The Second World War resulted in the deaths of around 85 million people. Additionally, tens of millions more people were displaced. However, amid all the carnage people demonstrated remarkable courage, fortitude, compassion, mercy and sacrifice. We would like to honour and celebrate all of those people. In the War Years Blog, we examine the extraordinary experiences of individual service personnel. We also review military history books, events, and museums. And we look at the history of unique World War Two artefacts, medals, and anything else of interest.
Learning Through Laughter: The Ingenious WWII German Tank Training Manuals
Have you ever wondered how young German panzer crews learned to handle their formidable machines during the Second World War? Here’s a surprise - the German Army created comic book-style manuals filled with cartoons, jokes, and even a board game. From these humorous wartime guides to today’s virtual reality training, discover how making learning fun revolutionised military education. In this article, we tell the fascinating story of the Panther-Fibel and Tiger-Fibel. We explore how making learning fun and memorable is an approach that works just as well today as it did back then.
In this article, we examine how the German Army tackled a unique World War Two challenge: rapidly training thousands of young recruits to operate highly complex Panther and Tiger tanks. Their solution was surprisingly modern – they created comic-style training manuals filled with humour, games, risqué artwork and memorable characters. This innovative approach to military education proved highly effective and foreshadowed today's gamification techniques in training and education.
In 2021, The Tank Museum launched a crowdfunding campaign. The campaign aimed to publish the first English-language translation of the Second World War German Army's Panther-Fibel. Curator David Willey explained, “The Panther-Fibel is a fascinating historical document. It was originally produced as an engaging and easy to understand handbook for the wartime Panther tank crews. The Panther was a highly sophisticated machine in every respect and required considerable knowledge to keep it serviceable and to get the best out of it.”
The Tank Museum needed to secure at least 200 pre-orders of the publication before 12 April 2021, to make a print run financially viable. The crowdfunding campaign succeeded in getting the first English-language edition of the Panther-Fibel printed.
Big Cats
During WWII, German panzer forces faced the daunting task of rapidly training thousands of new tank crews to operate some of the most sophisticated armoured fighting vehicles of the era. As the war progressed, the Allied nations opted for the mass production of medium tanks such as the American M4 Sherman and Soviet T-34. In contrast, the German panzer arm focused on increasing firepower and armoured protection. Between the summer of 1942 and 1943, the Germans introduced the formidable Tiger and Panther tanks. While extremely capable on the battlefield, these cutting-edge machines were also remarkably complex, requiring highly skilled crews to operate and maintain them effectively.
The Mighty Panther
First entering service in 1943, the Panther tank (Panzerkampfwagen V Panther) was a direct response to the shock of encountering advanced Soviet T-34 and KV-1 tanks on the Eastern Front. With its combination of thick, sloped armour, a powerful 75mm high-velocity gun, and wide tracks for excellent cross-country mobility, the Panther proved to be one of the most effective tanks of the war. However, it was also a complex, overly engineered machine, with numerous interleaved road wheels, an intimidating array of controls and equipment, and a temperamental transmission that demanded skilful handling. Rushed prematurely into service, the first production Panther tanks were plagued with mechanical problems. Nevertheless, overall, the Panther proved a successful medium battle tank. The British Army’s 4th Battalion, Coldstream Guards, for example, adopted a captured Panther, which they named 'Cuckoo'.[1]
The Birth of the Fibel Manuals
To help train the influx of new Panther and Tiger crews, Generaloberst Heinz Guderian, Inspector General of Panzer Troops, devised an unorthodox but highly effective approach. He tasked his subordinates with creating accessible, engaging crew manuals that would depart from the dry, highly technical publications of the past. The result was the “Tiger-Fibel” and “Panther-Fibel”. The two pocket-sized manuals featured cartoon illustrations throughout and used humour, rhymes, characters, and even risqué images to convey essential information in an engaging and memorable format.
Developed under the leadership of Lieutenant Josef von Glatter-Goetz, these “fibel” manuals covered everything from vehicle components and operating procedures to tactical advice, maintenance tips, and troubleshooting guides. The manuals use humour, storytelling and visual mnemonics to help make complex topics more understandable and easier to remember under the stress of combat. The manuals were written in rough, informal language. This reflected how soldiers spoke. It differed from the technical jargon commonly used in official publications. It is noteworthy that the manuals do not contain any Nazi iconography or propaganda commonly found during the period.[2]
One fascinating feature unique to the Panther-Fibel was the inclusion of a simple board game, resembling Snakes & Ladders, where players could review key learning points while navigating the hazards of operating their tank under combat conditions. By combining education with entertainment, the fibel manuals achieved remarkable results in preparing crews to handle their vehicles more effectively.[3]
Military and Government Informational Comics
During the war, the American military also effectively utilised comic books for training and morale purposes. The popularity of comic books among the civilian population, coupled with their ability to convey information in an engaging and entertaining manner, made them an ideal medium for military education and propaganda.
