Why the Lanyard Staple?

max2cam · 07-13-2003, 12:31 PM

Reading a book about Heinz Guderian right now.

Early Panzer advocates well knew of the need for an all-mechanized army including tracked or all-wheel-drive support vehicles and to get rid of the horses. But the German economy was so weak that Hitler had to rebuild his armed forces on the cheap which resulted in an army much weaker than it appeared due to Goebbels' efficient propaganda including the term Blitzkrieg, which was just as much necessity as it was technique.

Hitler preferred to build new divisions rather than properly modernize existing divisions. Thus the horse remained way more important than it should have and many Germans knew it. Better tank and other weapon designs were delayed or never built due to lack of means.

Hitler thought all along he could bluff his way to victory and avoid a large war. Many German generals were "horrified" at that notion due to the great risk. In the end they were proved correct. The earliest they would have been ready for a war in the East was 1943.

Strange to think today that the guy (Hitler) who is blamed and condemned as a total war monger, was probably the last guy who really wanted a big war...but got one anyway.

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07-13-2003, 12:31 PM	#18
max2cam User Join Date: Jul 2002 Location: USA Posts: 97 Thanks: 0 Thanked 0 Times in 0 Posts	Reading a book about Heinz Guderian right now. Early Panzer advocates well knew of the need for an all-mechanized army including tracked or all-wheel-drive support vehicles and to get rid of the horses. But the German economy was so weak that Hitler had to rebuild his armed forces on the cheap which resulted in an army much weaker than it appeared due to Goebbels' efficient propaganda including the term Blitzkrieg, which was just as much necessity as it was technique. Hitler preferred to build new divisions rather than properly modernize existing divisions. Thus the horse remained way more important than it should have and many Germans knew it. Better tank and other weapon designs were delayed or never built due to lack of means. Hitler thought all along he could bluff his way to victory and avoid a large war. Many German generals were "horrified" at that notion due to the great risk. In the end they were proved correct. The earliest they would have been ready for a war in the East was 1943. Strange to think today that the guy (Hitler) who is blamed and condemned as a total war monger, was probably the last guy who really wanted a big war...but got one anyway.