American Tank Destroyer Forces During WW2
The German success in concentrating and using armoured forces in a fast-moving offensive in the early stages of WWII astounded military observers.
The US Army’s response to the Germans’ massed formations of armored vehicles was the tank destroyer force.
Tank-destroyers, like armor and artillery, established their own branch of the army with the support of Lt. Gen. Leslie McNair the Army’s chief of training and doctrine.
The tank destroyer concept envisioned battalions working as autonomous units capable of reacting quickly to large enemy tank attacks.
When mobile troops were threatened by enemy fire, US Tank Destroyer doctrine called for them to move fast to a certain position, fire on enemy armor once they were within range and then retreat immediately and take up another position.
In terms of vehicle design, mobile tank destroyers were to be heavily armed but with speed taking precedence over armor protection.
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