QuoteReplyTopic: Did Czechoslovakia stand a chance in 1938? Posted: 26-Jul-2013 at 21:26
From 1936 on, the government of Czechoslovakia was aware of the great menace
from Germany.
Taking under consideration this growing
threat, the decision to modernize army was made. Before 1936 Czechoslovakian
army was outdated and was mostly designed to counter the Hungarian opponent.
According to Gen. Faucher of French military mission to Prague, Czechoslovakian army was “ in poor state and overly obsolete”. Strong
and dynamic armament industry in Czechoslovakia was working mainly
to fulfill export orders as there were no domestic requirements from the armed
forces.
From 1936 the rapid modernization of army
and air force started and thanks to well developed armament industry the
progress was evident.
12 Existing
infantry division of infantry, 2
mountains brigades and 3 brigades of cavalry reformed into 17 division ;13 infantry division ,2
mountains division and 4 “Fast” divisions
comprising 1 cavalry brigade and
1 mechanized brigade. We must add that this modernization was not completed
before Munich Dictate and until the end there were serious shortage of trained
personnel and equipment. Eg, only 1st and 4th “Fast
Divisions” had full amount of tanks where 2nd division comprised
only one tank battalion , 3rd “Fast Division” had only one tank
company.
It was expected that after full
mobilization, Czechoslovakian Armed forces will be 1.25 million strong (Army
970,000), equivalent of about 30 divisions.
The major problem was the ethnic components
of Czechoslovakian Armed Forces. Ethnic German will comprise almost 30% of all
personnel. General staff tried to remedy the situation by sending German reservist
to the eastern part of the country and Slovakian, Hungarian and Ruthenian
reservist from the east part of the country were sent to the west. Such a
movement complicated mobilization of the armed forces.
Great effort was wasted for erection of
static fortifications modeled on Maginot Line. The strongest forts were erected
on the northern Czech-German border at the region of Upper Silesia and Morava . 250 (out of total 267) heavy forts capable of
withstanding heavy shells were erected there. These forts were destined to
block German attack from direction of Oppeln in middle Silesia.
Fortifications of remaining
Czechoslovak-German border were mostly light bunkers incapable of withstanding
heavy shelling but hilly country of Sudetenland provided natural good defensive
position. Border between Austria
and Czechoslovakia
was only lightly fortified.
German Army was numerically much stronger.
The army comprised 36 infantry divisions 4 of them motorized infantry
divisions, 3 armored divisions (2 more were in final stage of training but were
not ready for active duty yet) and 1 Light division plus division of mountain
infantry and brigade of Cavalry.
Additionally, Austrian units were reformed
into 2 infantry division, 2 mountain divisions plus 1 Light Division. Total
around 49-50 fully trained and armed divisions plus same auxiliary units.
As with the Maginot line I'm pretty sure the Germans would have exploited those areas of less resistance, which is to say the areas not expected to need strong fortification. In this case this would be the Austrian border. March 12 1938 Austria was annexed to Germany, with no resistance given by the Austrians. The Austrian armed forces then increases the strength of Germany. The question is did Czechoslovakia have enough time to formulate an adequate defence to the rapidly changing situation on the ground?
Edited by TheAlaniDragonRising - 27-Jul-2013 at 19:31
What a handsome figure of a dragon. No wonder I fall madly in love with the Alani Dragon now, the avatar, it's a gorgeous dragon picture.
They would have had they not had so many ethnic Germans in their population.
The Czech forts impressed Hitler so much that he copied them for the subsequent German defenses. Ironically the Germans, who proved the worthlessness of static fortifications, became their biggest proponent and ended up fortifying the entire Atlantic coastline of the Reich at enormous - and wasted - effort and expense.
From that standpoint alone the Czech fortresses were worth their weight in gold.
The Czech forts did have one major weakness - periscopes to allow viewing the enemy. German snipers learned that they could shoot out the lenses and render the forts blind.
