Table of Contents
Did the French have good tanks?
Testifying to the French advantage is the Somua S35, a plump, cute tank which was one of the best tanks in the world in 1940. While the tank had its flaws, it made up for them with strength and firepower. The S35 had 47 millimeters of frontal hull armor and 40-42 millimeters of armor in its turret and sides.
Did the French have better tanks in WW2?
How good were French tanks in WW2?
The Cavalry units alone were too few in number. In armour and firepower, French tanks were generally not inferior to their German counterparts. In one incident, a single Char B1 “Eure” was able to destroy thirteen German tanks within a few minutes in Stonne on 16 May 1940, all of them Panzer III and Panzer IV tanks.
How many tanks did the French have in ww2?
5,800 tanks
General overview: French armored forces in 1939 A total force of nearly 5,800 tanks, many of which were based overseas, in operational reserve or second line (such as the obsolete FT).
How did a tank get its name?
The name ‘tank’ came from British attempts to ensure the secrecy of the new weapons under the guise of water tanks. During the First World War, Britain began the serious development of the tank. Britain used tanks in combat for the first time in the Battle of Flers-Courcelette on 15 September 1916.
Why are tanks called Armor?
Why are tanks called tanks? The German word “panzer” doesn’t actually translate to tank, but rather the word means “armor,” as it derives from the French word “pancier” for “breastplate” and comes from the Latin “pantx” or “belly.” Today, Panzer is a loanword, notably in the context of the German military.
Why was France so bad in ww2?
France suffered a humiliating defeat and was quickly occupied by Germany. Its failure was a result of a hopelessly divided French political elite, a lack of quality military leadership, rudimentary French military tactics.
How many French died in battle of France?
90,000 killed
Casualties, killed or wounded, were as follows: France – 90,000 killed, 200,000 wounded and approximately 1,800,000 imprisoned.
Why did the French tanks fail in WWI?
The failure of French tanks was owed to obsolete tactical concepts, compromises which led to undermanned tanks and busy commanders, lack of air support and very poor communication aggravated by a rigid, scattered chain of command. In short, French armor could have had prevailed if better commanded and with better coordination and supplies.
What are the disadvantages of heavy tanks?
Many heavy tanks shared components from lighter tanks. For example, the M103 heavy tank shared many components with lighter Patton tanks, including transmission and engine. As a result, they tend to be either underpowered and comparatively slow, or have engine and drive train reliability issues.
Why did the French have a better military than the Germans?
The French military was larger — on paper — and technologically superior to its German enemy. Testifying to the French advantage is the Somua S35, a plump, cute tank which was one of the best tanks in the world in 1940. Hundreds went into action in May 1940, but to little avail.
How many tanks did the French Army have in 1940?
By June 1940, 6126 tanks had been delivered to the army. As far as tank design was concerned, the French engineers came with various innovative designs of their own. The army -partly because of political issues and spending concentrated on the Maginot line- was never given a sizable budget before 1932-34.