Think you’ve got what it takes to command a tank battle? Let’s take a look at some of history’s finest commanders in military warfare:
World War II’s best tank strategist goes to Marshal Zhukov who displayed his prowess fighting the Japanese in 1939, outflanking and destroying them. He also helped win some major land battles for the Red Army including Moscow in 1941, Stalingrad in 1942, Kursk in 1943, Leningrad in 1944 and took Berlin in 1945.
The award for Superb Field Commander goes to Major General Maczek of the Polish Army fighting in WWII. He was the only leader who started the war in 1939 and was still fighting at the end. He achieved victory in France in 1944 and conquered Wilhelmshaven in May 1945. Feel like taking on a Tank Driving Day challenge and engaging in some epic tank paintball battles of your own? For more information, visit https://www.armourgeddon.co.uk/tank-driving-experience.html
Best U.S Tank Commander – this honour is awarded to Lt.Col.Creighton Abrams. He lead the 37th Tank Battalion from the front and in his M4 Sherman Tank was said to have destroyed 50 German vehicles.
Top Tank Ace – and the winner is……Sgt. Kurt Knispel of the German Army during WWII. He went from being a loader to a gunner and then onto commander and fought in Normandy, Russia, Hungary and Moravia. He has the honour of more tanks destroyed than any other single tanker, a figure of 168 allied tanks. He was killed just days before the end of the war.
Father of the Blitzkrieg Theory – this honour goes to General Heinz Guderian, a German general from WWII. It was this tactic that proved so successful for the German Army during their various campaigns and helped to overrun Poland in 1939. Rather ironically, following much success in Russia, he lost his command due to retreating before a Soviet counterattack.
Top Tank Commander in modern history – Lt. Greengold of the Israeli Army really held his own during the Yom Kippur War. Massively outnumbered by the Syrians, he commanded a small unit for over 20 hours annihilating around 40 Syrian vehicles before collapsing wounded and exhausted. He was awarded Israel’s highest medal of valour.
A commander would have to be courageous, determined, clever, canny and tenacious. Leadership skills and an ability to communicate, delegate and commit with a positive attitude are other factors that these great commanders demonstrated so effectively.
