Panzer Divisions: The Blitzkrieg Years 1939~40. Battle Orders 32. At the outbreak of WWII in September 1939, Germany's Panzerwaffe were still in their infancy. The restrictions imposed by the Treaty of Versailles caused German tank production to lag behind its enemies. Initial armor campaigns in Poland were not overly successful and changes were needed before the invasion of France. This book examines the organizational changes, developments in doctrine and tactics and improved command and control that provided the basis for the spectacular success of the Panzer divisions in 1940. Achieving near total operational surprise, the Panzer divisions broke through enemy defenses, enveloping a large number of hostile forces at Dunkirk. The legend of the Blitzkrieg was born; 96 pages.
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