Panzer Division
Encyclopedia
A panzer division was an armored division in the army and air force
branches of the Wehrmacht
as well as the Waffen-SS
of Nazi Germany
during World War II
.
Panzer divisions were combined arms
formations having both armor (panzer
s) and infantry
as organic components, along with the usual assets of artillery
, anti-aircraft
, signals, etc. that are common to most military divisions of the industrial era. However, the proportions of the components of a panzer division changed over time.
Although initially the formation of units larger than a panzer regiment proposed by Heinz Guderian
were rejected by the inspector of motorized troops Otto von Stuelpnagel, on his replacement by Oswald Lutz
, Guderian's mentor, the attitude gained more support in the Wehrmacht, and after 1933 was also supported by Adolf Hitler
. On 15 October 1935 the first three panzer divisions were formed. The 1st Division was formed in Weimar
and commanded by Maximilian von Weichs
, the 2nd Division was formed in Würzburg
and commanded by Heinz Guderian
and the 3rd Division was formed in Berlin
and commanded by Ernst Feßmann
.
in the early years of the war. Most other armies of the era usually organized their tanks into "tank brigades" requiring infantry
and artillery
support. Panzer divisions had their own support units organic to themselves, which led to an automatic change in military doctrine
: rather than seeing tanks as a unit to support operations by other units, the tanks became the main focus of attention, with other units supporting them. This organizational style meant they could operate relatively independently from other units.
Originally these divisions (1st through 5th) were composed of two tank and one motorised regiment (all regiments of two battalions each) as well as supporting troops. After the invasion of Poland in 1939, the old divisions were partially reorganised (adding a third battalion to some infantry regiments or alternatively adding a second regiment of two battalions). Divisions newly organised around this time (6th through 10th) diverged in organisation, each on average with one tank regiment, one separate tank battalion, one or two infantry regiments (three to four battalions per division). By the start of Operation Barbarossa
in 1941 the by then 21 panzer divisions had undergone further reorganisation to now consist of one tank regiment (of two or three battalions) and two motorised regiments (of two battalions each). Until the winter of 1941/42 supporting troops organic to these divisions consisted of a motorised artillery regiment (of two light and one heavy battalion), a reconnaissance-, a motorcycle-, an anti-tank-, a pioneer-, a field replacement- and a communications- battalion. The number of tanks in the 1941 style divisions was comparatively small, but all other units in these formations were fully motorised (trucks, half-track
s, specialized combat vehicles) to match the speed of the tanks.
During the winter 1941/42 another reorganisation of these divisions became necessary, each tank regiment now composed of one to three battalions depending on location (generally three for Heeresgruppe Süd, one for Heeresgruppe Mitte, other commands usually two battalions). Throughout 1942 the reconnaissance battalions were merged into the motorcycle battalions.
By the summer of 1943, the Heer
, Luftwaffe
and Waffen-SS
had panzer divisions in their structure. A renewed standardisation of the tank regiments was attempted and each was now supposed to consist of two battalions (one Pz.Kpfw. IV
, the other Pz.Kpfw. V), in reality this organisation continued to vary from division to division. The first infantry battalion of the first infantry regiment of each panzer division was now supposed to be fully mechanised (mounted on armoured half-tracks (Sd.Kfz. 251)). The first battalion of the artillery regiment replaced its former light towed howitzers with a mix of heavy and light self propelled guns (Hummel, Wespe
). The anti-tank battalion now included both assault guns and tank destroyers in addition to towed anti-tank guns. Generally the mechanisation of these divisions increased compared to their previous organisation.
One myth that emerged in post-war years was that SS Divisions received more tanks than their Wehrmacht counterparts. Recent research has shown this to be untrue, with both types of unit receiving the same amounts of equipment. Since both the Wehrmacht and SS used their own ordinal system, there were duplicate numbers (i.e. there was both a 9th Panzer Division
and a 9th SS Panzer Division
), which occasionally led to confusion amongst their opponents.
