed combat operations during World War II (from 1 September 1939 – 8 May 1945) as the German Reich 's armed forces umbrella command-organization. After 1941
17442-559: The creation of the Wehrmacht , the navy was renamed the Kriegsmarine . With the signing of the Anglo-German Naval Agreement , Germany was allowed to increase its navy's size to be 35:100 tonnage of the Royal Navy, and allowed for the construction of U-boats. This was partly done to appease Germany, and because Britain believed the Kriegsmarine would not be able to reach the 35% limit until 1942. The navy
17613-423: The crews were inexperienced and the logistical support was insufficient. On the battlefield , the Panzer III's 50 mm gun was able to seriously damage T-34 tanks and at the typical combat distances—500 metres (1,600 ft) to 1,000 metres (3,300 ft)—the German tank was not really inferior. It was more difficult for Panzer III tanks to counter KV-1 heavy tanks with their armor being nearly impenetrable at
17784-558: The early stage of Operation Barbarossa in the Soviet Union (June 1941). After Hitler declared war on the United States in December 1941, the Axis powers found themselves engaged in campaigns against several major industrial powers while Germany was still in transition to a war economy. German units were then overextended, undersupplied, outmaneuvered, outnumbered and defeated by its enemies in decisive battles during 1941, 1942, and 1943 at
17955-462: The end of the Panzer III's role as the German main tank. Eventually, Panzer III production was ended in August 1943 with the Ausf. M (a conversion of older types), the vehicle having been fitted with a short barrelled 75 mm KwK 51 gun (effectively the same gun the Panzer IV had started with) and downgraded to a support role. The Panzer III chassis continued in production until the end of the war as
18126-616: The end of the month, a large portion of the Red Army found itself trapped in the Minsk pocket, and by 21 September Kiev had fallen, thereby allowing the Germans to concentrate on their ultimate objective, Moscow. Despite the success of Germany's armor in the Soviet Union, between June and September most German officers were shocked to find their tanks were inferior to newer Soviet models, the medium T-34 and heavy KV tanks. As seen during
18297-555: The enemy troops. Originally outlawed by the Treaty of Versailles, the Luftwaffe was officially established in 1935, under the leadership of Hermann Göring . First gaining experience in the Spanish Civil War , it was a key element in the early Blitzkrieg campaigns (Poland, France 1940, USSR 1941). The Luftwaffe concentrated production on fighters and (small) tactical bombers, like the Messerschmitt Bf 109 fighter and
18468-518: The experience and skills of the German tank crews and most powerful and technologically advanced later tanks, such as the Panther, the Tiger I and Tiger II, which had the reputation of being fearsome opponents. Panzer ( / ˈ p æ n z ər / ; German pronunciation: [ˈpantsɐ] ) is a German word that means " armour ". It derives through the French word pancier , " breastplate ", from Latin pantex , "belly". The word
18639-412: The extraction of technical data that proved invaluable to early German tank design. As early as 1926 the German companies Krupp, Rheinmetall and Daimler-Benz were contracted to develop prototype tanks armed with a 75 mm cannon . These were designed under the cover name Großtraktor (large tractor ) to veil the true purpose of the vehicle. By 1930 a light tank armed with rapid-fire machineguns
18810-556: The flanks of advancing infantry armies. Although tank production was increased to 125 tanks per month after the Polish Campaign, losses forced the Germans to draw further strength from Czech tank designs, and light tanks continued to form the majority of Germany's armored strength. Months later, Panzer Is participated in Operation Weserübung —the invasion of Denmark and Norway. Despite its obsolescence,
18981-413: The front of the tank virtually impervious to enemy fire. However the sides of this tank were very vulnerable, ranging from only 40 mm (1.6 in) to 50 mm (2.0 in) of either barely sloped or completely flat armor plating. The tank carried a high-velocity 75 mm gun, which possessed more penetration than the Tiger's 88 mm gun at short range. Series production began in 1943. The tank
