This is a compantion piece to the one by Military History Visualized at    • Panzer III vs. T-34 (featuring Chieft...  

The T-34, rightfully, is one of the icons of WW2, and one of the most successful tanks ever built. It did not, however, have the most auspiscious start to its career, and though in modern culture it is viewed as a wondrous design, it didn't have anywhere near the impact against the Germans and their Panzer IIIs as common knowledge would have us believe. There are reasons for this, one of which is the design of the vehicle itself.