Zanim ruszyły czołgi. Francuska broń pancerna u progu II wojny światowej (wybrane aspekty)
Before the tanks started. French armoured forces on the eve of World War II (selected aspects)

Summary/Abstract: After the end of World War I the French army, having several thousand tanks at their disposal, seemed to be an armoured superpower. In the following years, however, this great number of combat vehicles was rather a burden than an asset – delaying the decision to replace the rapidly aging equipment with more modern solutions. Works on such solutions had not started on a larger scale until the 1930s. They were carried on for a relatively long time though, and the developed models of equipment had drawbacks that were fundamental from the military user’s point of view. What is more, the equipment was produced definitely too slowly, and the potential of its effective use in battle was limited i.a. by the flaws in the organization structure of the armed forces. Thus, on the eve of World War II, the French armoured forces wer still at the stage of modernization and reorganization, not being fully ready for military confrontation with the armed forces of the East neighbour.

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