19152-524: The front. During the North African campaign Panzer III tanks, especially older models, had troubles in direct fights against British Matilda II infantry tanks, due to the superiority of their armor and powerful 40mm QF 2-pounder gun. Despite this, the Panzer III tanks managed to obtain important victories, such as in the Battle of Gazala , where the tank, skilfully employed by experienced German crews and supported by anti-tank formations, achieved
19323-460: The frontal armor of the T-26. Although originally 40 Italian CV.35 light tanks were ordered with the Breda in place of their original armament, this order was subsequently canceled after it was thought that the adaptation of the same gun to the Panzer I would yield better results. Prototypes were ready by September 1937 and an order was placed after successful results. The mounting of the Breda in
19494-492: The frontlines, whilst other Panzer Is were relegated for anti- partisan actions or rear-guard protection duties (such as defending airfields or other vital military installations on occupied enemy territory). After Germany, Spain fielded the largest number of Panzer I tanks. A total of 122 were exported to Spain during the Spanish Civil War , and, as late as 1945, Spain's "Brunete Armored Division" fielded 93. The Panzer I remained in use in Spain until aid arrived from
19665-705: The ground formations of the German Condor Legion , who fought on the side of Franco's Nationalists. Between July and October, a rapid Nationalist advance from Seville to Toledo placed them in position to take the Spanish capital, Madrid . The Nationalist advance and the fall of the town of Illescas to Nationalist armies on 18 October 1936 caused the government of the Popular Front's Second Republic , including President Manuel Azaña , to flee to Barcelona and Valencia . In an attempt to stem
19836-686: The guard force of the Russian Protective Corps . In the beginning, women in Nazi Germany were not involved in the Wehrmacht , as Hitler ideologically opposed conscription for women, stating that Germany would " not form any section of women grenade throwers or any corps of women elite snipers. " However, with many men going to the front, women were placed in auxiliary positions within the Wehrmacht , called Wehrmachtshelferinnen ( lit. ' Female Wehrmacht Helper ' ), participating in tasks as: They were placed under
20007-508: The handling of armored forces during the campaign left much to be desired. During the beginning of Guderian's attack in northern Poland, his corps was held back to coordinate with infantry for quite a while, preventing a faster advance. It was only after Army Group South had its attention taken from Warsaw at the Battle of Bzura that Guderian's armor was fully unleashed. There were still lingering tendencies to reserve Germany's armor, even if in independent divisions, to cover an infantry advance or
20178-462: The heaviest mass-produced tanks ever. Its 8.8 cm KwK 43 could knock out virtually every Allied tank, while its sloped armor was thick enough to defeat most Allied guns (excluding hollow charge weapons). However, the Tiger II suffered from multiple mechanical problems due to its rushed development and excessive weight. It was named after the Tiger but it was a combination of innovations learned from
20349-503: The increased weight, a new 150 horsepower (110 kW) Maybach HL45 Otto engine was used, allowing a maximum road speed of 25 kilometers per hour (15.5 mph) and used five overlapping road wheels per side, dropping the Ausf. C's interleaved units. Eight of the thirty tanks produced were sent to the 1st Panzer Division in 1943 and saw combat at the Battle of Kursk . The rest were given to several army schools for training and evaluation purposes. On 18 July 1936, war broke out on
20520-855: The intensifying theatre in the East to the West after the Normandy landings caused tensions between the General Staffs of both the OKW and the OKH ;– as Germany lacked sufficient materiel and manpower for a two-front war of such magnitude. Major campaigns and battles in Eastern and Central Europe included: For a time, the Axis Mediterranean Theatre and the North African Campaign were conducted as
20691-510: The invasion of Poland . On 1 September 1939, Germany invaded Poland using seventy-two divisions (including 16 reserve infantry divisions in OKH reserves), including seven panzer divisions (1., 2., 3., 4., 5., 10., "Kempf") and four light divisions (1., 2., 3., 4.). Three days later, France and Britain declared war on Germany. The seven panzer and four light divisions were arrayed in five armies, forming two army groups. The battalion strength of