PzKpfw 35(t) and PzKpfw 38(t): Czech tanks
in German service
Despite the considerable effort made in the late 1930s to
equip the Panzer Divisions with effective vehicles, the outbreak of war in
September 1939 found the Germans woefully short of their needed tanks. It is
unlikely that Hitler would have gone to war in 1939 had he not acquired the
Czech tank fleet and manufacturing capacity, for the production of the PzKpfw
III and IV was too low. Popular myth has left to this day the legend that the
Panzer Divisions which stormed into Poland,
Flanders and France
were a huge and unstoppable armored force. But the truth is that it was only
the acquisition of the Czechoslovak tank industry after the Munich Agreement
of 1938 which gave the German forces sufficient tanks for an adequate panzer
force.
Several armaments firms in Czechoslovakia,
prior to the occupation by Germany,
were concerned with the design, development and production of tanks and other
fighting vehicles -both for use by the Czech Army and for commercial sale to
foreign armies. The two main tank models were the Skoda LT-35 and the CKD (Cesko-moravska
Kolben Danek) TNHP, which the Germans took into service as the PzKpfw
35(t) and the PzKpfw38(t), respectively. The (t) was an abbreviation of tscheche, the German for Czech.
PzKpfw
38(t)
In 1933 the CKD firm in Prague began the design of a new light tank
series intended for export. The first completed model was called the LT
(Light Tank) L-H and for export purposes it was often referred to as the
LT-34. Results of trials with all available Czech tank designs showed that
the improved TNHS was the most exceptional model of those submitted to the
tank evaluation, and after a 3000 mile test, of which some 1000 miles was
across country, the tank showed virtually no mechanical defects. After alteration
the new tank received the designation LTL-P (TNHS), which had improved
armament and armor. Throughout its life the tank chassis earned great respect
for its reliability and durability. The maintenance and servicing needed were
found to be minimal and could be carried out in the field.
Following a report on these tests the Czech Defence Department specified
that the TNHS should enter production and become the standard tank of the
Army. Orders were issued for 150 vehicles. After alteration the new tank was
given the designation TNHP, and became the standard tank of the Czech army.
CKD received also orders for most of the developed models from foreign
goverments, including Sweden,
Switzerland, Peru and Yugoslavia. A total of 196 tanks
were exported.
The original 8-ton TNHP mounted a 37.2mm tank gun L/47.8,
which was intended to fire only when the vehicle was stationary, and a
coaxial 7.92mm machine-gun in a turret with all-round traverse. The bulge at
the rear of the turret was fitted for ammunition storage. A second
machine-gun was ball-mounted at the front of the hull. The five-speed
traverse gear, which was fast and light in action, was operated by the
gunner, and could be thrown out of action when the gunner had to push around
the turret. Four rubber-tyred single wheels were provided on each side,
mounted on a cranked stub-axle and controlled by a semi-elliptic spring.
Protection was 25mm basis at the front, 19mm on the sides, and 15mm on the
rear.
Following the German occupation of Czechoslovakia,
from 15 March 1939, all tanks in service with the Czech Army were taken over,
as well as those in production under export contracts. The Germans designated
the TNHP the PzKpfw 38(t) and continued its production until early 1942. They
ordered the manufacturers to increase the frontal armor to 50mm, and that on
the sides to 30mm. A total of 1168 tanks of this type was built for the
Wehrmacht, and saw service in Poland,
France, Yugoslavia, Greece
and Russia, and formed a
major part of the tank strength ofRommel's 7th Panzer
Division during its rapid drive across Northern France
in the 1940 campaign. During 1940-1941 the PzKpfw 38(t) formed 25% of the
total German tank force, and its importance was therefore considerable, the
vehicle being superior in hitting power to either the PzKpfw I or II. As late
as 1944 the vehicle was still being used as an artillery observation
vehicle.
