At one time, the great Russian historian Klyuchevsky said that "we all came out of the rye field," that is, he emphasized the dependence of the culture of the nation on natural conditions. Accordingly, the Japanese came out of rice, the Americans - from the corn, and the French - from the vineyard! Accordingly, technology depends on this (what technology is needed for blacks with their bananas?), And technology, and methods of warfare.
American tanks "Sherman", burning in the jungle.
So during the Second World War, this was very clearly manifested. So, the Americans and the British on their tanks tried to provide their tankers with convenience and comfort. For example, our tankers who fought on British tanks "Matilda" were amazed that the tank's armor was pasted over from the inside with spongy rubber. It was simply impossible to hit your head, which is why the British wore only berets. Our approach was different: “What comfort? War!" And so the tankers wore a helmet, and how could it be otherwise. Moreover, if it were otherwise, then the same British and American tankers would consider their tanks to be unambiguously bad, and ours simply “would not understand the humor”, since they were initially accustomed to “amenities on the street”. But for Western cars, this level of comfort was quite expected, and was perceived as something natural.
It is not surprising, therefore, that the Japanese tanks were just as primitive, although they were pasted over inside with asbestos. Because of the heat. That is, it was a purely pragmatic campaign, but nothing more. Plus a very low level of technology development. That is why, when the Japanese had to face the Anglo-American tanks, they had to show a lot of ingenuity in order to inflict at least some damage on them in their cramped circumstances. Some of their solutions were original, others were just funny, but it was so. Recently, the Japanese magazine "Armor Modeling" wrote about how the Japanese fought against American tanks and, by God, it's worth reading!
Hemp-tailed cumulative grenade "Type 3".
Traditional means of struggle, which, however, turned out to be ineffective, were already discussed in the article “In the Desert and the Jungle: Anglo-American Tanks in Battles and … in Debates (Part Two)”. Well, here's what the Japanese themselves write about what the Japanese infantry went with on American and Australian tanks.
So, to fight tanks, they had a 40 mm rifle grenade, fired with a barrel grenade launcher and with 50 mm armor penetration. On the model of the German faustpatron, its own RPG was created (barrel caliber 45 mm, grenade caliber 80 mm) with a firing range of 30 m, capable of penetrating 100 mm armor with its grenade. Again, on the model of the German "Panzershrek" was made a grenade launcher "on legs", caliber 70 mm and hitting at 200 m. Its armor penetration was less - 80 mm. It would seem an excellent weapon, right? But the fact is that all these samples appeared at the very end of the war and they were simply not enough.
Tank "Comet" with additional armor made of boards.
That is why other means of fighting were used much more often … First of all, mines! The Japanese also had standard round anti-tank mines, like everyone else. Push action. Weighing 1, 4 kg and 3 kg, having an explosive charge, respectively, 900 g and 2 kg. There was a mine in a wooden case - a cubic shape. Weight 3 kg, charge 2 kg. But as you can see for yourself, their power was insufficient. Therefore, the Japanese inserted four such mines between two slabs, tied it all with ropes and buried it in the path of American tanks. That was already something! An extended charge weighing 4.7 kg and with a charge of 3 kg was also used on the roads, but it turned out to be ineffective. Do you know why? Because it should have been used like this: tie a hand grenade to it, run out of the bushes in front of the tank and throw "it" right under the tracks!
Tank "Cairo" blown up by a mine.
There were also two landmines: in a wooden case and a canvas one. 4-5 and 7-10 kg of explosives. They were blown up with an electric igniter with all the ensuing consequences. Therefore, it was recommended to take two such landmines, fasten them on the chest and on the back, and … rush with them under an enemy tank! The guarantee of hitting the bottom of the car (10-20 kg of explosives!) Was absolute!
In Soviet war films, our soldiers constantly throw grenades at German tanks. Not always those that should be, but the essence of the matter does not change - it was so. The British - they even created a special "sticky bomb" No. 74 (ST), which had to be removed from a special container and, holding the handle, activated and thrown into a German tank. The grenade stuck to the body and after 5 seconds. exploded. Naturally, it was impossible to grab hold of it with your hands!
"Sherman" with additional armor from trucks.
