Figure 1.--

The Wehrmact operated with some of the best equipment of any military force during the War. This was certainly the case when the War began. And this advantage was magnified by the superior German tactical doctrine. German Panzers outclassed the tanks of the Western Allies, although the Soviet T-34 shicked the Germans. The German 88s were probably the most effective artillery piece of the War, used both as a tank killer and anti-aircrat gun. German machine guns, especially the screaming minney, and assault riffles were extremely effective. Yet there were many weaknesses in German weaponry. The Wehrmacht procurement system was run poorly, squabsering resources in uneeded or competing weapon systems and constantly changing requirements. One of sthe strengths of the German weapon system was actually a major weakeness. German weapons tended to be beautifully engineered, almost mechanical pieces of art. They also tended to be complicated. This meant that they were costly to mass produce and difficult to repair in the field. Hitler involved Germany in a war with opponents with vastly superior scientific and industrial resources. The Wehrmacht after failing to defeat the Red Army in Barbarossa would be hard pressed to compete with the weapons programs of the Allies. Inefficencies in the Wehrmacht's procurement system meant that Germany's limited industrial capacity was poorly used. And the Wehrmacht noted as first employing modern warfare was not a fully mechamized force when the War began, still relying upon horse power to move equipment and artillery. Germany used captured trucjs and other equipment in Barbarossa and used French-built tricks throughout the War. Germany made full use of the Skoda works in Czechoslovakia, but never fully mobilized the infustrial capacity of other occupied countries. The Allied air strategic air campaign, especially the assault on Germany's petroleum infrastructure, meant that by the end of the War, the Wehrmacht was no longer a mobile force.

Weapons

The Wehrmact operated with some of the best equipment of any military force during the War. German equipment was often superior to the Allied equipment, commonly welldesigned and manufactured to high standards. The superiority of German equipment was certainly the case when the War began. And this advantage was magnified by the superior German tactical doctrine. German Panzers outclassed the tanks of the Western Allies, although the Soviet T-34 shicked the Germans. Surprisingly the various armies theGermans fought did not fully recogize the superority of German armor until they actually confronted it. Even though German armour was on display in Poland (September 1939), both the British and French were shocked by it (May 1940). And even later un the War, And American tank crews told the Shermans were the finst tank in the world were shocked after D-Day at the ease with whuchbthe Germans were able to destroy the Shermans. The British began calling them Ronsons (a cigarette lighter guaranteed to light every time). The German 88s were probably the most effective artillery piece of the War, used both as a tank killer and anti-aircrat gun. German machine guns, especially the screaming minney, and assault riffles were extremely effective. Yet there were many weaknesses in German weaponry and equipment. There were weapons that the Germans largely ignored. The German basic infantry rifle was a boly action rifle, far inferior to the American M-1 semi-automatic rifle.

Wehrmacht Procurement System

The Wehrmacht procurement system was run poorly, squandering resources in uneeded or competing weapon systems and constantly changing requirements.

Engineering

One of sthe strengths of the German weapon system was actually a major weakeness. German weapons tended to be beautifully engineered, almost mechanical pieces of art. They also tended to be complicated. This meant that they were costly to mass produce and difficult to repair in the field. As the War progressed there was more and more denand for autimatuc assault rifles. The British produced the grease-gun. It was a hideous looking weapon, which is why it became known as the grease gun. But it worked and could be easily and inepensively massproduced. It was inferior to the beautifully crafted German assault rifle, but the difference was that it could be produced and issued to front-line soldiers in large quantities. One poorly reported factor in Wotld War Ii was the effectiveness of Soviet weapons. Not only did the Soviet Union outproduce the Germans, but they produced highly effective weapons. They were not as complicated and finally crafted as the Germa weapons, but they were effective, usually held up better in battlefield conditions, and were easier to repair in the field.

German Industrial Capacity

Hitler involved Germany in a war with opponents with vastly superior scientific and industrial resources. The Wehrmacht after failing to defeat the Red Army in Barbarossa would be hard pressed to compete with the weapons programs of the Allies. This forced the Germans to make a range of compromises. The Whrmacht had to constantly reduce the tank compliment of a Panzer division. A wehrmacht Panzer division in Poland had an authorized strength of 328 tanks (September 1939). The great German Western Offensive relied heavily on captured Czech tanks (My 1940). After the fall of France, the Wehrmacht doubled the number of Panzer divisions in preparation for the invasion of the Soviet Union. In order to achieve this goal, they were reduced to one tank regiment each. Panzer divisions had been reduced to only 165 tanks when the Wehrmact fought the critical tank battle at Kursk (July 1943). And by the end if the War, Panzer divisions had only 54 tanks (1945). And many Panzer divisions did not even have the reduced number authorized. [Winchester] These reductions of course adversely affected the hitting power of the Panzer divisions. And fuel became so hard to get by 1944 that operatuins had to be curtailed. Some highly effective German weapons such as ultra-rapid firing machine guns had to be used inefficently when ammunition supplied dwindled. Inefficencies in the Wehrmacht's procurement system meant that Germany's limited industrial capacity was poorly used. Speer who was given controll of the German war economy, significantly improved the utilization of industrial resources. By the time he achieved this, however, the war was already lost. He did not, however, solve the problems in Wehrmacht procurement. Nor did he address the problem of poorly utilizing the indudtrial capacity of the occupied countries.

