The largest tank battles of the Second World War. The most famous tank battle of World War II

Since the 1920s, France has been at the forefront of world tank building: it was the first to start building tanks with anti-shell armor, the first to reduce them to tank divisions. In May 1940, the time came to test the combat effectiveness of the French armored forces in practice. Such a case presented itself already in the course of the battles for Belgium.

Cavalry without horses

When planning the advance of troops to Belgium according to the Diehl plan, the Allied command decided that the area between the cities of Wavre and Namur was the most vulnerable area. Here, between the rivers Dil and Meuse, the Gembloux plateau stretches - flat, dry, convenient for tank operations. To cover this gap, the French command sent the 1st Cavalry Corps of the 1st Army under the command of Lieutenant General René Priou here. The general recently turned 61, he studied at the Saint-Cyr military academy, and graduated from World War I as commander of the 5th Dragoon Regiment. From February 1939, Priou was Inspector General of the Cavalry.

Commander of the 1st Cavalry Corps, Lieutenant General Rene-Jacques-Adolf Prioux.
alamy.com

The Priou Corps was called the cavalry only by tradition and consisted of two light mechanized divisions. Initially, they were cavalry, but in the early 30s, at the initiative of the cavalry inspector General Flavigny, part of the cavalry divisions began to be reorganized into light mechanized divisions - DLM (Division Legere Mecanisee). They were reinforced by tanks and armored vehicles, horses were replaced by Renault UE and Lorraine cars and armored personnel carriers.

The first such formation was the 4th Cavalry Division. Back in the early 1930s, it became an experimental training ground for testing the interaction of cavalry with tanks, and in July 1935 it was renamed the 1st Light Mechanized Division. Such a division of the 1935 model of the year was to include:

• reconnaissance regiment of two motorcycle squadrons and two armored car squadrons (AMD - Automitrailleuse de Découverte);
• a combat brigade consisting of two regiments, each with two squadrons of cavalry tanks - cannon AMC (Auto-mitrailleuse de Combat) or machine-gun AMR (Automitrailleuse de Reconnaissance);
• a motorized brigade, consisting of two motorized dragoon regiments of two battalions each (one regiment was to be transported on caterpillar transporters, the other on ordinary trucks);
• motorized artillery regiment.

The re-equipment of the 4th Cavalry Division proceeded slowly: the cavalry wanted to equip its combat brigade only with medium tanks "Somua" S35, but due to their shortage, light "Hotchkiss" H35 had to be used. As a result, there were fewer tanks in the unit than planned, but the equipment of vehicles increased.

Medium tank "Somua" S35 from the museum in Aberdeen (USA).
sfw.so

The motorized brigade was reduced to one motorized dragoon regiment of three battalions, equipped with Lorraine and Laffley tracked tractors. Squadrons of AMR machine-gun tanks were transferred to a motorized dragoon regiment, and combat regiments, in addition to S35, were equipped with H35 light vehicles. Over time, they were replaced by medium tanks, but this replacement was not completed before the start of the war. The reconnaissance regiment was armed with powerful Panar-178 armored vehicles with a 25-mm anti-tank gun.

German soldiers inspect the Panar-178 (AMD-35) cannon armored car, abandoned near Le Pannet (Dunkirk area).
waralbum.ru

In 1936, General Flavigny took command of his creation, the 1st Light Mechanized Division. In 1937, the creation of a second such division under the command of General Altmayer began on the basis of the 5th Cavalry Division. The 3rd Light Mechanized Division began to form already during the "Strange War" in February 1940 - this unit was another step in the mechanization of the cavalry, since the AMR machine gun tanks in it were replaced by the latest Hotchkiss H39 vehicles.

It should be noted that until the end of the 1930s, “real” cavalry divisions (DC - Divisions de Cavalerie) remained in the French army. In the summer of 1939, at the initiative of the cavalry inspector, supported by General Gamelin, they began to reorganize according to the new state. It was decided that in open country the cavalry was powerless against modern infantry weapons and too vulnerable to air attacks. The new light cavalry divisions (DLC - Division Legere de Cavalerie) were to be used in mountainous or wooded areas, where horses provided them with the best maneuverability. First of all, such areas were the Ardennes and the Swiss border, where new formations were deployed.

The light cavalry division consisted of two brigades - light motorized and cavalry; the first included a dragoon (tank) regiment and an armored car regiment, the second was partially motorized, but still had about 1200 horses. Initially, the dragoon regiment was also planned to be equipped with Somua S35 medium tanks, but due to their slow production, the light Hotchkiss H35 began to enter service - well armored, but relatively slow and with a weak 37-mm cannon 18 calibers long.

