The German invasion of Poland showed just how powerful these tank columns working with the air force could be, and the rest of the world began to hurriedly look for ways to stop these armored columns. This was a radical change from past military thinking where the primary objective was to destroy the enemy ground forces as a whole. With the enemy's supply and communications taken out his army would soon collapse. Germany in particular began to look into the idea of using large armored spearheads to push through the frontlines and head to the rear of the enemy, taking out supply dumps and communications centers as they went. Increasing mechanization, improvements in aircraft technology and, most importantly, the coming of age of the tank all required a major rethinking of military strategy. The 1930s were a turbulent time in military circles. So what was supposed to fight enemy tanks? For the answer to that question we must turn the page back five years to September 1939. The answer is that the Sherman was designed to support the infantry, not fight tanks. When you hear the multitude of tales about the faults of the Sherman during the fighting in Normandy, things like a weak gun and poor armor, one must wonder what its designers were thinking.
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