Heer:
Luftwaffe
Luftwaffe is a generic German term for an air force. It is also the official name for two of the four historic German air forces, the Wehrmacht air arm founded in 1935 and disbanded in 1946; and the current Bundeswehr air arm founded in 1956....
branches of the Wehrmacht
Wehrmacht
The Wehrmacht – from , to defend and , the might/power) were the unified armed forces of Nazi Germany from 1935 to 1945. It consisted of the Heer , the Kriegsmarine and the Luftwaffe .-Origin and use of the term:...
as well as the Waffen-SS
Waffen-SS
The Waffen-SS was a multi-ethnic and multi-national military force of the Third Reich. It constituted the armed wing of the Schutzstaffel or SS, an organ of the Nazi Party. The Waffen-SS saw action throughout World War II and grew from three regiments to over 38 divisions, and served alongside...
of Nazi Germany
Nazi Germany
Nazi Germany , also known as the Third Reich , but officially called German Reich from 1933 to 1943 and Greater German Reich from 26 June 1943 onward, is the name commonly used to refer to the state of Germany from 1933 to 1945, when it was a totalitarian dictatorship ruled by...
during World War II
World War II
World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
.
Panzer divisions were combined arms
Combined arms
Combined arms is an approach to warfare which seeks to integrate different branches of a military to achieve mutually complementary effects...
formations having both armor (panzer
Panzer
A Panzer is a German language word that, when used as a noun, means "tank". When it is used as an adjective, it means either tank or "armoured" .- Etymology :...
s) and infantry
Infantry
Infantrymen are soldiers who are specifically trained for the role of fighting on foot to engage the enemy face to face and have historically borne the brunt of the casualties of combat in wars. As the oldest branch of combat arms, they are the backbone of armies...
as organic components, along with the usual assets of artillery
Artillery
Originally applied to any group of infantry primarily armed with projectile weapons, artillery has over time become limited in meaning to refer only to those engines of war that operate by projection of munitions far beyond the range of effect of personal weapons...
, anti-aircraft
Anti-aircraft warfare
NATO defines air defence as "all measures designed to nullify or reduce the effectiveness of hostile air action." They include ground and air based weapon systems, associated sensor systems, command and control arrangements and passive measures. It may be to protect naval, ground and air forces...
, signals, etc. that are common to most military divisions of the industrial era. However, the proportions of the components of a panzer division changed over time.
Although initially the formation of units larger than a panzer regiment proposed by Heinz Guderian
Heinz Guderian
Heinz Wilhelm Guderian was a German general during World War II. He was a pioneer in the development of armored warfare, and was the leading proponent of tanks and mechanization in the Wehrmacht . Germany's panzer forces were raised and organized under his direction as Chief of Mobile Forces...
were rejected by the inspector of motorized troops Otto von Stuelpnagel, on his replacement by Oswald Lutz
Oswald Lutz
General Oswald Lutz was a German General who oversaw the motorization of the German Army in the late 1920s and early 1930s and was appointed as the first General der Panzertruppe of the Wehrmacht in 1935....
, Guderian's mentor, the attitude gained more support in the Wehrmacht, and after 1933 was also supported by Adolf Hitler
Adolf Hitler
Adolf Hitler was an Austrian-born German politician and the leader of the National Socialist German Workers Party , commonly referred to as the Nazi Party). He was Chancellor of Germany from 1933 to 1945, and head of state from 1934 to 1945...
. On 15 October 1935 the first three panzer divisions were formed. The 1st Division was formed in Weimar
Weimar
Weimar is a city in Germany famous for its cultural heritage. It is located in the federal state of Thuringia , north of the Thüringer Wald, east of Erfurt, and southwest of Halle and Leipzig. Its current population is approximately 65,000. The oldest record of the city dates from the year 899...
and commanded by Maximilian von Weichs
Maximilian von Weichs
Maximilian Maria Joseph Karl Gabriel Lamoral Reichsfreiherr von Weichs zu Glon was a German Generalfeldmarschall during World War II. He was also a recipient of the Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross with Oak Leaves...
, the 2nd Division was formed in Würzburg
Würzburg
Würzburg is a city in the region of Franconia which lies in the northern tip of Bavaria, Germany. Located at the Main River, it is the capital of the Regierungsbezirk Lower Franconia. The regional dialect is Franconian....
and commanded by Heinz Guderian
Heinz Guderian
Heinz Wilhelm Guderian was a German general during World War II. He was a pioneer in the development of armored warfare, and was the leading proponent of tanks and mechanization in the Wehrmacht . Germany's panzer forces were raised and organized under his direction as Chief of Mobile Forces...
and the 3rd Division was formed in Berlin
Berlin
Berlin is the capital city of Germany and is one of the 16 states of Germany. With a population of 3.45 million people, Berlin is Germany's largest city. It is the second most populous city proper and the seventh most populous urban area in the European Union...
and commanded by Ernst Feßmann
Ernst Feßmann
General Ernst Feßmann was a Cavalry General in the German army who was notable for commanding one of the first Panzer Divisions....
