Which soldiers did the Germans fear most in WWII includes several Allied forces that German soldiers considered most formidable, with different fears on Eastern and Western fronts. On Eastern Front, Germans feared most Soviet Siberian troops and Soviet shock troops, especially Siberian divisions with winter clothing and fierce close combat, and Soviet penal battalions known for no surrender. Germans also feared Soviet T-34 tank crews and Katyusha rocket troops. On Western Front, Germans feared most American paratroopers of 101st Airborne and 82nd Airborne, especially during D-Day and Battle of the Bulge, known for aggressive fighting, and US Rangers and US Marines in Pacific, though Marines fought Japanese not Germans, but German feared US infantry for artillery support. Germans feared Canadian troops, especially in Normandy, known as tough and taking few prisoners after Dieppe, with reputation for not surrendering. Germans feared British Gurkhas, Nepalese soldiers serving in British Army, known for kukri knives and fierce close combat, with myth of never surrendering. Germans also feared Polish soldiers, especially in 1939, for fierce defense. Overall, most feared were Soviet troops on Eastern Front for brutality and numbers, and on Western Front, American paratroopers and Canadian and Gurkha troops for aggressiveness, with German memoirs mentioning fear of Siberians, Americans with massive artillery, and Gurkhas with knives.
1 votes
Marked as accepted