scream-of-consciousness;
"If you're trying to change minds and influence people it's probably not a good idea to say that virtually all elected Democrats are liars, but what the hell."
WWI British tank using a carrier pidgeon for communication. Wireless sets of the time were not rugged enough or small enough to be transported in a tank.
The creator of the German Panzerwaffe, Heinz Guderian, was a communications officer during WWI. He insisted that all German armored vehicles be equipped with radios. That little fact was a major reason the Germans were so successful early in the war. French, Soviet, and British tanks used mainly flags to signal to each other.
IIRC the French tanks at the start of the German invasion actually had better guns and armor than the German ones but the lack of co-ordination due to lack of communications got them flanked and shot up the kilt and negated their mechanical advantages. The communists infiltration of the French army didn't help either. Tanks went obsolete rapidly during WW II. One year a design would be king of the hill the next it would be a death trap.
Tanks went obsolete rapidly during WW II. One year a design would be king of the hill the next it would be a death trap.
I read 'An Army At Dawn' that detailed the feeble American tanks (the General Lee was a poor excuse for a main battle tank) against the German units. Death traps! The Army doctrine was to destroy tanks with mobile tank destroyers... not take the Germans on with another tank. Even after a full year of failure, the United States still did not field a heavy tank.
WWI British tank using a carrier pidgeon for communication. Wireless sets of the time were not rugged enough or small enough to be transported in a tank.
ReplyDeleteThe creator of the German Panzerwaffe, Heinz Guderian, was a communications officer during WWI. He insisted that all German armored vehicles be equipped with radios. That little fact was a major reason the Germans were so successful early in the war. French, Soviet, and British tanks used mainly flags to signal to each other.
Brigadier Major Mike
Barn Army Historian
IIRC the French tanks at the start of the German invasion actually had better guns and armor than the German ones but the lack of co-ordination due to lack of communications got them flanked and shot up the kilt and negated their mechanical advantages. The communists infiltration of the French army didn't help either. Tanks went obsolete rapidly during WW II. One year a design would be king of the hill the next it would be a death trap.
ReplyDeleteAnother drawback with the French tanks was the fact that they had Frenchmen in them.
ReplyDeleteTim
Sage observation, Anon.
ReplyDeleteSometimes the network goes down.
ReplyDeleteCasca
Frenchmen CAN fight, as long as they are not lead by Frenchmen.
ReplyDeleteNapoleon was a Corsican.
Joan d'Arc was a French Woman.
Grabbing and eating that dove extended the war for two years.
ReplyDeleteTanks went obsolete rapidly during WW II. One year a design would be king of the hill the next it would be a death trap.
ReplyDeleteI read 'An Army At Dawn' that detailed the feeble American tanks (the General Lee was a poor excuse for a main battle tank) against the German units. Death traps! The Army doctrine was to destroy tanks with mobile tank destroyers... not take the Germans on with another tank. Even after a full year of failure, the United States still did not field a heavy tank.