One of the most notable examples of this is the work of Will Eisner, a renowned cartoonist who was drafted into the U.S. Army. Eisner created a series of illustrations for army publications and maintenance manuals, featuring a character named “Joe Dope.” Through Joe Dope's humorous misadventures, soldiers were reminded of the importance of properly maintaining their equipment, thus promoting safety and efficiency within the ranks.[4]
The military also recognised the potential of comic books to boost morale among the troops. By reflecting the lives of American soldiers both on the battlefield and home front, these comics provided a sense of connection and familiarity amid the chaos of war. Furthermore, comic books were used to help explain U.S. foreign policy and justify specific actions and operations, helping to maintain support for the war effort among both soldiers and civilians.
The success of these military-themed comic books is evident in their sales figures. Between 1940 and 1945, comic book circulation doubled from 10 million to 20 million copies per month. In military post exchanges (PX), they outsold popular magazines like Life and Reader’s Digest. This demonstrates the effectiveness of comic books as a tool for military training, education, and boosting morale.[5]
During the Vietnam War, award-winning graphic artist Will Eisner teamed up with the U.S. Army again. This time Eisner was tasked to produce the M16A1 rifle manual in a comic book format, complete with a blonde bombshell narrator (a somewhat pejorative term for attractive blonde-haired women, usually media stars) and cheeky humour, to help GIs (infantrymen) absorb essential weapons handling information. A testament to the popularity of his work, Eisner’s M16A1 rifle manual remains in print and is available to purchase online.[6]
The Rise of Gamification in Military Training
In recent years, the concept of gamification has gained significant traction in various fields, including military training. Gamification refers to the application of game design elements, such as points, badges, leaderboards, and narrative, in non-game contexts to increase engagement, motivation, and learning outcomes. The term itself was coined in the early 2000s, but the idea of using game-like features to make serious activities more enjoyable and effective has a much longer history, as evidenced by the fibel manuals of World War II.[7]
Today, militaries around the world have embraced gamification and interactive multimedia as powerful tools for enhancing training. Virtual reality simulators, first-person shooter video games, and digital scenario trainers are used to immerse soldiers in realistic environments, helping them develop critical skills and decision-making abilities. Game-based learning has been shown to improve knowledge retention, problem solving, teamwork, and motivation.[8]
In January 2024, the British Army’s 1st (United Kingdom) Division announced that it was experimenting with augmented reality to enhance command-and-control capabilities. This initiative aims to make the division more agile, mobile, and resilient, preparing it for its new role as the land component of NATO’s Allied Reaction Force.[9]
The Royal Signals are using a virtual reality system called the Interim Combined Arms Virtual Simulation (Deployable) to enhance their battlefield skills. This system allows soldiers to practice driving, manoeuvring, and combat scenarios in a virtual environment, reducing costs and environmental impact compared to live training.[10]
Lessons for Business
The fibel story also offers valuable insights for enterprises seeking to improve their own training and employee development. By injecting humour, storytelling, and game-like elements into instructional content, companies can create more engaging and memorable learning experiences. Well-designed games can simulate real-world challenges, providing safe environments for employees to practise skills, experiment with strategies, and learn from mistakes.
SAP's Road Warrior, for example, was a gamified training tool designed to make learning and onboarding for salespeople more interactive and enjoyable. It uses videos and multiple-choice questions to simulate real-life sales meetings, rewarding users with points and badges, and fostering competition and social interaction among peers. Similarly, gamification in cybersecurity awareness training makes interactions more engaging, enjoyable, and secure. Serious games are gaining popularity because they promote natural learning.[11]
According to academic studies on the effectiveness of gamification, it does work and improves training outcomes. However, studies also highlight that the success of gamification often depends on the context and users.[12]
Key Principles
There are several key principles to keep in mind when integrating game-based learning into corporate training. The game objectives must be aligned with specific learning outcomes to ensure the activity supports the desired skills and knowledge. Leveraging the power of narrative can make the content more relatable and resonant for learners. Providing frequent feedback and rewards will help to motivate participants and reinforce their progress. Incorporating social elements fosters collaboration and friendly competition, reflecting the dynamics of real-world teamwork. Finally, the game should be accessible and easy to use for all skill levels to maximise engagement and effectiveness. It's interesting that the Panther-Fibel, with its stories, jokes, characters, and comical illustrations, fulfils all the necessary elements for successful game-based learning.
