German Tanks in France 1940: Armor in the Wehrmacht’s Greatest Blitzkrieg Victory

A fully illustrated new assessment of the German tank force that won its greatest victory in France during 1940.

The German conquest of France in 1940 was arguably the Wehrmacht’s greatest military achievement, conquering France in several weeks after having failed to do so in World War I. New Panzer tactics, dubbed ’Blitzkrieg’, were at the heart of the German victory.

In this book, renowned armor expert Steven J. Zaloga reassesses the armored force that made the triumph possible, and explains that although the German Panzers won their reputation in France, they were far from being a technological juggernaut. The vast majority were the small PzKpfw I and PzKpfw II light tanks. The more effective medium tanks such as the PzKpfw III and PzKpfw IV were available in relatively small numbers. Their effectiveness had far more to do with training and doctrine than technology.

With illustrations including unpublished photos and superb new artwork, this book examines the wide range of German tanks employed in France in 1940, as well as their organization and tactical doctrine.

Steven J. Zaloga received his BA in History from Union College and his MA from Columbia University. He has worked as an analyst in the aerospace industry for four decades, covering missile systems and the international arms trade, and has served with the Institute for Defense Analyses, a federal think tank. He is the author of numerous books on military technology and history, including German Tanks in Normandy 1944. He lives in Maryland, USA.