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The fatal flaw of the T-70 tank: Why it couldn't compete with German heavy tanks?
During World War II, the Soviet T-70 light tank played an important role in the Red Army, intended to replace the existing T-60 reconnaissance tank and T-50 light infantry tank. Although the T-70 was designed with good intentions, its actual use exposed its fatal flaws when facing German heavy tanks.
Design and production history
The T-70 was designed by Nikolay Astrov to address the shortcomings of the T-60 in off-road capability, armor and firepower. The T-70 is equipped with a 45mm gun, which has relatively weak firepower compared to the German Dexter 371 gun and Tiger tank. With the introduction of the T-34 medium tank in 1942, the necessity of a light tank was gradually questioned, as it was unable to effectively penetrate the armor of German tanks.
The light tanks at that time could not compete with the German heavy tanks in terms of firepower and protection, and became the weak link of the Red Army.
Insufficient protection
The T-70's protection also seemed insufficient on the battlefield. Although the thickness of its armor still provided some protection at 60 mm in front of the turret and 45 mm on the sides of the hull, it was simply unable to withstand frontal attacks compared to the German Tiger tank. German heavy tanks were not only heavily armored, but also possessed powerful firepower, which often made the T-70 an easy bait when encountered.
Difficulty in operation and command
Another flaw is the T-70's command system. The tank uses a one-man-operated tower, which poses a great challenge to the commander. The commander needs to be responsible for aiming, shooting and commanding at the same time, but one person cannot effectively coordinate the movements of the convoy, which makes it difficult to exert his due effectiveness in actual combat.
The one-person design makes the T-70 very difficult to command on site, and this defect also affects the combat effectiveness of the entire fleet.
The gradual elimination of light tanks
As the war progressed, the role of the light tank became increasingly obsolete. The Soviet Union began to reorganize its tank operations, replacing them with the T-34 and improved T-34-85. These new tanks had greater firepower and protection and could effectively deal with German heavy tanks. In addition, the emergence of the SU-76 self-propelled artillery has gradually marginalized light tanks because of its stronger firepower and ability to provide better infantry support.
Subsequent Development and Conclusion
Although the Soviet Union eventually decided to stop producing light tanks, the evaluation of the T-70 is still often controversial. The design concept of the T-70 to some extent reflects the changing strategic situation at the time and the new understanding of the combat role of tanks. By the end of the war, Soviet light tanks could no longer compete with German heavy tanks, and the fate of the T-70 itself was also full of ups and downs.
The T-70 is part of history and a symbol that the era of light tanks has come to an end in the face of rapid technological advances and changing demands of warfare. So, do light tanks still have value in the future battlefield?