.
World War II
The German panzer divisions were the main building blocks of the German successes in the Blitzkrieg operationsBlitzkrieg
For other uses of the word, see: Blitzkrieg Blitzkrieg is an anglicized word describing all-motorised force concentration of tanks, infantry, artillery, combat engineers and air power, concentrating overwhelming force at high speed to break through enemy lines, and, once the lines are broken,...
in the early years of the war. Most other armies of the era usually organized their tanks into "tank brigades" requiring infantry
Infantry
Infantrymen are soldiers who are specifically trained for the role of fighting on foot to engage the enemy face to face and have historically borne the brunt of the casualties of combat in wars. As the oldest branch of combat arms, they are the backbone of armies...
and artillery
Artillery
Originally applied to any group of infantry primarily armed with projectile weapons, artillery has over time become limited in meaning to refer only to those engines of war that operate by projection of munitions far beyond the range of effect of personal weapons...
support. Panzer divisions had their own support units organic to themselves, which led to an automatic change in military doctrine
Military doctrine
Military doctrine is the concise expression of how military forces contribute to campaigns, major operations, battles, and engagements.It is a guide to action, not hard and fast rules. Doctrine provides a common frame of reference across the military...
: rather than seeing tanks as a unit to support operations by other units, the tanks became the main focus of attention, with other units supporting them. This organizational style meant they could operate relatively independently from other units.
Originally these divisions (1st through 5th) were composed of two tank and one motorised regiment (all regiments of two battalions each) as well as supporting troops. After the invasion of Poland in 1939, the old divisions were partially reorganised (adding a third battalion to some infantry regiments or alternatively adding a second regiment of two battalions). Divisions newly organised around this time (6th through 10th) diverged in organisation, each on average with one tank regiment, one separate tank battalion, one or two infantry regiments (three to four battalions per division). By the start of Operation Barbarossa
Operation Barbarossa
Operation Barbarossa was the code name for Germany's invasion of the Soviet Union during World War II that began on 22 June 1941. Over 4.5 million troops of the Axis powers invaded the USSR along a front., the largest invasion in the history of warfare...
in 1941 the by then 21 panzer divisions had undergone further reorganisation to now consist of one tank regiment (of two or three battalions) and two motorised regiments (of two battalions each). Until the winter of 1941/42 supporting troops organic to these divisions consisted of a motorised artillery regiment (of two light and one heavy battalion), a reconnaissance-, a motorcycle-, an anti-tank-, a pioneer-, a field replacement- and a communications- battalion. The number of tanks in the 1941 style divisions was comparatively small, but all other units in these formations were fully motorised (trucks, half-track
Half-track
A half-track is a civilian or military vehicle with regular wheels on the front for steering, and caterpillar tracks on the back to propel the vehicle and carry most of the load. The purpose of this combination is to produce a vehicle with the cross-country capabilities of a tank and the handling...
s, specialized combat vehicles) to match the speed of the tanks.
During the winter 1941/42 another reorganisation of these divisions became necessary, each tank regiment now composed of one to three battalions depending on location (generally three for Heeresgruppe Süd, one for Heeresgruppe Mitte, other commands usually two battalions). Throughout 1942 the reconnaissance battalions were merged into the motorcycle battalions.
By the summer of 1943, the Heer
Heer
Heer is German for "army". Generally, its use as "army" is not restricted to any particular country, so "das britische Heer" would mean "the British army".However, more specifically it can refer to:*An army of Germany:...
, Luftwaffe
Luftwaffe
Luftwaffe is a generic German term for an air force. It is also the official name for two of the four historic German air forces, the Wehrmacht air arm founded in 1935 and disbanded in 1946; and the current Bundeswehr air arm founded in 1956....
and Waffen-SS
Waffen-SS
The Waffen-SS was a multi-ethnic and multi-national military force of the Third Reich. It constituted the armed wing of the Schutzstaffel or SS, an organ of the Nazi Party. The Waffen-SS saw action throughout World War II and grew from three regiments to over 38 divisions, and served alongside...
had panzer divisions in their structure. A renewed standardisation of the tank regiments was attempted and each was now supposed to consist of two battalions (one Pz.Kpfw. IV
Panzer IV
The Panzerkampfwagen IV , commonly known as the Panzer IV, was a medium tank developed in Nazi Germany in the late 1930s and used extensively during the Second World War. Its ordnance inventory designation was Sd.Kfz...
