Talk:SOMUA S35

message: In 1938/1939 Poland wanted to buy 100 S-35 tanks (see R-35 for details). Does anybody know why was this request denied? Mieciu K 09:37, 5 February 2007 (UTC)
replies: text: I can't find references but it should remembered that total deliverance up to September 1939 was only 270 and that the French had the greatest possible difficulty in 1940 to find enough casting capacity to increase production. So the obvious answer seems to be: the French hadn't even got enough S 35s to satisfy their own requirements, so they had nothing to spare for the Polish army :o).--MWAK 10:00, 5 February 2007 (UTC)
replies: text: That's the first and most obvious answer. I was wondering if the French had a policy of not selling their latest military equipment abroad, or maybe Poland wasn't trusted enough. After all closer miltary ties and security guaratees were given to Poland just prior to the outbreak of the war. Mieciu K 10:11, 5 February 2007 (UTC)

text: That's also a very reasonable answer the S-35 was a French tank produced in France so probably exporting it would be considered only after the needs of the French armed forces have been met. Mieciu K 10:21, 5 February 2007 (UTC)
replies: text: Well, the S 35 wasn't all that advanced so there was little danger that any military secrets would become known to the enemy :o). However it's true that there was some suspicion towards Poland. It had concluded a treaty with Germany in 1934, had taken part in the partition of Czechoslovakia and was thought in the Spring of 1939 to be susceptible to the German offer of cooperation, however transparent that might seem with hindsight.--MWAK 12:14, 5 February 2007 (UTC)
thread_title:  Polish offer 

message: :I can see where  is coming from on this, but I would suggest the link to Cruiser tank is somewhat confusing to readers. There were many fast mediums, including the T-34 and the M-4, which essentially met the criteria of a "cavalry" tank, in a period where tank roles and nomenclature were fast evolving. The British "Cruiser" concept itself, eventually morphed into the excellent Comet tank, itself the precursor of the Centurion tank. I would suggest the link to medium tank is more appropriate here. I cannot find (albeit from a cursory search) the S35 being described as a cruiser tank. Thoughts anyone? Irondome (talk) 20:32, 23 March 2017 (UTC)
replies: text: The problem is of course, that Cavalry tank is a redirect to Cruiser tank. The obvious solution would be to create a separate, not Anglo-centric, article. In the meantime, the cruiser tank concept is probably slightly closer to the French AMC than a general "medium tank". But perhaps it's best not to link at all...--MWAK (talk) 20:50, 23 March 2017 (UTC)
replies: text: I agree MWAK. The lack of an article describing the nuances of tank type development is a major problem. If information is available, it is scattered around perhaps over a dozen articles. We do need such an article covering the concept of the cavalry tank. We could alternatively expand the medium tank article, which would maybe work better, as there is an evolutionary linkage to the Sherman, T-34 and PZR III. I see the S35 as a fast, well armoured cavalry/medium which was way ahead of it's time. Just not linking seems a good solution till we have something better to link to. Irondome (talk) 21:04, 23 March 2017 (UTC)
replies: text: , I have linked Cavalry tank in infobox to the Tanks in France interwar section. This takes the reader directly to some very relevant and French-specific information, while avoiding the Anglo-centric Cruiser tank article. Irondome (talk) 21:42, 23 March 2017 (UTC)
replies: text: This seems an excellent solution!--MWAK (talk) 22:04, 23 March 2017 (UTC)
thread_title:  S35. Medium or cruiser? 

message: "Like the British and the Soviets, the French believed in a strict division of labour between cavalry tanks and infantry tanks; by law, tanks (chars) were limited to the Infantry and the Cavalry had to name its tanks automitrailleuses."
And this doesn't apply to the US? Isn't this why the US had the M1 "Combat Car", because cavalry was not allowed to use tanks? Not sure is was law but it was definitely policy. Id this initially as saying that it was law in all of these nations. Everyone used this policy, only the French made it law, maybe the US. Even the Germans were careful to have both the PzIII and PzIV which were basically assault and battle tanks, although they massed them instead of splitting them up by unit.  Idumea47b (talk) 06:51, 7 May 2024 (UTC)
thread_title:  Tank vs vehicle