Thread: Going to War in a "Tankette"??

Originally Posted by aktarian

That simply did not happen. What happened was that Polish cavalry attacked some German infantry. Germans then made a fast withdrawal behind a turn on the road. Poles followed them and came upon tanks advancing. Not being able to turn around (due to speed and momentum) they rode on, past tanks. They did not charge them. But this myth continues because it's useful to both. Germans point to it how stupid and crazy Poles were and Poles point to it to show how brave they were.

There were several cases where Polish cavalry charged tanks. insoe cases like a group of cadets its was suicide to buy time for regugess to cross a river, other times it was on the flanks as spoling attacks, or accidental meeting engagements. What people dont understand is that Polish cav was the primary anti-tank tool of the Polish Army. They had the best cross country mobility and highest density of the kb ppanc wz. 35 anti-tank rifle.


Italy started arming itself fairly soon and it build what was available then. at that time tanks couldn't carry big guns (if at all) if they were using turrets. So only thing left was MGs and very light guns. When new types of weapons became available Italy already rearmed and didn't have money to reequip whole of it's forces once again. So they were stuck with obsolete weapons.

Tanks have had turreted mounted cannons of the same size as those used in WW2 from mid 1917 onward with the advent of the FT-17/37. Tankettes were not tanks (although some were made into mini tank destroyers) They were designed as mobile machine gun nests to support the infantry and cavalry on a WW1 style battle feild.

Italy's problem wasn't timing her force was built for the wrong war, just like every one elses but she didnt have the industrial might or material to recover. Pre-war theorist emphazised the mobility aspect too much or they favored infantry support role too much play and so nations built armored vehicles to meet the percieved need. Matlida I and II, Char 1Bis, M11/39, Pz II, pt35, Cruiser tank concept, BT tanks, T 20 series tanks. Almost no pre-war design excpet the T-34 (gun and general layout) and pz III (mobility, radio, and doctrine) got it right.

The US,USSR and Germany were able to recover beucase of thier masive industrial base, but smaller nations like the UK and Italy had to press on with what they had and forgien supplies.

anywhose thats my .02 on the subject

Originally Posted by Big K

NO NO dont take me wrong. i know a little about the Polish attacks. they've attacked to the tanks with horses.

i thing this was one of the bravest and noblest thing in human history.

i admire and respect those who sacrifice their lives for their country all around the world.

my point was about the idea of tankette and

and

also tried to attract the attentions on this idea, going to war against full size panzers with tankettes takes a lot of courage.

The Polish Army was doing well defending Poland from the third reich. What really contributed to the conquest of Poland was soviet troops swarming into Poland from the east.

Originally Posted by Lunatock

The Polish Army was doing well defending Poland from the third reich. What really contributed to the conquest of Poland was soviet troops swarming into Poland from the east.

Poland inflicted over 50,000 causalties on Germany, but they never had a chance. Germanies border with Poland, Polands commitment to defend all of its borders, lack of mechanized transport, inferior airforce, and lack of tanks all combined to make the situation hopeless. Poland's only chance was a swift French invasion of the Saar. Once Poland's troops were encirlced on the Vistula, or trapped inside the Warsaw pocket it was all over.