The H35 Hotchkiss light tank is the main vehicle of the Prieux Cavalry Corps.
waralbum.ru

Composition of the Priu hull

The Priou Cavalry Corps was formed in September 1939 from the 1st and 2nd Light Mechanized Divisions. But in March 1940, the 1st Division was transferred as a motorized reinforcement to the left-flank 7th Army, and Prioux received the newly formed 3rd DLM instead. The 4th DLM was never formed, at the end of May part of it was transferred to the 4th armored (cuirassier) division of the reserve, and the other part was sent to the 7th army as the "Group de Langle".

The light mechanized division turned out to be a very successful combat unit - more mobile than the heavy tank division (DCr - Division Cuirassée), and at the same time more balanced. It is believed that the first two divisions were the best prepared, although the actions of the 1st DLM in Holland as part of the 7th Army showed that this was not the case. At the same time, the 3rd DLM, which replaced it, began to form only during the war, personnel This unit was recruited mainly from reservists, and officers were allocated from other mechanized divisions.

Light French tank AMR-35.
militaryimages.net

By May 1940, each light mechanized division consisted of three motorized infantry battalions, about 10,400 men and 3,400 vehicles. The amount of technology in them varied greatly:

2ndDLM:

• light tanks "Hotchkiss" H35 - 84;
• light machine gun tanks AMR33 and AMR35 ZT1 - 67;
• 105 mm field guns - 12;

3rdDLM:

• medium tanks "Somua" S35 - 88;
• light tanks "Hotchkiss" H39 - 129 (of which 60 - with a 37-mm long-barreled gun in 38 calibers);
• light tanks "Hotchkiss" H35 - 22;
• cannon armored vehicles "Panar-178" - 40;
• 105 mm field guns - 12;
• 75-mm field guns (model 1897) - 24;
• 47-mm anti-tank guns SA37 L / 53 - 8;
• 25-mm anti-tank guns SA34 / 37 L / 72 - 12;
• 25-mm anti-aircraft guns "Hotchkiss" - 6.

In total, the Priou cavalry corps had 478 tanks (including 411 cannon) and 80 cannon armored vehicles. Half of the tanks (236 units) had 47-mm or long-barreled 37-mm guns, capable of fighting almost any armored vehicle of that time.

Hotchkiss H39 with 38-caliber gun is the best French light tank. Photo of the exposition of the tank museum in Saumur, France.

Enemy: 16th motorized corps of the Wehrmacht

While the Priu divisions advanced to the planned line of defense, they were met by the vanguard of the 6th German army - the 3rd and 4th tank divisions, united under the command of Lieutenant General Erich Goepner in the 16th motorized corps. To the left, the 20th Motorized Division was moving far behind, the task of which was to cover Göpner's flank from possible counterattacks from Namur.

General course of hostilities in northeastern Belgium from 10 to 17 May 1940.
D. M. Projector. War in Europe. 1939–1941

On May 11, both panzer divisions crossed the Albert Canal and overturned parts of the 2nd and 3rd Belgian army corps near Tirlemont. On the night of May 11-12, the Belgians withdrew to the line of the Dil River, where the allied troops were planned to leave - the 1st French Army of General Georges Blanchard and the British Expeditionary Force of General John Gort.

IN 3rd Panzer Division General Horst Stumpf included two tank regiments (5th and 6th), united in the 3rd tank brigade under the command of Colonel Kühn. In addition, the division included the 3rd motorized infantry brigade (3rd motorized infantry regiment and 3rd motorcycle battalion), 75th artillery regiment, 39th anti-tank battalion, 3rd reconnaissance battalion, 39th engineer battalion, 39th communications battalion and 83rd supply detachment.

The German light tank Pz.I is the most massive vehicle in the 16th motorized corps.
tank2.ru

In total, the 3rd Panzer Division had:

• command tanks - 27;
• light machine-gun tanks Pz.I - 117;
• light tanks Pz.II - 129;
• medium tanks Pz.III - 42;
• medium support tanks Pz.IV - 26;
• armored vehicles - 56 (including 23 vehicles with a 20-mm gun).

The German light tank Pz.II is the main cannon tank of the 16th Motorized Corps.
Osprey Publishing

4th Panzer Division Major General Johann Stever had two tank regiments (35th and 36th), combined into the 5th tank brigade. In addition, the division included the 4th motorized infantry brigade (12th and 33rd motorized infantry regiments, as well as the 34th motorcycle battalion, 103rd artillery regiment, 49th anti-tank battalion, 7th reconnaissance battalion , 79th engineer battalion, 79th communications battalion and 84th supply detachment.In the 4th tank division, there were:

• command tanks - 10;
• light machine-gun tanks Pz.I - 135;
• light tanks Pz.II - 105;
• medium tanks Pz.III - 40;
• medium support tanks Pz.IV - 24.

Each German Panzer Division had a significant artillery component:

• 150-mm howitzers - 12;
• 105-mm howitzers - 14;
• 75 mm infantry guns - 24;
• 88-mm anti-aircraft guns - 9;
• 37 mm anti-tank guns - 51;
• 20-mm anti-aircraft guns - 24.

