First deployed in 1940, the T-34 was a Soviet medium tank which had a profound and permanent
effect on the fields of tank tactics and design. It has often been described as
the most effective, efficient, and influential design of World
War II.[5] At its
introduction, the T-34 possessed the best balance of firepower, mobility,
protection and ruggedness of any tank, although its initial battlefield
effectiveness suffered from the unsatisfactory ergonomic layout of its crew compartment,
scarcity of radios, and poor tactical employment. Its 76.2 mm (3 in)
high-velocity gun was the best tank gun in the world at that time; its heavy, sloped hull armour was impenetrable by standard anti-tank
weapons; and it was very agile. Though its armour and armament were surpassed
later in the war, when the German Wehrmacht first encountered it in battle in 1941,
German tank generals von Kleist and Guderian called it "the deadliest tank in the
world."[6][7]
The T-34 was the mainstay of Soviet armoured forces throughout World War II. The
design and construction of the tank were continuously refined during the war to
enhance effectiveness and decrease costs, allowing steadily greater numbers of
T-34s to be fielded despite heavy losses. It was the most-produced tank of the
war, and the second most-produced tank of all time, after its successor, the T-54/55
series.[8] By the
war's end in 1945, the T-34 had replaced many light and heavy tanks in service. It accounted for the
majority of Soviet tank production, and following the war it
was widely exported. Its evolutionary development led directly to the T-54/55 series of tanks, built until 1981 and
still operational as of 2013[update] and which itself led to
the T-62,
T-72
and T-90
tanks which, along with several Chinese tanks based on the T-55, form the
backbone of many armies even today. In 1996, T-34 variants were still in service
in at least 27 countries
effect on the fields of tank tactics and design. It has often been described as
the most effective, efficient, and influential design of World
War II.[5] At its
introduction, the T-34 possessed the best balance of firepower, mobility,
protection and ruggedness of any tank, although its initial battlefield
effectiveness suffered from the unsatisfactory ergonomic layout of its crew compartment,
scarcity of radios, and poor tactical employment. Its 76.2 mm (3 in)
high-velocity gun was the best tank gun in the world at that time; its heavy, sloped hull armour was impenetrable by standard anti-tank
weapons; and it was very agile. Though its armour and armament were surpassed
later in the war, when the German Wehrmacht first encountered it in battle in 1941,
German tank generals von Kleist and Guderian called it "the deadliest tank in the
world."[6][7]
The T-34 was the mainstay of Soviet armoured forces throughout World War II. The
design and construction of the tank were continuously refined during the war to
enhance effectiveness and decrease costs, allowing steadily greater numbers of
T-34s to be fielded despite heavy losses. It was the most-produced tank of the
war, and the second most-produced tank of all time, after its successor, the T-54/55
series.[8] By the
war's end in 1945, the T-34 had replaced many light and heavy tanks in service. It accounted for the
majority of Soviet tank production, and following the war it
was widely exported. Its evolutionary development led directly to the T-54/55 series of tanks, built until 1981 and
still operational as of 2013[update] and which itself led to
the T-62,
T-72
and T-90
tanks which, along with several Chinese tanks based on the T-55, form the
backbone of many armies even today. In 1996, T-34 variants were still in service
in at least 27 countries