Figure 1.--For millions of Europeans, the M-4 Sherman was what led the libertion of their towns and villages and tyhn crashed through tghe gates of NAZI comncntration camps afteer crossing the Rhine. Where the Sherman webt, it its walke followed liberation, democracy, and the rule of law. We suspect that the imazge of this Sherman liberting their village would last their entire lives. These French children in the villag of Saint-Paul du Vernay wasve st a passing American armor column (July 17, 1944). This was just before the break out that liberrated France. These are brand new Shermans fresh off the LSTs. Note the short barrel gns. .

The American World War II M-4 Sherman medium tank is arguably the most iconic weaoon of Worlds War II. It became the primary symol of libetation. There are other contendres like the British Spitfire and the American P-51 Mustang. But it was the Sherman that helped liberate the oppressed people of Western Europe sa as the Allies fought their way up the Italian Peninsula and rooled through France and the Low Couuntries. It was waht was in the ground and what Europeans saw as the Western Allies moved through their towns abd cillages. Ans what smashed throujgh the gates of NAZI concentration camps. The M-4 Sherman was not the most powerful tank of the war, but whereever the Sherman went, freedom, democracy, and the rule of law followed in its wake. Another candiudate is the Soviet T-34 tank. It terms of smashing the Wehrmacht it was probably more important than the Sherman. The T-34 effectively helped drive out the Germans, but tragically libration and democracy did not follow in its wake. Rather a new form of oppression as substiututed for the NAZIs--Soviet impopsed Communism. It imposed the Iron Curtain on Eastern Europe and four decades of totalitarian rule.

Created: 1:09 AM 12/15/2021
Last updated: 1:09 AM 12/15/2021