An Unforeseen Result

[JOHN THURSTON]

I know that all of around here are not historical scholars, however, certain things always either disturb or confuse me.

When Englan anf France (basically) let the Sudeten Gremans be 'reunited' with their German cousins, now under Chancellor of the Reich, Adolf Hitler several very bad things happened to the allies.

I suppose many on the results must have been foreseen---but a direct connection and contribution to the fall of France in 1940 might have not been in Neville Chamberlain's mind.

We know that the Chezchs had a small but strong and determined army. The Non Germans in Chezchoslovakia, one might surmise, had be freed of the clutches of the German Empire and the Austro Hungarian Empire in 1918 via the treaty of Versailles.

The most heavily defended and Defensible part of Chezchoslovakia was surrendered in 1938. Although, one must concede that it is true that this was the home of the bulk of the Sudeten Germans. (thus the name of the area: Sudetenland")

The made the rump state of the Chezchs indefensible simply from a geographical and terrain point of view. thus the surrended western 1/4th of Chezchoslovakia posed an immediate to the remainder of the state AND pointed a vitually dagger into the heart of Poland and the "Anchluss" as the Germans termed the "reunification" of the Austian German (and all of Autria and the remainder of Chezchoslovokia.

Nevertheless I contended the at the end of the "sitzkrieg" in 1940 the Germans had what Guderian would not have had sans the division and surrnender of the Chezch State by the Munich accords: a viable amored force and much augmented armament industry.

At the time of the 1939 takeover of the Chezch state (see "Auchtung Panzer" www.auchtungpanzer,com from which I quote much material) A tank designated the Pzkpfw LT-38 (or just LT-38) was in Production in Chezchoslovakia and thus significant numbers became available to the Panzertuppe.

At least 150 were confiscated immedialtely in 1939 and productiion continued to the point where 1400 variants of the vehicle had been produced. Variant reamianed in use in various coountries until the mid 1950's.

As an historal note, the German did not use the word "tank" or any variant thereof. PxKpfW is a contraction of the word PanzerKampfWagen (amored war wagon) as the tank acquired that name in British service as a code wode that stuck before the vehicles were intorduced to battle in WWI at the battle of Cambrai.

I am unclear as to how many T-38's were employed in the German breakout subsequent to the initial crossing of the Meuse (again) but my estimate would be about 400.

Without these vechicles Germanys invasion of Poland and the breakout into France would have been problematical.

Ov course German made vehicle made Panzers were in use (mostly PzKpfw's 1, 2, and 3 and perhaps small numbers of PzKpfw's IV's.

I contend that the mere addition of the (M-3 Stuart equivalents) virtually made the conquest of Poland, France and the Ukraine)

It was approximately 6 tons in weaight, sported a relatively effective 37mm main gun.

I will print up more specifactions but I wanted to see what interest this thread might develop.

JT