, the other Pz.Kpfw. V), in reality this organisation continued to vary from division to division. The first infantry battalion of the first infantry regiment of each panzer division was now supposed to be fully mechanised (mounted on armoured half-tracks (Sd.Kfz. 251)). The first battalion of the artillery regiment replaced its former light towed howitzers with a mix of heavy and light self propelled guns (Hummel, Wespe
Wespe
The SdKfz 124 Wespe , also known as Leichte Feldhaubitze 18 auf Fahrgestell Panzerkampfwagen II , was a German self-propelled artillery vehicle developed and used during the Second World War...
). The anti-tank battalion now included both assault guns and tank destroyers in addition to towed anti-tank guns. Generally the mechanisation of these divisions increased compared to their previous organisation.
One myth that emerged in post-war years was that SS Divisions received more tanks than their Wehrmacht counterparts. Recent research has shown this to be untrue, with both types of unit receiving the same amounts of equipment. Since both the Wehrmacht and SS used their own ordinal system, there were duplicate numbers (i.e. there was both a 9th Panzer Division
German 9th Panzer Division
The 9th Panzer Division was a panzer division of the Wehrmacht Heer. The division was only active during World War II, and came into existence after 4th Light Division was reorganized in January 1940...
and a 9th SS Panzer Division
9th SS Panzer Division Hohenstaufen
The 9th SS Panzer Division "Hohenstaufen", also known as SS-Panzergrenadier-Division 9, SS-Panzergrenadier-Division 9 Hohenstaufen or 9. SS-Panzer-Division Hohenstaufen, was a German Waffen-SS Armoured division which saw action on both the Eastern and Western Fronts during World War II. The...
), which occasionally led to confusion amongst their opponents.
Heer:
Numbered
- 1st Panzer Division
- 2nd Panzer Division
- 3rd Panzer Division
- 4th Panzer Division
- 5th Panzer Division
- 6th Panzer Division (previously 1st Light Division)
- 7th Panzer Division (previously 2nd Light Division)
- 8th Panzer Division (previously 3rd Light Division)
- 9th Panzer Division (previously 4th Light Division)
- 10th Panzer Division
- 11th Panzer Division
- 12th Panzer Division (previously 2nd Motorized Infantry Division)
- 13th Panzer Division (previously 13th Infantry Division, 13th Motorized Infantry Division; later Panzer Division Feldherrnhalle 2)
- 14th Panzer Division (previously 4th Infantry Division)
- 15th Panzer Division (previously 33rd Infantry Division; later 15th Panzergrenadier Division)
- 16th Panzer Division (previously 16th Infantry Division)
- 17th Panzer Division (previously 27th Infantry Division)
- 18th Panzer Division (later 18th Artillery Division)
- 19th Panzer Division (previously 19th Infantry Division)
- 20th Panzer Division
- 21st Panzer Division (previously 5th Light Division)
- 22nd Panzer Division
- 23rd Panzer Division
- 24th Panzer Division (previously 1st Cavalry Division)
- 25th Panzer Division
- 26th Panzer Division (formerly 23rd Infantry Division)
- 27th Panzer Division
- 116th Panzer Division Windhund (previously 16th Infantry Division, 16th Motorized Infantry Division, and 16th Panzergrenadier Division)
- 155th Reserve Panzer Division (previously Division Nr. 155, Division Nr. 155 (motorized), Panzer Division Nr. 155)
- Panzer Division Nr. 178 (previously Division Nr. 178)
- 179th Reserve Panzer Division (previously Division Nr. 179, Division Nr. 179 (mot.), and Panzer Division Nr. 179)
- 232nd Panzer Division (previously Panzer Division Tatra, Panzer Training Division Tatra)
- 233rd Reserve Panzer Division233rd Reserve Panzer DivisionThe 233rd Reserve Panzer Division was a German panzer division during World War II which was mainly deployed in Denmark.The 233rd Panzer Division was redesignated the 233rd Reserve Panzer Division on the 8th of August 1943 under the command of Kurt Cuno,and was posted to central Jutland in Denmark...
