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This test consists of 5 short answer questions, 10 short essay questions, and 1 (of 3) essay topics.

Short Answer Questions

1. Where did Guderian see and drive his first tank?

2. What military units were crucial in breaking through the northern part of the Maginot Line?

3. What type of vehicle was the Tiger?

4. What was the model number of the new tank, believed to be superior to German tanks, that Russia put into combat for the first time during the fighting around Smolensk?

5. What rank did Guderian achieve in 1938?

Short Essay Questions

1. When and by whom were tanks first introduced?

2. How did Germany prepare to counter the T34 tank?

3. Why did Hitler forbid ground units to attack the routed English army at Dunkirk?

4. Why was Hitler affected by his visit to Linz?

5. In 1933, how did the various leaders of the German military feel about tanks?

6. What was the significance of Kuln to Guderian?

7. What did Guderian do while on inactive service?

8. What difficulties did Guderian face in the march on Austria?

9. What was the impact of the T34 tank on the German military?

10. What happened to the rest of Czechoslovakia after Germany occupied the Sudetenland?

Essay Topics

Write an essay for ONE of the following topics:

Essay Topic 1

The allied landing at Normandy was the largest amphibious invasion in history. The allies took great care to conceal the final location of their attack and to prepare the French coastline for their invasion. For their part, the Germans made many mistakes in assessing the allied invasion and suffered serious setbacks when the allies achieved air superiority.

1) Describe the German plan for the defense of occupied France. Who was in charge of this defense? Was this general well-suited for his task? What special preparations did he make?

2) Explain how allied air superiority affected the German plans for defense of the coastline.

3) Discuss the German response to the invasion. What mistakes were made in this response? Why did Rommel believe the real attack would come elsewhere? Why were German armored units unable to respond and attack the allied beachhead?

Essay Topic 2

During the time Guderian was dismissed from active service, the German armored forces fell into disarray. The Panther and Tiger tanks were introduced, with limited initial success. As divisions were destroyed and tanks fell into disrepair, the entire armored forces threatened to collapse.

1) Explain why the Tiger and Panther tanks were developed and discuss Guderian's opinion as to why they were not initially very effective.

2) Discuss the problems that German tank production, maintenance, and repair faced as the war progressed.

3) Describe some of the problems in organization that faced the German armored forces. How did these circumstances differ from those at the outset of the war?

Essay Topic 3

As the war wound down and allied forces converged on the heart of Germany, Hitler and his top advisers refused to admit defeat and repeatedly neglected to agree to armistices. This refusal cost the lives of a huge number of soldiers and civilians.

1) Explain the opportunities Hitler had to surrender to the allies on reasonable terms. Include examples of suggestions made by both the allies and by other German leaders.

2) Discuss the reasons Hitler and his advisers refused to surrender until the war was completely and hopelessly lost.

3) Explain some of the consequences of this refusal, including the loss of life and the increasingly desperate situation for German civilians.

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