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Aufklärungsabteilung
An ''Aufklärungsabteilung'' ("reconnaissance detachment") was an '' Abteilung'' (battalion)-sized reconnaissance unit attached to a German division during the Second World War. The ''Aufklärungsabteilung'' was the eyes and ears of the parent division. During the first campaigns of the Second World War they included horse-mounted and bicycle troops in the infantry divisions; in the more mobile motorized infantry and ''Panzer'' divisions they were equipped with motorcycle combinations (e.g., BMW R75, Zündapp KS 750), Volkswagen Kübelwagens, and Sd.Kfz. 221/222/223 light armored cars. Units in the mobile divisions were also equipped with six- and eight-wheeled heavy armored cars such as the Sd.Kfz. 231/232 and the Sd.Kfz. 234. Later in the war they were issued with Volkswagen Schwimmwagens, light half-tracks such as the Sd.Kfz. 250, as well as '' Panzer II Ausf. L "Luchs"'' and '' Aufklärungspanzer 38'' light tanks. These rarely operated as whole companies, an ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Aufklärungsabteilung (teilmot) (Wehrmacht)
An ''Aufklärungsabteilung'' ("reconnaissance detachment") was an ''Abteilung'' (battalion)-sized reconnaissance unit attached to a Nazi Germany, German division (military), division during the Second World War. The ''Aufklärungsabteilung'' was the eyes and ears of the parent division. During the first campaigns of the Second World War they included horse-mounted and Bicycle infantry, bicycle troops in the Division_(military)#Infantry_division, infantry divisions; in the more mobile motorized infantry and ''Panzer division (Wehrmacht), Panzer'' divisions they were equipped with Sidecar, motorcycle combinations (e.g., BMW R75, Zündapp KS 750), Volkswagen Kübelwagens, and Leichter Panzerspähwagen, Sd.Kfz. 221/222/223 light Armored car (military), armored cars. Units in the mobile divisions were also equipped with six- and eight-wheeled heavy armored cars such as the Schwerer Panzerspähwagen, Sd.Kfz. 231/232 and the Sd.Kfz. 234. Later in the war they were issued with Volks ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Leibstandarte SS Adolf Hitler
The 1st SS Panzer Division Leibstandarte SS Adolf Hitler or SS Division Leibstandarte, abbreviated as LSSAH (), began as Adolf Hitler's personal bodyguard unit, responsible for guarding the Führer's person, offices, and residences. Initially the size of a regiment, the LSSAH eventually grew into an elite division-sized unit during World War II. The LSSAH participated in combat during the invasion of Poland and was amalgamated into the Waffen-SS together with the '' SS-Verfügungstruppe'' (SS-VT) and the combat units of the ''SS-Totenkopfverbände'' (SS-TV) prior to Operation Barbarossa in 1941. By mid-1942 it had been increased in size from a regiment to a division and was designated SS Division "Leibstandarte SS Adolf Hitler". It received its final form as a Panzer division in October 1943. Members of the LSSAH perpetrated numerous atrocities and war crimes, including the Malmedy massacre. They killed an estimated 5,000 prisoners of war in the period 1940–1945, mostly o ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Abteilung
(; abbrv. ''Abt.'') is a German word that is often used for German or Swiss military formations and depending on its usage could mean detachment, department or battalion; it can also refer to a military division. In German, it is used both for military and civilian departments (as in "office department"). In the military of the German Empire, the Weimar Republic and the Wehrmacht (during World War II), the term was generally a battalion equivalent in the armoured, cavalry, reconnaissance and artillery arms of the Wehrmacht and Waffen-SS. For example, ''Schwere Panzerabteilung'' refers to German heavy tank battalions. However, when the term was used for large military formations, it generally meant "detachment". For example, translates to "army detachment" and '' Korpsabteilung'' to "corps detachment".Walter Dunn, ''Kursk: Hitler's Gamble, 1943'', 1997, p. 61. The German term is used in the same sense as the Russian term ''divizion'' (''дивизион'') or the Polish t ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Leichter Panzerspähwagen
The ''Leichter Panzerspähwagen'' (German: "light armoured reconnaissance vehicle") was a series of light four-wheel drive armoured cars produced by Nazi Germany from 1935 to 1944. Development history The Sd.Kfz. 221 was the first in a series of light reconnaissance vehicles designed to meet operational requirements including reliability, an ability to run on a variety of grades of fuel, simple construction and good off-road performance. However, this type proved too small and too lightly armed, so in 1936-37 a heavier version was planned, using one of two standard chassis for four-wheeled armoured cars - one with a front-mounted engine, the other rear-mounted. The latter was used in the Sd.Kfz. 222, which then became the standard light armoured car in German army service until the defeat of Nazi Germany. The vehicles were developed by Eisenwerk Weserhütte of Bad Oeynhausen by using the chassis of the type Horch 108 (one of the '' Einheits-PKW der Wehrmacht'' standardised ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
M4 Sherman
The M4 Sherman, officially medium tank, M4, was the medium tank most widely used by the United States and Western Allies in World War II. The M4 Sherman proved to be reliable, relatively cheap to produce, and available in great numbers. It was also the basis of several other armored fighting vehicles including self-propelled artillery, tank destroyers, and armored recovery vehicles. Tens of thousands were distributed through the Lend-Lease program to the British Commonwealth, Soviet Union, and other Allied Nations. The tank was named by the British after the American Civil War General William Tecumseh Sherman. The M4 Sherman tank evolved from the M3 Lee, a medium tank developed by the United States during the early years of World War II. The M3, also known by its service names "Grant" and "Lee," was characterized by a unique design that featured the main armament mounted in a side sponson. The Grant variant, used by British forces, employed a lower-profile turret ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
T-34