(previously Division Nr. 233 (mot.), Panzergrenadier Division Nr. 233, and Panzer Division Nr. 233; later Panzer Division Clausewitz) - 273rd Reserve Panzer Division
Named
- Panzer Division ClausewitzPanzer Division ClausewitzPanzer-Division Clausewitz was a German panzer division during World War II, named for Carl von Clausewitz.It was formed in central Germany area at the beginning of April 1945 under the command of Martin Unrein, from the 233rd Panzergrenadier Division and also drawing Panzergrenadier troops from...
(previously Division Nr. 233 (motorized), Panzergrenadier Division Nr. 233, and Panzer Division Nr. 233, Reserve Panzer Division 233)- Döberitz, Schlesien, and Holstein are approximately synonymous with Clausewitz.
- Panzer Division Feldherrnhalle 1 (previously 60th Infantry Division, 60th Motorized Infantry Division, and Panzergrenadier Division Feldherrnhalle)
- Panzer Division Feldherrnhalle 2Panzer Division Feldherrnhalle 2Panzer Division Feldherrnhalle 2, commanded by Dr. Franz Bake, was a late World War II Wehrmacht armoured division. It was formed in March 1945 of the remnants of other divisions and stationed with a home base at Wehrkreis XX. It was moved to Slovakia in 1945 where it fought its only battles...
(previously 13th Infantry Division, 13th Motorized Infantry Division, and 13th Panzer Division) - Panzer Division Jüterbog
- Panzer Division Kempf (part Heer, part Waffen-SS)
- Panzer Division Kurmark
- Panzer-Lehr-Division (sometimes identified as 130th Panzer-Lehr-Division)
- Panzer Division Müncheberg
- Panzer Division TatraPanzer Division TatraThe Panzer Division Tatra was an armored division of the German Wehrmacht formed in Moravia in August 1944. The division was hastily formed during the Slovak National Uprising of 1944 when the Germans feared that Slovakia might break away from the Axis powers and open the road to the advancing Red...
(later Panzer Training Division Tatra, 232nd Panzer Division)
Tank complement
The tank strength of panzer divisions varied throughout the war. Battle losses, formation of new units, reinforcements and captured enemy equipment all mean that the actual equipment of each unit is rarely known. The following table summarizes each divisions' strength when it was known.| Unit | Tanks on September 1, 1939 (Invasion of Poland Invasion of Poland (1939) The Invasion of Poland, also known as the September Campaign or 1939 Defensive War in Poland and the Poland Campaign in Germany, was an invasion of Poland by Germany, the Soviet Union, and a small Slovak contingent that marked the start of World War II in Europe... ) |
Tanks on June 22, 1941 (Invasion of the USSR Operation Barbarossa Operation Barbarossa was the code name for Germany's invasion of the Soviet Union during World War II that began on 22 June 1941. Over 4.5 million troops of the Axis powers invaded the USSR along a front., the largest invasion in the history of warfare... ) |
|---|---|---|
| 1st Panzer Division | 309 | 145 |
| 2nd Panzer Division | 322 | N/Aa |
| 3rd Panzer Division | 391 | 215 |
| 4th Panzer Division | 341 | 166 |
| 5th Panzer Division | 335 | N/Ab |
| 10th Panzer Division | 150 | 182 |
| Panzer Division Kempf | 164 | N/Ae |
| 1st Light Division / 6th Panzer Division | 226 | 245d |
| 2nd Light Division / 7th Panzer Division | 85 | 265d |
| 3rd Light Division / 8th Panzer Division | 80 | 212d |
| 4th Light Division / 9th Panzer Division | 62 | 143d |
| Panzer Regiment 25 | 225 | N/Ae |
| 11th Panzer Division | N/Ac | 143 |
| 12th Panzer Division | N/Ac | 293 |
| 13th Panzer Division | N/Ac | 149 |
| 14th Panzer Division | N/Ac | 147 |
| 16th Panzer Division | N/Ac | 146 |
| 17th Panzer Division | N/Ac | 202 |
| 18th Panzer Division | N/Ac | 218 |
| 19th Panzer Division | N/Ac | 228 |
| 20th Panzer Division | N/Ac | 229 |
| a Did not participate in Operation Barbarossa, transport ships sunk while carrying the Division (1941). b Arrived on the Eastern Front after Operation Barbarossa. c Formed after the Polish Campaign. d Renamed following the Polish Campaign. e Merged into other Divisions following the Polish Campaign. |
||
In popular culture
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is the name of an AmericanUnited StatesThe United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
power noisePower noisePower noise is a fusion genre among noise music and various styles of electronic dance music. It should not be confused with "power electronics", which lacks rhythmic elements and is closer to harsh noise...