20862-503: The invasion of the Soviet Union, the German forces ordered the construction of a new heavy tank. Designated as the Panzerkampfwagen VI, it was christened "Tiger" by Ferdinand Porsche . The tank had formidable firepower (the 88 mm anti-tank gun) and thick armor. It had some mechanical problems due to its weight. The Tiger had 100 mm of armor on the front of the hull and turret, while the sides had 80mm of armor. Armor
21033-505: The invasion, fielding over 3000 AFVs. While German tanks were inferior in armor, armament, and numbers, the Soviet armored forces were almost annihilated during the first months of the campaign by the German Panzer divisions , which proved to be much more experienced and efficient: over 17,000 Soviet tanks were destroyed or abandoned. The Soviets complained of serious mechanical deficiencies and design flaws in their T-34 tanks. Also,
21204-470: The later years of its combat history. Because they were obsolescent from their introduction, incapable of defeating foreign armor, and outclassed by newer German tanks, the Panzer I chassis were increasingly adapted as tank destroyers and other variants. One of the best-known variants was the kleiner Panzerbefehlswagen ("small armored command vehicle"), built on the Ausf. A and Ausf. B chassis—200 of these were manufactured. The Panzer I Ausf. B chassis
21375-611: The lighter tanks throughout the war, German designers also produced a direct counter to the heavier Allied tanks with the PzKpfw V Panther . Design work on the replacement for the Panzer IV had begun in 1937 and prototypes were being tested in 1941. The emergence of the Soviet T-34 led to an acceleration of this leisurely time-table. At the insistence of Guderian a team was dispatched to the eastern front in November 1941 to assess
21546-531: The limited gun armament of the Panzer III were recognized during its conception, and its design was altered to include a large turret ring to make it possible to fit a 2250 ft/s (656 m/s) muzzle velocity 5 cm KwK L/42 gun on later models. In July 1940, too late to see action in the final weeks of the Battle of France, the first 17 of these models were produced. Designated the Panzer III Ausf . F,
21717-471: The manufacturing capabilities of the day. Soon after rising to power in Germany, Adolf Hitler approved the creation of Germany's first panzer divisions. Simplifying his earlier proposal, Guderian suggested the design of a main combat vehicle, which would be developed into the Panzer III , and a breakthrough tank, the Panzer IV. No existing design appealed to Guderian. As a stopgap, the German Army ordered
21888-461: The more influential of the two and his ideas were widely publicized. Like his contemporary, Sir Percy Hobart , Guderian initially envisioned an armored corps ( panzerkorps ) composed of several types of tanks. This included a slow infantry tank , armed with a small- caliber cannon and several machine guns . The infantry tank, according to Guderian, was to be heavily armored to defend against enemy anti-tank guns and artillery . He also envisioned
22059-485: The most brilliant results of its deployment in Africa, despite some difficulties against the Allied heavy tanks. The British armored forces, on the other hand, were almost destroyed. The Panzer III's armor was upgraded to 70 mm by additional plates, and spaced armor was introduced to protect against shaped charge ( high-explosive anti-tank ) attacks. However the first Panzer IV tanks with 75 mm L/48 cannon marked
22230-412: The name " Wehrmacht "; the Reichswehr was officially renamed the Wehrmacht on 21 May 1935. Hitler's proclamation of the Wehrmacht ' s existence included a total of no less than 36 divisions in its original projection, contravening the Treaty of Versailles in grandiose fashion. In December 1935, General Ludwig Beck added 48 tank battalions to the planned rearmament program. Hitler originally set
22401-434: The nation's industry for the upcoming war effort. Nevertheless, the tank design did see actual combat, first during the Spanish Civil War of 1936, then again during World War II, and elsewhere. Since the tank was never intended to be used in actual combat, it was plagued by weapon and armour shortcomings through its entire life. Attempts were made to improve the design, but with little success. The Panzer I's participation in