In addition, the divisions were assigned two anti-tank battalions (12 anti-tank 37-mm guns each).

So, both divisions of the 16th Panzer Corps included 655 vehicles, including 50 "fours", 82 "triples", 234 "twos", 252 machine-gun "ones" and 37 command tanks, which also had only machine-gun armament (some historians put the figure at 632 tanks). Of these vehicles, only 366 were cannon, and only medium German vehicles could fight the bulk of enemy tanks, and even then not all of them - the S35, with its sloping 36 mm hull armor and 56 mm turret, was too tough for a German 37 mm cannon only from short distances. At the same time, the 47-mm French gun pierced the armor of medium German tanks at a distance of over 2 km.

Some researchers, describing the battle on the Gembloux plateau, declare the superiority of the 16th tank corps of Goepner over the cavalry corps of Priou in terms of the number and quality of tanks. Outwardly, this was indeed the case (the Germans had 655 tanks against 478 French ones), but 40% of them were machine-gun Pz.I, capable of fighting only infantry. For 366 German cannon tanks, there were 411 French cannon vehicles, and the 20-mm cannons of the German "twos" could only cause damage to the French AMR machine-gun tanks.

The Germans had 132 units of equipment capable of effectively fighting enemy tanks (“troikas” and “fours”), while the French had almost twice as many - 236 vehicles, even if you do not count Renault and Hotchkiss with short-barreled 37-mm guns.

Commander of the 16th Panzer Corps, Lieutenant General Erich Hoepner.
Bundesarchiv, Bild 146–1971–068–10 / CC-BY-SA 3.0

True, the German tank division had noticeably more anti-tank weapons: up to one and a half hundred 37-mm cannons, and most importantly, 18 heavy 88-mm anti-aircraft guns on mechanical traction, capable of destroying any tank in its visibility zone. And this is against 40 anti-tank guns in the entire Prio corps! However, due to the rapid advance of the Germans, most of their artillery lagged behind and did not take part in the first stage of the battle. In fact, on May 12-13, 1940, near the town of Anna, northeast of the city of Gembloux, a real battle of machines unfolded: tanks against tanks.

May 12: head-on

The 3rd Light Mechanized Division was the first to come into contact with the enemy. Its section east of Gembloux was divided into two sectors: in the north there were 44 tanks and 40 armored vehicles; in the south - 196 medium and light tanks, as well as the main part of the artillery. The first line of defense was in the area of ​​Annu and the village of Creen. The 2nd division was supposed to take up positions on the right flank of the 3rd from Creen and to the banks of the Meuse, but by this time it was only advancing to the intended line with its forward detachments - three infantry battalions and 67 AMR light tanks. The natural dividing line between the divisions was the undulating ridge that stretched from Anna through Creen and Merdorp. Thus, the direction of the German strike was quite obvious: along the water barriers through the “corridor” formed by the rivers Meen and Grand Gette and leading directly to Gemblus.

Early on the morning of May 12, the "panzer group Eberbach" (the vanguard of the 4th German Panzer Division) reached the town of Anna in the very center of the line, which was to be occupied by the troops of Priou. Here the Germans encountered the reconnaissance patrols of the 3rd Light Mechanized Division. A little north of Anna, French tanks, machine gunners and motorcyclists occupied Creen.

From 9 a.m. to noon, tank and anti-tank artillery of both sides waged a fierce gunfight. The French tried to counterattack with the forward detachments of the 2nd Cavalry Regiment, however, light German tanks Pz.II passed to the very center of Anna. 21 light Hotchkiss H35 took part in the new counterattack, but they were not lucky - they came under fire from the German Pz.III and Pz.IV. Thick armor did not help the French: in close street battles at a distance of a hundred meters, it was easily penetrated by 37-mm German guns, while short-barreled French guns were powerless against medium German tanks. As a result, the French lost 11 Hotchkisses, the Germans - 5 cars. The remaining French tanks left the city. After a short battle, the French withdrew to the west - to the Wavre-Gembloux line (part of the pre-planned "Position of Diehl"). It was here that the main battle broke out on May 13–14.

The tanks of the 1st Battalion of the 35th German Tank Regiment tried to pursue the enemy and reached the town of Tin, where they destroyed four Hotchkisses, but were forced to return because they were left without motorized infantry escort. By nightfall the positions were quiet. As a result of the battle, each side considered that the losses of the enemy were much higher than its own.

Battle of Anna May 12–14, 1940.
Ernest R. May. Strange Victory: Hitler's Conquest of France

13 May: difficult German success

The morning of that day was quiet, only closer to 9 o'clock a German reconnaissance aircraft appeared in the sky. After that, as stated in the memoirs of the Priou himself, "the battle began with renewed vigor along the entire front from Tirlemont to Gui". By this time, the main forces of the German 16th tank and French cavalry corps had come here; south of Anna, the stragglers of the German 3rd Panzer Division were unfolding. Both sides mustered all their armored forces for battle. A large-scale tank battle flared up - it was oncoming, as both sides sought to attack.