Mechanization

And the Wehrmacht noted as first employing modern warfare was not a fully mechamized force when the War began. The Wehrmacht still relyed heavily on horse power to move equipment and artillery. These deficenies were not readily apparent in Poland (September 1939) and France (May 1940). This was because the battles were fought close to the borders of the Reich. The distances incvolved were limited and the campsigns of short duration. This changed dramatically with Barbarossa (June 1941) The headlines at the time focused on the chillingly effective Panzer divisions that executed sweeping pinzer movement, cutting of emornous numbers of Red Army soldiers. Less noted were the Wehrmacht infantry divisions that accompaied them. Only one-third of the infantry divisions Hitler ordered into the Soviet union were mechanized. Their heavy equipment was drawn by draught horses and the German horses proved incapable of surviving on poor fodder abd winter weather. The mechanized units also faced enormous problems becuse of both the distances and the poor Soviet roads. The Wehrmacht was shocked to learn that vehicles in Russia not only used four times the fuel and lubricants as used on the well developed road system of Western Europe, but suffered far greater wear abd tear. This taxed the maintenance capability of the Wehrmact units involved. And the situation only got worse. The fall rains turned Russian roads into rivers of mud. [Winchester] When the Witer freeze came the Germans had to run the engines 24 hours a day tgo keep them from freezing. Finally the Red Army Winter offensive before Moscow (December 1941) resulted in the destruction and loss of enormous quantities of weapons and equipment wgich German industry could never fully replace. The Wehrmacht used captured trucks and other equipment in Barbarossa and used French-built trucks throughout the War. Germany simply did not have the industrial capacity to fully mechanize the Wehrmact and this limitation became critical when battlefield losses resulted in the destruction of vasr quantities of equiment--Moscow (December 1941), Stalingrad (November 1942), Kursk (July 1943).

Occupied Countries

Germany occupied most of Western Europe. Several of those countries were heavily industrialized. As a result, Germany substantially increased its industrial base and capacity to equip military units. Two countries were especially important--Cechoslovkia anf France. The Czechs had aarge and well equipped army. When Britain and France abandoned the Czechs at Munich (September 938), the Germans were a few months later able to occupy Czechosolvakia and not only acquire Czech armament plants, but the weaponry of the Czech Army. And the Czech tanks turned on the British and French would play an important role in the shattering German Western Offensive (May 1940). The Czech tanls greatly bincreased the German armored strength. Germany made full use of the Skoda works in Czechoslovakia and moved many Czech industrial plants to Linz Austria. The fall of France gave the Germans access to a much larger industrial base with a substantial armaments and motor vehicle industry as well as other heavy industry which could be used to support the German war effort. France would prove to be the single most important German conquest and made a major contribution to the German war industry. France would play an important role theoughout the German occupation (1940-44), butvthe most important contribution was made during the first year (1940-41). Germany was the most heaviliy industrialized country in Europe, but it also had a very large agricultural sector and largely unmechanized. The German motor vehicle industry ws not lrge enough to fully mechanize the Whermacht. This was not apparent in the short battles fought in Poland (1939) and the West (1940) on relatively small battlefield. The Soviet UnIin was an entirely different matter. It is difficult to see how Barbarossa (June 1941) could have been launched without the French truck and other motor vehicles. The Germans used large numbers of French vehicles in maby different categories. ["Captured & Converted French Vehicles"] Despite the massive scale of Barbarosa, it was run on ahie-string and logistics would proved to be the weaskest aspect of the German operation. And much of the German equipment was either worn out in the rugged conditions in the oviet Union or destroyed or abandined in the Red Army inter offensive (December 1941). Belgium, the Netherlands, and Denmark added further support to the German war effort. They were smaller countries, but combined made an important contribution. One major complication for the Wehrmacht ws the many different modeks of trucks and vehickles appropriated for use in the Sioviet Union. It wa aartermaster's nightmare. Other occupied countrie also were pilaged to support the German war effort, but mostly to supply raw materials and agricultural products. While these countrie were an important part of the German war economy, the NAZIS never fully mobilized the industrial capacity of the occupied countries.

Allied Strategic Bombing Campaign

The British began bombing the Reich early in the War, but with limited results. This continued during the Battle of Britain and included raids on Berlin. Hitting war plants in the Reich was virtually impossible until fairly late in the War. The strength of the Luftwaff, distance, and lack of aong-range momber all meant that the British bombing ws little more than a nusiance. The first major targets hit with any affect were French industrial plants that the Germans were using, especially truck plants. The Allies were able to begin targetting French plants (1942). The strategic bombing of Germany began in earnest (1943), but losses were at first uncceptedly high. Only when long-range ecorts began to arrive (December 943) did the Allies begin to hit German production meaningfully. The Allied air strategic air campaign, especially the assault on Germany's petroleum infrastructure, meant that by the end of the War, the Wehrmacht was no longer a mobile force.

Sources

"Captured & Converted French Vehicles in German Service in WWII," militaryhistoryofthe20thcentury.com.

Winchester, Chgarles. The Demodernization of the German Army in World War 2 ( Osprey Publishing Limited).

Created: 5:40 AM 9/25/2006
Last updated: 7:21 AM 3/21/2012