22572-464: The navy had already lost a number of its large surface ships, which could not be replenished during the war. The Kriegsmarine ' s most significant contribution to the German war effort was the deployment of its nearly 1,000 U-boats to strike at Allied convoys. The German naval strategy was to attack the convoys in an attempt to prevent the United States from interfering in Europe and to starve out
22743-546: The need for a Panzer I (or negrillo , as their Spanish crews called them) with a 20 mm gun. Ultimately, the piece chosen was the Breda Model 1935 , due to the simplicity of the design over competitors such as the German Flak 30 . Furthermore, the 20 mm Breda was capable of perforating 40 millimeters of armor at 250 meters (1.57 in at 275 yd), which was more than sufficient to penetrate
22914-828: The new gun, the Ausf . F2, began in spring 1942, and by the Case Blue offensive there were around 135 Panzer IV's with the L/43 tank gun available. They played a crucial role in the events that unfolded between June 1942 and March 1943, and the Panzer IV became the mainstay of the German Panzer divisions. On the Western Front the American M4 Sherman 's 75 mm M3 gun had troubles facing the Panzer IV late model. Panzer IV late models' 80 mm (3.15 in) frontal hull armor could easily withstand hits from
23085-403: The new leadership from the best men of the general staff with ruthless disregard for other constituencies, such as war heroes and the nobility." Seeckt's determination that the Reichswehr be an elite cadre force that would serve as the nucleus of an expanded military when the chance for restoring conscription came essentially led to the creation of a new army, based upon, but very different from,
23256-529: The next decade until the Germans finally left in September 1933. However, the arms buildup was done in secrecy, until Hitler came to power and it received broad political support. After the death of President Paul von Hindenburg on 2 August 1934, Adolf Hitler assumed the office of President of Germany , and thus became commander in chief. In February 1934, the Defence Minister Werner von Blomberg , acting on his own initiative, had all of
23427-560: The oldest and youngest were being recruited and driven by instilled fear and fanaticism to serve on the fronts and, often, to fight to the death, whether judged to be cannon fodder or elite troops. Prior to World War II, the Wehrmacht strove to remain a purely ethnic German force; as such, minorities within and outside of Germany, such as the Czechs in annexed Czechoslovakia , were exempted from military service after Hitler's takeover in 1938. Foreign volunteers were generally not accepted in
23598-622: The opening year of the war. No aircraft carrier was operational, as German leadership lost interest in the Graf Zeppelin which had been launched in 1938. Following the loss of the German battleship Bismarck in 1941, with Allied air-superiority threatening the remaining battle-cruisers in French Atlantic harbors, the ships were ordered to make the Channel Dash back to German ports. Operating from fjords along
23769-711: The other changes included an upgraded Maybach engine and numerous minor changes to ease mass production. The Ausf. F was quickly supplanted by the Ausf. G with an up-armored gun mantlet , which was the main tank of the Afrika Korps in 1940–41 and also saw action in Yugoslavia and Greece. Around 2,150 Panzer IIIs were produced, of which around 450 were the Ausf G. These tanks were still under-gunned, poorly armored and mechanically overly-complex in comparison to equivalent British tanks. After fighting in Libya in late 1940
23940-406: The other half performed obligatory services connected to the war effort ( German : Kriegshilfsdienst ). Legally, the commander-in-chief of the Wehrmacht was Adolf Hitler in his capacity as Germany's head of state, a position he gained after the death of President Paul von Hindenburg in August 1934. With the creation of the Wehrmacht in 1935, Hitler elevated himself to Supreme Commander of
24111-586: The period 1935–1939. The total number of soldiers who served in the Wehrmacht during its existence from 1935 to 1945 is believed to have approached 18.2 million. The German military leadership originally aimed at a homogeneous military, possessing traditional Prussian military values. However, with Hitler's constant wishes to increase the Wehrmacht ' s size, the Army was forced to accept citizens of lower class and education, decreasing internal cohesion and appointing officers who lacked real-war experience from previous conflicts, especially World War I and