The actions of Goepner's tank divisions were supported by almost two hundred dive bombers of the 8th Air Corps of the 2nd Air Fleet. French air support was weaker and consisted mainly of fighter cover. On the other hand, Priou had superiority in artillery: he managed to pull up his 75- and 105-mm guns, which opened effective fire on German positions and advancing tanks. As one of the German tankers, Captain Ernst von Jungenfeld, wrote a year and a half later, the French artillery gave the Germans literally "volcano of fire", the density and efficiency of which resembled the worst times of the First World War. At the same time, the artillery of the German tank divisions lagged behind, the main part of it had not yet managed to catch up to the battlefield.

The French were the first to launch the offensive that day - six S35s from the 2nd Light Mechanized Division, which had not previously participated in the battle, attacked the southern flank of the 4th Panzer Division. Alas, the Germans managed to deploy 88-mm guns here and met the enemy with fire. At 9 o'clock in the morning, after an attack by dive bombers, German tanks attacked the village of Gendrenouille in the center of the French position (in the zone of the 3rd light mechanized division), concentrating on a narrow five-kilometer front a large number of tanks.

French tankers suffered significant losses from the attack of dive bombers, but did not flinch. Moreover, they decided to counterattack the enemy - but not in the forehead, but from the flank. Turning north of Gendrenouille, two squadrons of Somois tanks of the fresh 1st Cavalry Regiment of the 3rd Light Mechanized Division (42 combat vehicles) launched a flank attack on the unfolding battle formations of the 4th Panzer Division.

This blow thwarted the German plans and turned the battle into an oncoming one. According to French data, about 50 German tanks were destroyed. True, only 16 combat-ready vehicles remained from the two French squadrons by the evening - the rest either died or required lengthy repairs. The tank of the commander of one of the platoons left the battle, having used up all the shells and having traces of 29 hits, but did not receive serious damage.

Particularly successful was the squadron of medium tanks S35 of the 2nd light mechanized division on the right flank - in Creen, through which the Germans tried to bypass the French positions from the south. Here, Lieutenant Lotsiska's platoon was able to destroy 4 German tanks, a battery of anti-tank guns and several trucks. It turned out that the German tanks were powerless against medium French tanks - their 37 mm guns could penetrate the armor of the Somois only from a very short distance, while the French 47 mm guns hit German vehicles at any distance.

Pz.III from the 4th Panzer Division overcomes a stone fence blown up by sappers. The photo was taken on May 13, 1940 in the Annu area.
Thomas L. Jentz. Panzertruppen

In the town of Tin, a couple of kilometers west of Anna, the French again managed to stop the German advance. The tank of the commander of the 35th Panzer Regiment, Colonel Eberbach (who later became the commander of the 4th Panzer Division) was also destroyed here. Before the end of the day, S35s destroyed several more German tanks, but by the evening the French were forced to leave Tin and Creen under the pressure of the approaching German infantry. The French tanks and infantry withdrew 5 km to the west, to the second line of defense (Merdorp, Gendrenui and Gendren), covered by the Or-Josh river.

Already at 8 pm the Germans tried to attack in the direction of Merdorp, but their artillery preparation was very weak and only warned the enemy. A firefight between tanks at a long distance (about a kilometer) had no effect, although the Germans noted hits from the short-barreled 75-mm guns of their Pz.IVs. German tanks passed north of Merdorp, the French first met them with tank and anti-tank gun fire, and then counterattacked in the flank with the Somua squadron. The report of the 35th German Panzer Regiment stated:

“... 11 enemy tanks came out of Merdorp and attacked the motorized infantry. The 1st battalion immediately turned around and opened fire on enemy tanks from a distance of 400 to 600 meters. Eight enemy tanks remained motionless, three more managed to escape.

On the contrary, French sources write about the success of this attack and that the French medium tanks turned out to be completely invulnerable to German vehicles: they left the battle having from two to four dozen direct hits from 20- and 37-mm shells, but without breaking through the armor.

However, the Germans learned quickly. Immediately after the battle, an instruction appeared that forbade light German Pz.IIs from engaging in battle with enemy medium tanks. S35s were to be destroyed primarily by 88mm anti-aircraft guns and 105mm direct-fire howitzers, as well as medium tanks and anti-tank guns.

Late in the evening the Germans went on the offensive again. On the southern flank of the 3rd Light Mechanized Division, the 2nd Cuirassier Regiment, already battered the day before, was forced to defend against units of the 3rd Panzer Division with its last forces - ten surviving Somuas and the same number of Hotchkisses. As a result, by midnight, the 3rd division had to retreat another 2-3 km, taking up defensive positions at the Josh-Ramiyi line. The 2nd Light Mechanized Division retreated much further, on the night of May 13-14, moving south from Pervais behind the Belgian anti-tank ditch prepared for the Diehl line. Only here the Germans suspended their advance in anticipation of the approach of the rear with ammunition and fuel. There was still 15 km to Gembloux from here.

