A German Infantry Battalion, 1944 Infantry Division was organized and equipped as follows: 15 officers and 693 Enlisted. Armed with 122 pistols, 127 SMGs, 477 Rifles, 43 LMGs, 12 HMGs, 6 81mm mortars and 4 120mm mortars. Transported by 5 motorcycles, 8 trucks, 17 bicycles, 165 horses, 92 horse-drawn carts and 57 trailers.
A US Infantry Battalion, 26 Feb 44 TO&E: would have 35 officers and 836 Enlisted. Armed with 81 pistols, 219 carbines, 544 rifles, 27 .30-cal BARs, 6 .30-cal LMGs, 8 .30-cal HMGs, 6 .50-cal HMGs, 3 57mm towed antitank guns, 29 bazookas, 9 60mm mortars and 6 81mm mortars. Transport was provided by 34 jeeps, 2 3/4-ton weapons carriers, 4 1 1/2-ton trucks and 30 trailers.
As you can see, while smaller overall, the Germans had more automatic weapons as well as heavy mortars for support. You may also notice that the German battalion does not have integral antitank support, this was provided by the issue of Panzerfausts as a round of ammunition, rather than as a dedicated weapon like the antitank guns and bazookas of the Yanks.
Contary to Hollywood depictions, SMGs were not normally issued to the infantry, they were more commonly issued to the armored and armored infantry units. In the German Army, they were primarily squad leader weapons (this allowed the squad leader to control his weapons rather than joining in on the fighting, at least until things got up close and personal).
__________________
The reason that the American Army does so well in wartime, is that war is chaos, and the American Army practices chaos on a daily basis.
|