24282-643: The same authority as ( Hiwis ), auxiliary personnel of the army ( German : Behelfspersonal ) and they were assigned to duties within the Reich, and to a lesser extent, in the occupied territories, for example in the general government of occupied Poland , in France , and later in Yugoslavia , in Greece and in Romania . By 1945, 500,000 women were serving as Wehrmachtshelferinnen , half of whom were volunteers, while
24453-404: The tank. The Ausf. A was under-armored, with steel plate of only 13 millimeters (0.51 in) at its thickest. The tank had several design flaws, including suspension problems, which made the vehicle pitch at high velocities, and engine overheating. The driver was positioned inside the chassis and used conventional steering levers to control the tank, while the commander was positioned in
24624-455: The tensioner. The tank's weight increased by 0.4 tons. Production of the Ausf. B began in August 1936 and finished in the summer of 1937 after 399 had been built in two series (5a-6a/LaS). Further 159 were built as command tanks in two series, and 295 chassis were built as turretless training tanks. 147 more training tanks were built as convertible chassis with hardened armor with the option to upgrade them to full combat status by adding
24795-502: The terms. Germany helped the Soviet Union with industrialization and Soviet officers were to be trained in Germany. German tank and air-force specialists could exercise in the Soviet Union and German chemical weapons research and manufacture would be carried out there along with other projects. In 1924 a fighter-pilot school was established at Lipetsk , where several hundred German air force personnel received instruction in operational maintenance, navigation, and aerial combat training over
24966-474: The three million Wehrmacht soldiers who invaded the USSR participated in war crimes. The German term "Wehrmacht " stems from the compound word of German : wehren , "to defend" and Macht , "power, force". It has been used to describe any nation's armed forces; for example, Britische Wehrmacht meaning "British Armed Forces". The Frankfurt Constitution of 1849 designated all German military forces as
25137-412: The treaty that, among other terms, imposed severe constraints on the size of Germany's armed forces. The army was limited to one hundred thousand men with an additional fifteen thousand in the navy. The fleet was to consist of at most six battleships , six cruisers , and twelve destroyers . Submarines , tanks and heavy artillery were forbidden and the air-force was dissolved. A new post-war military,
25308-476: The turret where he also acted as a gunner. The two crewmen could communicate by means of a voice tube. Machine gun ammunition was stowed in five bins, containing various numbers of 25-round magazines. 1,190 of the Panzerkampfwagen I Ausf. A were built in three series (2.-4./LaS). Further 25 were built as command tanks. Many of the problems in the Ausf. A were corrected with the introduction of
25479-457: The unprotected gap in the turret, designed to allow the tank's commander to aim, was found to be a dangerous weak point. In late 1938, another Panzer I was sent to the Armament Factory of Seville in order to mount a 45 mm gun, captured from a Soviet tank (a T-26 or BT-5 ). A second was sent sometime later in order to exchange the original armament for a 37 mm Maklen anti-tank gun, which had been deployed to Asturias in late 1936 on
25650-480: The war with a minority of its formations motorized ; infantry remained approximately 90% foot-borne throughout the war, and artillery was primarily horse-drawn . The motorized formations received much attention in the world press in the opening years of the war, and were cited as the reason for the success of the invasions of Poland (September 1939), Denmark and Norway (April 1940), Belgium, France, and Netherlands (May 1940), Yugoslavia and Greece (April 1941) and
25821-414: The western front had not exceeded three per cent of the total from all fronts, in 1944 the figure jumped to about 14 per cent. Yet even in the months following D-day, about 68.5 per cent of all German battlefield deaths occurred on the eastern front, as a Soviet blitzkrieg in response devastated the retreating Wehrmacht. Panzer I 184 as command tanks 445 as training tanks The Panzer I