To be continued

Literature:

1. D. M. Projector. War in Europe. 1939–1941 M.: Military Publishing, 1963
2. Ernest R. May. Strange Victory: Hitler's Conquest of France. New York, Hill & Wang, 2000
3. Thomas L. Jentz. Panzertruppen. The Complete Guide to the Creation & Combat Employment of Germany's Tank Force. 1933–1942 Schiffer Military History, Atglen PA, 1996
4. Jonathan F. Keiler. The 1940 Battle of Gembloux (http://warfarehistorynetwork.com/daily/wwii/the-1940-battle-of-gembloux/)

Since its inception, the tank has been and remains the main threat on the battlefield. Tanks became a blitzkrieg tool and a weapon of victory in World War II, a decisive trump card in the Iran-Iraq war; even equipped with the most modern means the destruction of enemy manpower, the American army cannot do without the support of tanks. the site has selected seven of the biggest tank battles since the first appearance of these armored vehicles on the battlefield until today.

Battle of Cambrai

This was the first successful episode of the massive use of tanks: more than 476 tanks took part in the Battle of Cambrai, united in 4 tank brigades. Great hopes were placed on armored vehicles: with their help, the British intended to break through the heavily fortified Siegfried Line. The tanks, mostly the latest at that time Mk IV with side armor reinforced to 12 mm, were equipped with the latest know-how of that time - fascines (75 bundles of brushwood fastened with chains), thanks to which the tank could overcome wide trenches and ditches.
On the very first day of the fighting, a resounding success was achieved: the British managed to penetrate the enemy's defenses for 13 km, capture 8,000 German soldiers and 160 officers, as well as a hundred guns. However, it was not possible to build on the success, and the subsequent counter-offensive of the German troops virtually nullified the efforts of the allies.

Irretrievable losses in the tanks of the Allies amounted to 179 vehicles, even more tanks failed for technical reasons.

Battle of Anna

Some historians consider the Battle of Anna to be the first tank battle of World War II. It began on May 13, 1940, when Göpner's 16th Panzer Corps (623 tanks, 125 of which were the latest 73 Pz-IIIs and 52 Pz-IVs, capable of fighting French armored vehicles on an equal footing), advancing in the first echelon of the 6th German army, started fighting with the advanced French tank units of the corps of General R. Prieux (415 tanks - 239 "Hotchkiss" and 176 SOMUA).

During the two-day battle, the 3rd French light mechanized division lost 105 tanks, the German losses amounted to 164 vehicles. At the same time, German aviation had complete air supremacy.

Raseiniai tank battle

According to data from open sources, about 749 Soviet tanks and 245 German vehicles took part in the Raseiniai battle. The Germans had air superiority, good communications and organization on their side. The Soviet command threw its units into battle in parts, without artillery and air cover. The result was predictable - the operational and tactical victory of the Germans, despite the courage and heroism of the Soviet soldiers.

One of the episodes of this battle became legendary - the Soviet KV tank was able to hold the offensive of an entire tank group for 48 hours. The Germans could not cope with a single tank for a long time, they tried to shoot it from an anti-aircraft gun, which was soon destroyed, to undermine the tank, but all in vain. As a result, a tactical trick had to be used: 50 German tanks surrounded the KV and began to fire from three directions in order to distract his attention. At this time, an 88-mm anti-aircraft gun was secretly installed in the rear of the KV. She hit the tank 12 times, and three shells pierced the armor, destroying it.

Battle of Brody

The largest tank battle in the early stages of World War II, in which 800 German tanks were opposed by 2,500 Soviet vehicles (figures vary greatly from source to source). Soviet troops advanced in the most difficult conditions: tankers entered the battle after a long march (300-400 km), moreover, in scattered units, without waiting for the approach of combined arms support formations. Equipment on the march broke down, and there was no normal communication, and the Luftwaffe dominated the sky, the supply of fuel and ammunition was disgusting.

Therefore, in the battle for Dubno - Lutsk - Brody, the Soviet troops were defeated, losing more than 800 tanks. The Germans missed about 200 tanks.

Battle in the Valley of Tears

The Battle of the Valley of Tears, which took place during the Yom Kippur War, clearly showed that victory is not won by numbers, but by skill. In this battle, the numerical and qualitative superiority was on the side of the Syrians, who prepared more than 1260 tanks for the assault on the Golan Heights, including the latest T-55s and T-62s at that time.

All that Israel had was a couple of hundred tanks and excellent training, as well as courage and high stamina in battle, the Arabs never had the latter. Illiterate fighters could leave the tank even after a shell hit it without breaking through the armor, and it was very difficult for the Arabs to cope even with Soviet simple sights.