The T-34 is a Soviet medium tank from World War II. When introduced, its 76.2 mm (3 in) tank gun was more powerful than many of its contemporaries, and its 60-degree sloped armour provided good protection against Anti-tank warfare, anti-tank weapons. The T-34 had a profound effect on the conflict on the Eastern Front (World War II), Eastern Front, and had a long-lasting impact on tank design. The tank was praised by German generals when encountered during Operation Barbarossa, although its armour and armament were surpassed later in the war. Its main strength was its cost and production time, meaning that German panzer forces would often fight against Soviet tank forces several times their own size. The T-34 was also a critical part of the mechanized divisions that formed the backbone of the Deep operation, deep battle strategy. The T-34 was the mainstay of the Soviet Red Army armoured warfare, armoured forces throughout the war. Its general specifications remained n ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Panzerabwehrkanone
Panzerabwehrkanone (abbreviated as Pak), changed to Panzerjägerkanone in 1941, is the German term for anti-tank gun. In the Angelosphere, however, Pak refers to the fifteen variants of Wehrmacht's anti-tank gun produced before or during World War II World War II or the Second World War (1 September 1939 – 2 September 1945) was a World war, global conflict between two coalitions: the Allies of World War II, Allies and the Axis powers. World War II by country, Nearly all of the wo .... Of these fifteen, PAW 600 and sPzB 41 do not bear the Pak designation in their names. Overview A Pak's weight is within the range of to . The smallest caliber was and the largest was . Over the six-year course of World War II the armor of the tanks steadily improved, so the size of the projectile had to increase. A larger projectile required a heavier weapon. All of these guns were meant to be towed. The earlier ones were light enough to be moved by hand over short distances, int ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Anti-tank Gun
An anti-tank gun is a form of artillery designed to destroy tanks and other armoured fighting vehicles, normally from a static defensive position. The development of specialized anti-tank munitions and anti-tank guns was prompted by the appearance of tanks during World War I. To destroy hostile tanks, artillerymen often used field guns depressed to fire directly at their targets, but this practice expended too much valuable ammunition and was of increasingly limited effectiveness as tank armor became thicker. The first dedicated anti-tank artillery began appearing in the 1920s, and by World War II was a common appearance in many European armies. To penetrate armor, they fired specialized ammunition from longer barrels to achieve a higher muzzle velocity than field guns. Most anti-tank guns were developed in the 1930s as improvements in tanks were noted, and nearly every major arms manufacturer produced one type or another. Anti-tank guns deployed during World War II were often mann ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Heavy Tank
A heavy tank is a tank classification produced from World War I to the end of the Cold War. These tanks generally sacrificed mobility and maneuverability for better armour protection and equal or greater firepower than tanks of lighter classes. Role Heavy tanks achieved their greatest, albeit limited, success when fighting lighter tanks and destroying fortifications. Heavy tanks often saw limited combat in their intended roles, instead becoming mobile pillboxes or defensive positions, such as the German Tiger I and Tiger II designs, or the Soviet Kliment Voroshilov tank, KV and IS tank family, IS designs. Design Heavy tanks feature very heavy vehicle armour, armor and weapons relative to lighter tanks. Many heavy tanks shared components with lighter tanks. For example, the US M103 (heavy tank), M103 heavy tank shared many components with the lighter Patton tank, including transmission and engine. As a result, they tend to be either underpowered and comparatively slow, or hav ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Medium Tank
A medium tank is a classification of tanks, particularly prevalent during World War II, which represented a compromise between the mobility oriented light tanks and the armour and armament oriented heavy tanks. A medium tank's classification is not actually based on weight, but on tactical usage and intended purpose; for instance the German Panzerkampfwagen V Panther medium tank has a mass similar to contemporary Allied heavy tanks. The most widely produced, cost effective and successful tanks of World War II (the German Panzer IV, the Soviet T-34, and the American M4 Sherman) were all medium tank designs. Many of the medium tank lines became what are called main battle tanks in most countries. History The first tanks to carry the name "Medium" appeared in the First World War with the British Medium Mark A Whippet. It was smaller, lighter and faster than the British heavy tanks of the time and only carried machine guns. The medium tank doctrine came into use in the interwa ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Company (military Unit)
A company is a Military organization#Commands, formations, and units, military unit, typically consisting of 100–250 soldiers and usually commanded by a Major (rank), major or a Captain (armed forces), captain. Most companies are made up of three to seven platoons, although the exact number may vary by country, unit type, and structure. Usually several companies are grouped as a battalion or regiment, the latter of which is sometimes formed by several battalions. Occasionally, ''independent'' or ''separate'' companies are organized for special purposes, such as the Air Naval Gunfire Liaison Company, 1st Air Naval Gunfire Liaison Company or the 3rd Force Reconnaissance Company. These companies are not organic to a battalion or regiment, but rather report directly to a higher level organization such as a Marine Expeditionary Force headquarters (i.e., a corps-level command). Historical background The modern military company became popularized during the reorganization of the S ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Light Tank
A light tank is a Tank classification, tank variant initially designed for rapid movements in and out of combat, to outmaneuver heavier tanks. It is smaller with thinner vehicle armour, armor and a less powerful tank gun, main gun, tailored for better tactical mobility (military), mobility and ease of transport and military logistics, logistics. They are primarily employed in the screening (tactical), screening, armoured reconnaissance, armored reconnaissance, skirmishing, artillery observer, artillery observation, and supplementing landing operations in a fire support role of expeditionary warfare, expeditionary forces where larger, heavier tanks are unavailable or have difficulties operating safely or efficiently. The fast light tank was a major feature of the pre–World War II army buildup, where it was expected they would be used to exploit breakthroughs in enemy lines created by slower, heavier tanks, with the goal of disrupting communications and supply lines. Numerous sm ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