25992-416: Was a light tank produced by Nazi Germany in the 1930s. Its name is short for Panzerkampfwagen I ( German for " armored fighting vehicle mark I"), abbreviated as Pz.Kpfw. I . The tank's official German ordnance inventory designation was Sd.Kfz. 101 ("special purpose vehicle 101"). Design of the Panzer I began in 1932 and mass production began in 1934. Intended only as
26163-650: Was also prioritized last in the German rearmament scheme, making it the smallest of the branches. In the Battle of the Atlantic , the initially successful German U-boat fleet arm was eventually defeated due to Allied technological innovations like sonar , radar , and the breaking of the Enigma code. Large surface vessels were few in number due to construction limitations by international treaties prior to 1935. The "pocket battleships" Admiral Graf Spee and Admiral Scheer were important as commerce raiders only in
26334-428: Was begun by Krupp in Magdeburg (Grusonwerk AG), Essen and Bochum in October 1939 with 20 vehicles built. However, even that low number could not be sustained, with production dropping to ten in April 1940. Such low production numbers were due to tanks being given a low priority for steel relative to the more conventional needs of an army, such as artillery shells. Nevertheless, the number of available Panzer IVs (211)
26505-422: Was dedicated to the idea of reviving Tirpitz's High Seas Fleet. Officers who believed in submarine warfare led by Admiral Karl Dönitz were in a minority before 1939. By 1922, Germany had begun covertly circumventing the conditions of the Versailles treaty. A secret collaboration with the Soviet Union began after the Treaty of Rapallo . Major-General Otto Hasse traveled to Moscow in 1923 to further negotiate
26676-410: Was demanded by May and design detail work was assigned to Kniekamp. If the overhanging gun and sloping armor are ignored the Panther was a conventional German design: its internal layout for the five crew was standard and the mechanicals were complex. Weighing 43 tonnes it was powered by a 700 PS (522 kW) gasoline engine driving eight double-leaved bogie wheels on each side; control was through
26847-420: Was dropped in favor of Wehrmacht on 21 May 1935. While the term Wehrmacht has been associated, both in the German and English languages, with the German armed forces of 1935–45 since the Second World War, before 1945 the term was used in the German language in a more general sense for a national defense force. For instance, the German-aligned formations of Poles raised during the First World War were known as
27018-456: Was instead labelled as "Made in the USSR" (the USSR being the common enemy of these two strongly anti-communist nations). During the initial campaigns of World War II , Germany's light tanks, including the Panzer I, formed the bulk of its armored strength. In March 1938, the German Army marched into Austria , experiencing a mechanical breakdown rate of up to thirty percent. However, the experience revealed to Guderian several faults within
27189-401: Was intended not just to train Germany's panzer troops, but to prepare Germany's industry for the mass production of tanks in the near future; a difficult engineering feat for the time. The armament of production versions was to be two 7.92 mm MG 13 machine guns in a rotating turret. Machine guns were known to be largely useless against even the lightest tank armor of the time, restricting
27360-519: Was later destroyed. The other chassis was captured by the Soviets, who later mounted the turret from the other, completed Maus, which had its chassis destroyed at the end of the war by demolition charges. The Panzerkampfwagen E-100 (Gerät 383) (TG-01) was a German super-heavy tank design developed near the end of World War II. Only one chassis was produced with no turret made. The Panzer IX and X were 2 fictional super-heavy tank designs created for propaganda and counterintelligence purposes. The Ratte
27531-412: Was most surprised at the offer; the popular view that Hitler imposed the oath on the military is false. The oath read: "I swear by God this sacred oath that to the Leader of the German empire and people, Adolf Hitler, supreme commander of the armed forces, I shall render unconditional obedience and that as a brave soldier I shall at all times be prepared to give my life for this oath". By 1935, Germany