The most grandiose was the battle in the Valley of Tears, when, according to open sources, more than 500 Syrian tanks attacked 90 Israeli vehicles. In this battle, the Israelis were desperately short of ammunition, it came to the point that the jeeps of the reconnaissance unit moved from tank to tank with 105-mm ammunition recovered from the wrecked Centurions. As a result, 500 Syrian tanks and a large number of other equipment were destroyed, Israeli losses amounted to about 70-80 vehicles.

Battle of the Harhi Valley

One of biggest battles The Iran-Iraq War took place in the Kharkhi Valley, near the town of Susengirda in January 1981. Then the 16th tank division of Iran, which is armed with the latest British tanks "Chiften" and American M60s, faced in a head-on battle with an Iraqi tank division - 300 Soviet T-62s.

The battle lasted about two days - from January 6 to 8, during which time the battlefield turned into a real quagmire, and the opponents became so close that it became risky to use aircraft. The result of the battle was the victory of Iraq, whose troops destroyed or captured 214 Iranian tanks.

Also during the battle, the myth of the invulnerability of the Chieftain tanks, which have powerful frontal armor, was buried. It turned out that the 115-mm armor-piercing sub-caliber projectile of the T-62 cannon pierces the powerful armor of the Chieftain's turret. Since then, Iranian tankers have been afraid to launch a frontal attack on Soviet tanks.

Battle of Prokhorovka

The most famous tank battle in history, in which about 800 Soviet tanks collided with 400 German tanks in a head-on battle. Most of the Soviet tanks were T-34s armed with a 76mm cannon that couldn't penetrate the latest German Tigers and Panthers head-on. Soviet tankers I had to use a suicidal tactic: approach the German vehicles at maximum speed and hit them on the side.
In this battle, the losses of the Red Army amounted to about 500 tanks, or 60%, German losses - 300 vehicles, or 75% of the original number. The most powerful strike force was bled white. The inspector general of the tank forces of the Wehrmacht, General G. Guderian, stated the rout: " armored forces, replenished with such great difficulty, because of the heavy losses in people and equipment for a long time out of action ... and there were no more quiet days on the Eastern Front.

Since the first armored vehicles began their march across the twisted battlefields during the First World War, tanks have been an integral part of the land war. Many tank battles have taken place over the years, and some of them have been of great importance for history. Here are 10 battles you need to know about.

Battles in chronological order.

1. Battle of Cambrai (1917)

Taking place at the end of 1917, this battle on the Western Front was the first major tank battle in military history and it was there, for the first time, that combined arms forces were seriously involved on a large scale, which became a genuine turning point in military history. As historian Hugh Strachan notes, "the biggest intellectual shift in the war between 1914 and 1918 was that combined arms combat was centered around the capabilities of the guns rather than the strength of the infantry." And by the word "combined arms", Strachan means the coordinated use various kinds artillery, infantry, aviation, and, of course, tanks.

On November 20, 1917, the British attacked Cambrai with 476 tanks, 378 of which were battle tanks. The frightened Germans were taken by surprise, as the offensive instantly advanced several kilometers inland along the entire front. It was an unprecedented breakthrough in the defense of the enemy. The Germans eventually redeemed themselves by launching a counterattack, but this tank offensive demonstrated the incredible potential of mobile, armored warfare, a technique that only came into active use a year later, during the final push against Germany.

2. Battle on the Khalkhin Gol River (1939)

This is the first major tank battle during World War II, where the Soviet Red Army clashed with the Japanese Imperial Army at its border. During the Sino-Japanese War of 1937-1945, Japan claimed that Khalkhin Gol was the border between Mongolia and Manchukuo (the Japanese name for occupied Manchuria), while the USSR insisted on the border lying to the east near Nomon Khan (namely hence this conflict is sometimes referred to as the Nomon Khan Incident). Hostilities began in May 1939, when Soviet troops occupied the disputed territory.

After the initial success of the Japanese, the USSR gathered an army of 58,000 people, almost 500 tanks and about 250 aircraft. On the morning of August 20, General Georgy Zhukov launched a surprise attack after feigning preparation for a defensive position. During this harsh day, the heat became unbearable, reaching 40 degrees Celsius, causing machine guns and cannons to melt. The Soviet T-26 tanks (predecessors of the T-34) were superior to the obsolete Japanese tanks, whose guns lacked armor-piercing capability. But the Japanese fought desperately, for example, there was a very dramatic moment when Lieutenant Sadakayi attacked the tank with his samurai sword until he was killed.

The subsequent Russian advance made it possible to completely destroy the forces of General Komatsubara. Japan lost 61,000 men, in contrast to the Red Army, where 7,974 were killed and 15,251 wounded. This battle was the beginning of Zhukov's glorious military career, and also demonstrated the importance of deception, technical and numerical superiority in tank warfare.

3. Battle of Arras (1940)

This battle should not be confused with the Battle of Arras in 1917, this battle was during the Second World War, where the British Expeditionary Force (BEF) fought against the German Blitzkrieg, and gradually the fighting moved along the coast of France.

