Скачать или смотреть Japanese Commanders Were Stunned When U S Tanks Fired While Crossing Rivers

Japanese commanders never expected American tanks to keep firing—even while submerged and pushing through rivers.

During World War II, U.S. armored units introduced a battlefield shock by using waterproofed tanks capable of fording rivers and firing almost immediately after emerging on the far bank. Sherman tanks were fitted with deep-wading kits, sealed electrical systems, and extended air intakes, allowing them to cross rivers and flooded terrain that Japanese planners believed would halt armor completely. In campaigns across the Pacific and later in Europe, this capability shattered defensive assumptions, bypassed strongpoints, and maintained relentless momentum. For Japanese commanders, rivers were meant to be natural barriers—but American engineering and combined-arms doctrine turned them into launch points for sudden armored assaults.

Sources:

Zaloga, Steven J. Sherman Medium Tank 1942–45 (Osprey Publishing)

Hunnicutt, R.P. Sherman: A History of the American Medium Tank

U.S. Army Center of Military History – WWII Armor and Engineering Operations''

This content is presented strictly for educational and historical purposes.

#WorldWarII #USTanks #MilitaryHistory #PacificWar #ArmoredWarfare