The Japanese also had grenades, and the simplest ones you can think of. With corrugated body and smooth. Weighing 300-450 g and explosive charge 62-57 g. The fuse was pulled out of the fuse, they hit it on the rifle butt and threw a grenade at the target. In principle, such grenades could not harm the tank. A more powerful grenade had a weight of 600 g, but it did not differ in effectiveness either. Incendiary bottles with grater ignition were also used - where without them, but they also did not play a special role. The jungle is painfully damp and it often rains.
True, the Japanese came up with an original cumulative anti-tank grenade. With a metal body and … a burlap body. Why waste metal on it? After all, the main thing is a cumulative funnel lined with copper! The grenade weighed 853 g and carried an explosive charge of 690 g. It penetrated 70 mm of armor, and this, perhaps, was the most effective Japanese anti-tank weapon.
Tank "Devi Jones".
Finally, there was also a magnetic mine weighing 1, 2 kg. With her it was necessary to get close to the tank, put her on board, "pull the rope" and run back into the thickets. This is such a war, but what to do ?!
However, this is no better than the recommendations to German soldiers: run up to the Soviet tank from behind and throw a can of gasoline and a grenade strapped to it on its over-engine part! Or run up and place an anti-tank mine on the track. Then they say, she will definitely hit the fuse fender and explode! Or you could sit in a pit and pull a board with five anti-tank mines tied to it across the movement of Soviet tanks with a rope. Not one, so another will run over!
Well, and the most original of what the Japanese came up with. Since the tanks were moving slowly in the jungle (and along the roads in them), it was recommended to climb onto the tank (!) And cover the driver's and machine gunner's viewing devices with a tarpaulin, and when they open the hatches, shoot at point-blank range! And, finally, the most amazing thing. It was necessary to climb onto a tank with a pickaxe and … yes, that's right - with its help, break the observation devices on it!
In addition, there was another way to destroy enemy vehicles. Sitting again in the bushes along the road along which the tanks were moving, with the help of a long bamboo pole, put a magnetic cumulative mine on the tank's hatches - either turret or driver. Then again "pull the string" and run! The hatch armor was thinner and could not withstand an explosion. That way it was guaranteed to kill one crew member and concussion all the rest! In addition, the same mines with the help of a pole were placed on the hull between the tracks - the most vulnerable spot!
The Americans, having found themselves in the jungles of the Pacific Islands and Burma and faced with all this "horror", hastily began to look for opposition to such exotic means of warfare.
We started with the fact that the sides of the tanks (and the frontal armor plate) were sewn up with boards against magnetic mines. A spare track was wound on the tower, which had rubber plates between the teeth. The super-engine part of the tank began to be armored with cardboard and wooden crates for food rations and ammunition. Moreover, since this interfered with the normal cooling of the engine, they were not laid directly on the ventilation grill, but on wooden slabs, which left room for air to pass through.
All in thorns - hatches, periscopes, a fan …
Well, in order to prevent mines from being placed on the hatches with the help of a fishing rod, they began to weld on scraps of reinforcement, sticking out vertically upwards and, in addition, wrapped in wire. Now, even if a mine was placed on all "this", it was at a distance from the hatch, and besides, it was impossible to place it directly. The explosion did not occur at an optimal distance from the armor, besides, the cumulative jet hit the armor tangentially. The "witch's bite" remained on her, but it was no longer possible to pierce the armor!
The Japanese began to respond to these "tricks". Again, they came up with a cumulative grenade not to hang it on a "fishing rod", but to attach it to a long bamboo pole, like a spearhead. And in addition, provide it with three sharp thorns. Again, sitting in the thickets by the road, it was necessary to forcefully hit the side of the tank with a mine. At the same time, the thorns stuck into the tree, the bamboo fuse rod broke, the primer was pricked and … five seconds later an explosion followed. This was easy to do, since the Americans, in order not to overload the tanks with excess weight, sheathed them with balsa boards. And the balsa is light, but soft and it cost nothing to thrust a studded mine into it.
The Americans responded instantly! Balsa was replaced with iron wood, and now the poor Japanese, no matter how much they hit on the side, could not attach a mine, while it still happened and exploded. So, fantasy and "improvised means" in that war did not help the Japanese!