On May 20, 1940, Viscount Gort, commander of the BEF, launched a counterattack against the Germans, codenamed "Frankforce". It was attended by two infantry battalions of 2,000 people - and a total of 74 tanks. The BBC describes what happened next:

“The infantry battalions were divided into two columns for the attack, which took place on May 21st. The right column initially advanced successfully, taking a number of German soldiers prisoner, but they soon ran into German infantry and the SS, supported by the air force, and suffered heavy casualties.

The left column also advanced successfully until a collision with the infantry unit of the 7th Panzer Division of General Erwin Rommel.
French cover that night allowed the British forces to withdraw to their original positions. Operation Frankforce was over, and the next day the Germans regrouped and continued their offensive.

During the Frankforce, about 400 Germans were taken prisoner, both sides suffered approximately the same losses, and a number of tanks were also destroyed. The operation outdid itself - the attack was so brutal that the 7th Panzer Division believed it had been attacked by five infantry divisions.

Interestingly, some historians believe that this ferocious counter-attack convinced the German generals to call for a breather on May 24, a short break in Blitzkrieg, which gave the BEF some extra time to evacuate its troops during the "Miracle at Dunkirk".

4. Battle for Brody (1941)

Until the Battle of Kursk in 1943, it was the largest tank battle of World War II and the greatest in history up to that point. It happened in the early days of Operation Barbarossa, when German troops advanced rapidly (and relatively easily) along the Eastern Front. But in the triangle formed by the cities of Dubno, Lutsk and Brody, a clash arose in which 800 German tanks opposed 3500 Russian tanks.

The battle lasted four exhausting days, and ended on June 30, 1941 with a resounding victory for Germany and a heavy retreat for the Red Army. It was during the battle for Brody that the Germans first seriously clashed with the Russian T-34 tanks, which were practically immune to German weapons. But thanks to a series of Luftwaffe air attacks (which knocked out 201 Soviet tanks) and tactical maneuvering, the Germans won. Moreover, it is believed that 50% of Soviet armor losses (~2600 tanks) were due to lack of logistics, lack of ammunition, and technical problems. In total, the Red Army lost 800 tanks in that battle, and this is a large figure compared to 200 tanks from the Germans.

5. Second Battle of El Alamein (1942)

This battle marked a turning point in the North African campaign and was the only major armored battle to be won by the British Armed Forces without direct American involvement. But the American presence was certainly felt in the form of 300 Sherman tanks (the British had a total of 547 tanks) rushed to Egypt from the US.

In the battle, which began on October 23 and ended in November 1942, there was a confrontation between the pedantic and patient General Bernard Montgomery and Erwin Rommel, the cunning Desert Fox. Unfortunately for the Germans, however, Rommel was very ill, and had to leave for a German hospital before the battle could begin to unfold. In addition, his temporary second-in-command, General Georg von Stumme, died of a heart attack during the battle. The Germans also suffered from supply problems, especially fuel shortages. Which eventually led to disaster.

Montgomery's restructured 8th Army launched a double attack. The first phase, Operation Lightfoot, consisted of a heavy artillery bombardment followed by an infantry attack. During the second phase, the infantry cleared the way for the panzer divisions. Rommel, who returned to duty, was in despair, he realized that everything was lost, and telegraphed Hitler about this. Both the British and German armies lost about 500 tanks, but the Allied troops were unable to take the lead after the victory, which gave the Germans enough time to retreat.

But the victory was clear, which prompted Winston Churchill to declare: "This is not the end, this is not even the beginning of the end, but it is, perhaps, the end of the beginning."

6. Battle of Kursk (1943)

After the defeat at Stalingrad, and the planned counteroffensive of the Red Army on all fronts, the Germans decided to make a bold, if not reckless, offensive near Kursk, in the hope of regaining their positions. As a result, the Battle of Kursk is today considered the largest and longest battle involving heavy armored vehicles in the war, and one of the largest single armored engagements.

Although no one can say the exact numbers, Soviet tanks initially outnumbered German tanks by two times. According to some estimates, initially about 3,000 Soviet tanks and 2,000 German tanks clashed on the Kursk Bulge. In the event of a negative development of events, the Red Army was ready to throw another 5,000 tanks into battle. And although the Germans caught up with the Red Army in terms of the number of tanks, this could not ensure their victory.

One German tank commander managed to destroy 22 Soviet tanks within an hour, but besides the tanks there were Russian soldiers who approached enemy tanks with "suicidal courage", getting close enough to throw a mine under the tracks. A German tanker later wrote:

"Soviet soldiers were around us, above us and between us. They pulled us out of the tanks, knocked us out. It was scary."

All German superiority in communications, maneuverability, and artillery was lost in chaos, noise, and smoke.