27702-477: Was often only available in relatively small numbers. Only 40% to 60% of all units in the Eastern Front were motorized, baggage trains often relied on horse-drawn trailers due to poor roads and weather conditions in the Soviet Union, and for the same reasons many soldiers marched on foot or used bicycles as bicycle infantry . As the fortunes of war turned against them, the Germans were in constant retreat from 1943 and onward. The Panzer divisions were vital to
27873-487: Was openly flouting the military restrictions set forth in the Versailles Treaty: German rearmament was announced on 16 March with the "Edict for the Buildup of the Wehrmacht " ( German : Gesetz für den Aufbau der Wehrmacht ) and the reintroduction of conscription. While the size of the standing army was to remain at about the 100,000-man mark decreed by the treaty, a new group of conscripts equal to this size would receive training each year. The conscription law introduced
28044-431: Was put in its place. Placed under the OKW were the three branch High Commands: Oberkommando des Heeres (OKH), Oberkommando der Marine (OKM), and Oberkommando der Luftwaffe (OKL). The OKW was intended to serve as a joint command and coordinate all military activities, with Hitler at the top. Though many senior officers, such as von Manstein , had advocated for a real tri-service Joint Command, or appointment of
28215-604: Was rearmed with a longer 75 mm dual-purpose gun that could defeat most Soviet tanks. In the latter half of the war, about half of all German tanks were Panzer IVs or derivatives. Number built—5 The German Neubaufahrzeug series of tank prototypes were a first attempt to create a medium tank for the Wehrmacht after Adolf Hitler came to power. Multi-turreted, heavy and slow, they were not considered successful enough to continue limited production. Therefore, only five were ever made, and only three of armored steel. These were primarily used for propaganda purposes, though three took part in
28386-479: Was still larger than that of the Panzer III (98). There were also technical problems with the Panzer III: it was widely considered to be under-gunned with the 3.7 cm KwK 36 gun and production was split among four manufacturers ( MAN , Daimler-Benz , Rheinmetall -Borsig, and Krupp ) with little regard for each firm's expertise, and the rate of production was initially very low (40 in September 1939, 58 in June 1940), taking until December 1940 to reach 100 vehicles
28557-487: Was the first recorded tank battle in the Spanish Civil War. Despite initial success, poor communication between the Soviet Republican armor and Spanish Republican infantry caused the isolation of Captain Arman's force and the subsequent destruction of a number of tanks. This battle also marked the first use of the molotov cocktail against tanks. Ritter von Thoma's Panzer Is fought for the Nationalists only days later on 30 October, and immediately experienced problems. As
28728-419: Was the heaviest tank design of World War II German tanks. Ratte translates to "Rat". It was cancelled before any work was started on it. Wehrmacht The Wehrmacht ( German pronunciation: [ˈveːɐ̯maxt] , lit. ' defence force ' ) were the unified armed forces of Nazi Germany from 1935 to 1945. It consisted of the Heer (army), the Kriegsmarine (navy) and
28899-426: Was to be developed under the cover name Leichttraktor (light tractor). The six produced Großtraktor were later put into service for a brief period with the 1 Panzer Division; the Leichttraktor remained in testing until 1935. In the late 1920s and early 1930s, German tank theory was pioneered by two figures: General Oswald Lutz and his chief of staff, Lieutenant Colonel Heinz Guderian . Guderian became
29070-497: Was under the surveillance of Nazi Germany's Kriegsmarine and Germany immediately responded by sending 41 Panzer Is to Spain a few days later. This first shipment was followed by four more shipments of Panzer I Ausf. Bs, with 122 vehicles shipped in total. The first shipment of Panzer Is was brought under the command of Lieutenant Colonel Wilhelm Ritter von Thoma in Gruppe Thoma (also referred to as Panzergruppe Drohne). Gruppe Thoma formed part of Gruppe Imker,
29241-439: Was weakest on the rear of the turret. Americans and British tank forces first encountered the German Tiger I in North Africa, where it outclassed the British Churchills and American M4 Shermans . Number built—5 The VK45.01 (P), also known as the Tiger (P), was an unsuccessful heavy tank prototype produced by Porsche in Germany in 1942. It was not selected for production because it didn't work during testing in front of Hitler. So
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