/industrialIndustrial musicIndustrial music is a style of experimental music that draws on transgressive and provocative themes. The term was coined in the mid-1970s with the founding of Industrial Records by the band Throbbing Gristle, and the creation of the slogan "industrial music for industrial people". In general, the...
act. - Pansy DivisionPansy DivisionPansy Division is an American punk rock band that formed in San Francisco, California in 1991. Featuring primarily gay musicians and focusing mostly on gay-related themes, Pansy Division is one of the more melodic-oriented bands to emerge from the "queercore" movement that began in the 1980s.-Early...
is a queercoreQueercoreQueercore is a cultural and social movement that began in the mid-1980s as an offshoot of punk. It is distinguished by being discontent with society in general and its rejection of the disapproval of the gay, bisexual, and lesbian communities and their "oppressive agenda"...
punk band. - Panzer Division MardukPanzer Division MardukPanzer Division Marduk is the sixth studio album by Swedish black metal band Marduk. It was recorded and mixed at The Abyss in January 1999 and released in June 1999 by Osmose Productions...
is a 1999 album by MardukMarduk (band)Marduk is a black metal band from Norrköping, Sweden. The band formed in 1990 and released their first record in 1991. Their name is derived from the Babylonian god Marduk, patron deity of Babylon.-Musical style:...
. - Swedish metal band SabatonSabaton (band)Sabaton is a Grammis-nominated power metal band from Falun, Sweden formed in 1999. The band's main lyrical themes are those of historical wars. This is heard in albums Primo Victoria, Attero Dominatus and Coat of Arms where all of the songs, except final tracks, take inspiration from historical...
do several songs on this topic, including "Panzer Battalion" from their album Primo VictoriaPrimo VictoriaPrimo Victoria is the second album by Swedish power metal band Sabaton. This was the first album they released for their new label, Black Lodge Records.-Track listing:# "Primo Victoria" – 4:10 - About D-Day of Operation Overlord....
and "Ghost Division" (about the famed 7th Panzer Division under Erwin RommelErwin RommelErwin Johannes Eugen Rommel , popularly known as the Desert Fox , was a German Field Marshal of World War II. He won the respect of both his own troops and the enemies he fought....
) from The Art of WarThe Art of WarThe Art of War is an ancient Chinese military treatise that is attributed to Sun Tzu , a high ranking military general and strategist during the late Spring and Autumn period...
. - "Panzer Division Destroyed" is a song by British hard rock/heavy metal band BudgieBudgie (band)Budgie is a Welsh Hard Rock/Heavy Metal band from Cardiff. They are widely considered as one of the first heavy metal bands and a seminal influence to many acts of that scene, with fast, heavy rock being played as early as 1971. The band has been noted as "among the heaviest metal of its day"...
recorded in 1980.
See also
- British Armoured formations of the Second World WarBritish Armoured formations of the Second World WarThe British Armoured formations of the Second World War refers to the Armoured Divisions and Independent Armoured and Tank Brigades deployed by the British Army during the Second World War. They had two types of armoured vehicle. The Infantry tank which was heavily armoured and slow, designed to...
- BlitzkriegBlitzkriegFor other uses of the word, see: Blitzkrieg Blitzkrieg is an anglicized word describing all-motorised force concentration of tanks, infantry, artillery, combat engineers and air power, concentrating overwhelming force at high speed to break through enemy lines, and, once the lines are broken,...
- Deutsches Afrikakorps
- General der PanzertruppeGeneral der PanzertruppeGeneral der Panzertruppe was a rank of German Army General introduced by the Wehrmacht in 1935. As the commander of a Panzer Corp this rank corresponds to a US Army Lieutenant-General...
- List of German divisions in WWII
- Maneuver warfareManeuver warfareManeuver warfare, or manoeuvre warfare , is the term used by military theorists for a concept of warfare that advocates attempting to defeat an adversary by incapacitating their decision-making through shock and disruption brought about by movement...
- Panzertruppe
- US Armored Divisions
- WehrmachtWehrmachtThe Wehrmacht – from , to defend and , the might/power) were the unified armed forces of Nazi Germany from 1935 to 1945. It consisted of the Heer , the Kriegsmarine and the Luftwaffe .-Origin and use of the term:...