PzKpfw
35(t)
The other Czechoslovakian tank to see service with the Panzer Divisions in
the early days was what the Germans designated PzKpfw 35(t). The design of
this vehicle went back to 1934 when the Skoda firm, based on the experiences
with a prototype tank, the MU4/T1, produced a larger machine. This was
designated the Skoda 10.5 ton tank, Model T-11 and has been referred to as
the LTM-35. Particular care was taken in the design to enable it to travel
long distances under its own power. In addition to having a high degree of
manoevrability considerable emphasis was placed on crew comfort and the
durability of the power train. The main accessories were double installed to
ensure a high degree of reliability and performance.
The particular advantage in the design was the operating efficiency which
reduced driver fatigue. The vehicle was very fast and easy to steer, and had
a remarkable durability of the suspension.The vehicle was armored with plate
up to 35mm, and was armed with a 37mm gun in a traversing turret -the
first Skoda tank to be fitted with one. Horizontal movement was made by hand
traverse of the entire turret, while fine adjustments were secured by a
handwheel. This arrangement proved successful with light tanks since the
counterweight at the rear of the turret balanced the gun's weight. Like the
TNHP tank the LT-35 had two machine-guns.
This vehicle was adopted by the Germans during 1939, and
was issued to the 6th Panzer Division. Originally the Germans had 106 of
these tanks in service. During service in the Russian winter it was found
that the steering system froze, and consequently a heater was installed. When
the 35(t)s were phased out of service they were used for towing or tank
recovery purposes with a two-men crew. No self-propelled mountings are known
to have been produced by the Germans on this chassis, although the Hungarian
produced an extensively modified version of this tank, designated the Turan
II (Hungarian units equipped with this vehicle fought alongside the Wehrmacht
during operations in Russia).
Mountain Man, in think you're reading the German's wrong here:
"Ironically the Germans, who proved the worthlessness of static fortifications, became their biggest proponent and ended up fortifying the entire Atlantic coastline of the Reich at enormous - and wasted - effort and expense."
First, the Maginot line was never finished, and the Germans exploited those parts which had been left unfinished, with the exception of the one fort they attacked for propaganda purposes. Second, IIRC Alistair Horne's "To Lose a Battle", the Maginot line was never meant to be a static defence system, any more than Germany's Atlantic Wall. Both were supposed to have mobile forces behind them that could counter enemy penetrations and restore the defensive line. In France's case, the modern mobile forces were never fully developed, though small token efforts were made. (I.e., token French airborne units and mechanized forces). In Germany's case, the War in the East impacted significantly on what was available to back up the Atlantic Wall. Finally, it helps to remember that D Day was never a guaranteed success. It could have ended otherwise despite the best efforts of ourselves, Canada and Britain.
That God it did not.
Edited by lirelou - 30-Jul-2013 at 23:00
Phong trần mài một lưỡi gươm, Những loài giá áo túi cơm sá gì
The question is not how badly Czech... would have been beaten, rather could the Germans have prevailed. First of all had warfare broken out it is not unlikely that one or more of France, GB, Poland and the USSR would have gotten involved. Secondly much of Czech... was mountainous, therefore easily defended territory. Thirdly all German successes in the war involved their superb utilization of their armoured forces. Those forces would have been less than useless over the terrain involved and indeed at the time were less than a shadow of those used in Poland. Fourthly give credit to the Czechs. As has been mentioned Skoda made good weapons and the Czechs would have been highly motivated and fighting on their own turf with all the advantages that that entailed.
As an aside regarding the Maginot line. It worked. PERIOD. FULL STOP.
Had Hitler ordered his generals to attack it, they would have unanimously rebelled. Given the technology of the day it was the closest thing to impregnable. The sad fact (for France) was that it was never completed. Whether through lack of funds. From a disinclination to disrupt the heart of its manufacturing region. Or from some insane idea that the line had to include poor little Belgium had the fortifications simply continued following the French border, Hitler would be a minor footnote in European history not the great ogre of the 20th Century.
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