From the memoirs of tankers:
"The atmosphere was suffocating. I was out of breath, and sweat was running down my face in streams."
"We expected every second to be killed."
"Tanks rammed each other"
"The metal was on fire."

The entire area on the battlefield was filled with burned-out armored vehicles, exuding pillars of black, oily smoke.

It is important to note that at that time there was not only a tank battle, but also an air battle. While the battle was unfolding below, the planes in the sky tried to knock out the tanks.

Eight days later, the attack was stopped. Although the Red Army won, it lost five armored vehicles for every German tank. In terms of actual numbers, the Germans lost about 760 tanks and the USSR about 3,800 (a total of 6,000 tanks and assault guns were destroyed or seriously damaged). In terms of casualties, the Germans lost 54,182 people, ours - 177,847. Despite such a gap, the Red Army is considered the winner of the battle, and, as historians note, "Hitler's long-awaited dream of the oil fields of the Caucasus was destroyed forever."

7. Battle of Arrakour (1944)

Fought during the Lorraine Campaign led by General George Patton's 3rd Army from September to October 1944, the lesser known Battle of Arracour was the largest tank battle for the US Army up to that point. Although the Battle of the Bulge would later turn out to be larger, this battle took place over a much wider geographic area.

The battle is significant in that the entire German tank force was hit by American troops, mostly equipped with 75 mm guns. tank "Sherman". Through careful coordination of tanks, artillery, infantry, and air force, the German forces were defeated.

As a result, American troops successfully defeated two tank brigades and parts of two tank divisions. Of the 262 German tanks, over 86 were destroyed and 114 seriously damaged. The Americans, by contrast, lost only 25 tanks.

The Battle of Arracour prevented a German counterattack and the Wehrmacht was unable to recover. Moreover, this area became the launching pad from which Patton's army would launch its winter offensive.

8. Battle of Chavinda (1965)

The Battle of Chavinda became one of the largest tank battles after World War II. It occurred during the Indo-Pakistani war of 1965, where about 132 Pakistani tanks (as well as 150 reinforcements) collided against 225 Indian armored vehicles. The Indians had Centurion tanks while the Pakistanis had Pattons; both sides also used Sherman tanks.

The battle, which lasted from 6 to 22 September, took place on the Ravi-Chinab sector connecting Jammu and Kashmir to the Indian mainland. The Indian Army hoped to cut off Pakistan from the supply line by cutting them off from the Sialkot district of the Lahore region. Events reached their peak on 8 September when the Indian forces advanced towards Chavinda. The Pakistani Air Force joined in the fight and then a fierce tank battle ensued. A major tank battle took place on 11 September in the Fillora region. After several bursts of activity and a lull, the battle finally ended on 21 September when the Indian forces finally withdrew. The Pakistanis lost 40 tanks while the Indians lost over 120.

9. Battle in the Valley of Tears (1973)

During the Arab-Israeli Yom Kippur War, Israeli forces fought a coalition that included Egypt, Syria, Jordan, and Iraq. The goal of the coalition was to push out the Israeli forces occupying the Sinai. At one key point in the Golan Heights, the Israeli brigade was left with 7 tanks out of 150 - and in the remaining tanks, on average, no more than 4 shells remained. But just as the Syrians were about to make another attack, the brigade was rescued by randomly assembled reinforcements, consisting of 13 of the least damaged tanks driven by wounded soldiers who had been discharged from the hospital.

As for the Doomsday War itself, the 19-day battle was the largest tank battle since World War II. In fact, it was one of the largest tank battles, involving 1,700 Israeli tanks (of which 63% were destroyed) and approximately 3,430 coalition tanks (of which approximately 2,250 to 2,300 were destroyed). In the end, Israel won; The ceasefire agreement brokered by the United Nations entered into force on 25 October.

10. Battle of Easting 73 (1991)

The battle has been described as "the last great tank battle of the 20th century" where a US force of more than a dozen M3 Bradley armored vehicles and nine M1A1 Abrams tanks destroyed more than 85 Iraqi tanks (including T-55s and T-72s). The ensuing battle in the Persian Gulf, which took place in the Iraqi desert, was a complete disaster for the Iraqi forces.

The US had a number of technical advantages over the Republican Guard, including superior military tanks and GPS, which allowed them to pre-plan their direction of travel (instead of head-to-head). The M1A1 tanks had a range of 2,500 meters, and the Iraqi tanks had a range of 2,000 meters; the Republican Guard had no chance.

About 600 Iraqis were killed or wounded during the operation, compared to only a dozen American casualties and 57 wounded (mostly due to friendly fire).

Prepared by Alexandra

P.S. My name is Alexander. This is my personal, independent project. I am very glad if you liked the article. Want to help the site? Just look below for an ad for what you've recently been looking for.

Copyright site © - This news belongs to the site, and are the intellectual property of the blog, protected by copyright law and cannot be used anywhere without an active link to the source. Read more - "About Authorship"

Are you looking for this? Perhaps this is what you could not find for so long?