Sd.Kfz. 251: First APC

In the early stages of World War 2, the German offensive was guided by the Blitzkrieg strategy. The Blitzkrieg involved rapid, deep attacks with armored units that penetrated enemy defenses all the way to the rear areas and disrupted command and control. However, this strategy also created a problem: once tanks were far ahead, they needed infantry support to suppress local resistance and hold new positions. In the meantime, all the infantry had were cargo vehicles, so it couldn’t keep up with the armor in rough terrain and became vulnerable. What it needed was a machine that would both carry soldiers and protect them on the move — preferably with cross-country capabilities of tanks.