Posted on 05/14/2010 5:16:07 AM PDT by Homer_J_Simpson
Sort of interesting you do not hear much about that battle. I suppose because in the grand scheme of things it was irrevelant.
There was an excellent article several years ago in “Military History Quarterly” entitled “From Light to Heavy Duty” which discussed the subject of your post. Analyzing both the American Civil War and WW2, the article showed how once wars begin, they go through a greater and greater cycle of brutality and destruction. The author noted how at the beginning of the war, the French and British generals all appeared in their plumed helmets and fancy uniforms, and said they were all obvious losers. The winning generals all dressed very conservatively and were all about business; the business of killing.
A war which began, as you say, with the bombings that killed a few thousand, ended with the killings of hundreds of thousands as the cycle of brutality spirals out of control on its own accord. Other than identifying the nation that started the war (in this case clearly Germany and Japan), it makes little sense thereafter to point fingers and say “they did it first.” Having sown the wind in Nanking, Rotterdam and Warsaw, the Japanese and Germans reaped the whirlwind in Tokyo, Hiroshima, Hamburg and Berlin.
War is Hell.
Yes, in the grand scheme Hannut was irrelevant. Sad but true. Hannut, compared to Sedan, are classic comparisons of “home court advantage,” or battles fought on the terms of one side or the other.
Hannut was the battle the French had prepared for, and fought according to their equipment, training and doctrine. They won. Sedan was fought according to German doctrine; small unit tactics with decision-making by the man on the spot, with an emphasis on initiative and aggressive action where success is ruthlessly exploited.
It is really a sad testament to the leadership of the French army that they could not overwhelm the German's with their superior tanks. It goes to show that it takes more than equipment. The German's had superior tactics and managed their logistics surprisingly well. Meanwhile the French tanks could not coordinate a concentrated attack, and many Char-B tanks along with other models ended up abandoned in the field because they did receive the fuel they needed to withdraw.
BBC - Charles Gardner on German Advance on Antwerp
Transcript:
This roughly was the position when the British squadron was ordered to the attack; A French force was falling back to lines of defense northeast of Antwerp, and they were engaged in a race with an advanced German motorized column which was rushing round to try and cut them off. And it seemed possible that the Germans might manage it and so the order when out, “Hold up that German column.” The Germans have been bombing again today on mainly roads and aerodromes and refugees. And in one village they hit a hospital killing and injuring a number of people. Their latest trick, one that goes on top of bombing and shooting the ever increasing stream of refugees is to machine gun the cattle in the French fields. Lots of these have been seen lying about dead.
Next is a call by Anthony Eden for Defense Volunteers. The British were convinced that German paratroopers would be landing on their island any day now.
BBC - Anthony Eden Calls for Local Defense Volunteer
Transcript:
I want to speak to you tonight about the form of warfare, which the German’s been employing, so extensively against Holland and Belgium. Namely the dropping of troops, by parachute, behind the main defensive lines. Since the war began, the government has received countless inquiries, from all over the kingdom, from men of all ages who are for one reason or another, not a present engaged in military service. And who wish to do something for the defense of their country. Well now, is your opportunity. We want large numbers of such men in Great Britain, who are British subjects between the ages of 17 and 65…17 and 65, to come forward now, and offer their service in order to make assurance doubly sure. The name of the new force, which is now to be raised, will be the Local Defense Volunteer.
The Germans also had a far superior signals sytem, both in radio tank to tank, and higher HQ, and especially in intercom within each tank.
The best tank the Germans had, armor-wise was the Mark IV. Problem was it was designed as an infantry support tank, and carried a low velocity 75mm gun. Once it was upgunned [several times, German design planned for upguns in turret design], it became the mainstay of the Panzertruupen until the end of the war.
The Mark III was undergunned [even though, from the German point of view, it was their main battle tank [had a 37mm gun].The issue of upgunning the Mark III after the campaign led to a major row between Hitler and the Ordnance Office, when they failed to replace the 37mm with the 50mm gun Hitler wanted on the tanks, going with a gun of lesser velocity [turns out Hitler was right, they were wrong], and it led to delays in getting the new and repaired Mark IIIs into swervice.
The Czech tanks [Pz 38t] were excellent. They fiormed the backbone of several German Panzer Divisions, most notably Rommel’s 7th.
But in just two and a half years the Pz38 will be hopelessly obsolete, relegated to the Royal Romanian Armored Division, where they will be expected to stop the avalanche of T-34s in Operation Uranus.
Should have done what the Germans did with a lot of combat obsolete tanks. Take the chassis, pull the turret and gun, modify the hull, add a heavier gun and plating on the sides and turn it into either an assault gun, tank destroyer, or SP artillery piece. The Germans did it with their own Mark II, Mark III, Mark IV the Czech 38t, and other chasses. One of the great tank destroyers they made [Guderian had a hand in the design when he was Inspector of Panzer Troops] was the Hetzer. Made on the chassis of the 38t.
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