The Battle of France in 1940 involved the first large-scale tank-against-tank battles in history.
The massive clashes at Stonne, Hannant, and Gembloux involved hundreds of tanks on both sides, yet have faded from memory due to the enormity of the French defeat. This book examines two of the premier opposing tanks of the Wehrmacht and the French Army, the German PzKpfw IV and the French Char B1 bis.
With a complete history of the design, development, and deployment of these armoured fighting vehicles, the story of these great battles is once again brought to life.
The Battle of France in 1940 involved the first large-scale tank-against-tank battles in history.
The massive clashes at Stonne, Hannant, and Gembloux involved hundreds of tanks on both sides, yet have faded from memory due to the enormity of the French defeat. This book examines two of the premier opposing tanks of the Wehrmacht and the French Army, the German PzKpfw IV and the French Char B1 bis.
With a complete history of the design, development, and deployment of these armoured fighting vehicles, the story of these great battles is once again brought to life.
Introduction
Chronology
Strategic Situation
Technical specifications
The combatants
Combat
Statistics and analysis
Aftermath
Bibliography
A look at the two main tanks involved in the great battles of 1940 between Germany and France.
Steven J. Zaloga received his BA in history from Union
College and his MA from Columbia University. He has worked as an
analyst in the aerospace industry for over two decades, covering
missile systems and the international arms trade, and has served
with the Institute for Defense Analyses, a federal think-tank. He
is the author of numerous books on military technology and military
history, with an accent on the US Army in World War II as well as
Russia and the former Soviet Union.
Richard Chasemore finished a four-year course in technical
illustration in 1992. Since then he has worked on a huge variety of
projects in publishing and advertising, using both traditional and
digital media. He has run an airbrush course in St Louis, Missouri,
and also written six educational books on digital art. He has spent
10 years working on the best-selling Star Wars Incredible Cross
Sections series, which has taken him to Skywalker Ranch in
California to work with the Lucasfilm concept artists.
"... why were the Germans able to destroy the French Armies in such a short period of time [during WWII]? From the tank vs. tank perspective, this book reveals all. I found it easy to read, easy to understand, and very enlightening. I recommend it highly to anyone interested in this aspect of military history." --Andrew Birkbeck, IPMS/USA "I am delighted that an authority like Mr. Zaloga has created this comparison of the Char B1 bis and the PzKpfw IV. While the book is extremely detailed, it remains gripping and easy to read." --Frederick Boucher, Armorama
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