III.

Tanks During World War II

Tanks played an even greater role in warfare during World War II (1939-1945). Early in the war Germany organized tanks, infantry, artillery, and support troops into fast, mobile attack units; these units were responsible for many of Germany's early victories in the war. A group of German officers, most notably General Heinz Guderian, had formulated a method of attack that became known as blitzkrieg (lightning war), using mobile forces spearheaded by tanks and supported by dive-bombers. As a result the nations opposing Germany in the war quickly incorporated tanks into their military forces. By the middle of the war, tanks were a central part of most infantry units, and played a prominent role in battles in the deserts of northern Africa, in the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics (USSR), and in Europe.

Their expert handling of massed tanks enabled the Germans to defeat the Allied forces in 1940. Even when equipped with effective tanks of their own, the Allies tended to employ them clumsily, in small formations. As the war progressed, the Allies also created large armored formations, challenging the Germans on their own terms. The Soviet Union was particularly successful in this. From 1943 through 1945 the Soviets launched a series of successful tank-led offensives, in particular at the Battle of Kursk, culminating in the final defeat of Germany in Berlin. The tank production of the Allies massively outstripped that of Germany, also contributing to Germany’s defeat.

World War II witnessed huge advances in tank technology. In 1939 most armies had employed considerable numbers of small light tanks, largely because they were relatively cheap to build. However, events proved that their thin armor-plating made them a liability. A race ensued to produce tanks with an optimum combination of firepower, speed, and armored protection. The Soviet T-34 tank, the M4 tank of United States forces, and the German Panther tank were notably successful in balancing these requirements.

However, the heavier tanks developed during World War II, such as the Soviet’s Joseph Stalin series, or the British Centurion (which appeared just too late to see action), foreshadowed modern tank development. Powerful though these vehicles were, the war also proved that they required the support of other arms. Tanks attempting to fight alone were vulnerable to antitank guns and to a range of newly developed infantry antitank weapons. The most effective of these antitank weapons employed munitions that could penetrate very thick armor.