“At the present time, due to our lack of practical experience, any thoughts on the equipping and organisation of Panzer units may only be based on theory. A close study should be made of countries which have practical experience without the encumbrances we have endured in the fifteen years since the war.”
GENERAL BECK GENERALSTABES DES HEERES, 1936
The ‘Victory in the West’ exhibition staged in Vienna during 1941. This startling achievement was largely due to the efficient employment of the German tank forces. The victory exhibitionwas designed to underline the effectiveness of the new German military machine.
The training given to the Panzer warriors emphasised speed and independence of thought. When these units were unleashed they offered a very effective weapon that their enemies found impossible to fight against. In Poland this new force had the first opportunity to put its meticulous training into practice; the campaign was a triumph for the Wehrmacht and showed the potential for the tank in battle. Nonetheless, some problems were encountered.
‘…In general the bravery and heroism of the Polish Army merits great respect’, said Generalfeldmarshall Gerd von Rundstedt.
It was here that the ideas of General Heinz Guderian came to appear increasingly attractive. A man of acute intelligence, his plans and tactics were tried out in war games and manoeuvres; once they proved successful in practice they soon convinced Germany’s dictator that he had discovered the way to make his dream become a reality. Every detail of the organisation of the Panzer Divisions was explored in meticulous detail so that nothing was left to chance.