When these principles are applied, game-based learning becomes a powerful way to boost employee engagement, knowledge retention, and performance. Just like the young Panther crews found, the quickest way to learn new skills is often the most enjoyable. By embracing the power of play, modern organisations can help their teams tackle the challenges of today’s workplace with skill, confidence, and a touch of humour.
References:
David Willey, Panther-Fibel Introduction, Tank Museum, 2021.How the 'Tiger-fibel' and 'Panther-fibel' Came About, Military History Visualised, YouTube video, 2020. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KT8ql7TMhmoPanther-Fibel, David Wiley, Tank Museum document, 2021.Todd Crumley, Don’t Be a Dope”: Will Eisner’s World War II Posters, NATIONAL ARCHIVES, 2022.Wikipedia.org, U.S. Government Informational Comics.Blake Stilwell, The Original M16 Manual Was a Vietnam War Comic Book, Military.com, September 30, 2021.Sebastian Deterding, Dan Dixon, Rilla Khaled, and Lennart Nacke, From Game Design Elements to Gamefulness: Defining 'Gamification', Proceedings of the 15th International Academic MindTrek Conference: Envisioning Future Media Environments, 2011, pp. 9-15.Jo Brick, Gaming and Professional Military Education, The Forge, October 2020.Army.mod.uk, Land warriors in the world of augmented reality, January 2024.Army.mod.uk, Royal Signals use virtual reality system to hone battlefield skills, July 2023.Iqra Obaid, Shoaib Farooq and Adnan Abid, Gamification for Recruitment and Job Training: Model, Taxonomy, and Challenges, IEEE Access. PP. 1-1. 10.1109/ACCESS.2020.2984178, 2020.J. Hamari, J. Koivisto and H. Sarsa, Does Gamification Work? -- A Literature Review of Empirical Studies on Gamification, 47th Hawaii International Conference on System Sciences, Waikoloa, HI, USA, 2014, pp. 3025-3034, doi: 10.1109/HICSS.2014.377, 2014.
6 tech tips for tackling your master’s in military history
In this blog post, I have laid out six tech tips (software and devices) that helped me obtain my master’s degree in military history by research.
THE ROYAL NAVY DURING THE SECOND WORLD WAR. © IWM A 10438
When I started my master’s degree in military history, one of the first things I did was browse the Internet for guidance on undertaking research, managing my time and dissertation writing techniques. Although I did find plenty of general information about undertaking a master’s degree, I did not discover anything specific to military history. During my course induction, the university did recommend some online resources and advice on conducting research. However, I quickly realised that I would have to develop my own methods of study and find the tools to match. In the remainder of this blog post, I have laid out six apps and devices that helped me succeed with my research and writing. I do hope you find it useful.
When undertaking a master’s degree in military history, you naturally spend a lot of time doing research at archives, museums, and libraries. As a part-time student, holding down a full-time job, I seldom had the opportunity to spend days pawing over war diaries, letters, or official documents. Instead, I had to maximise my available time and access to archive resources. Additionally, five months after I started my course, the Covid-19 pandemic struck, closing many public buildings for long periods. When I was able to secure a visitor’s slot at The National Archives, for example, I had to scan and save as many pages of as many documents as possible. Luckily for me, the Adobe Scan mobile app proved the perfect solution.
1. Adobe Scan
Once installed on your smartphone or tablet, Adobe Scan enables you to easily capture and convert documents to PDFs. The app is free to use, which is always a bonus when you are a student. When you create a free Adobe Document Cloud account, all your scanned documents are automatically backed up, and are available from anywhere with an Internet connection. The free service provides you with 2-GB of Cloud storage and text recognition for documents up to 25-pages. Adobe Scan is available for Android and Apple iPhone.
During my research project, I scanned hundreds of pages of war diaries. Frequently, the diary entries were written by hand in faint pencil. This made them hard to read and difficult to capture as an image using a smartphone camera. However, Adobe Scan has some very handy features, such as filters, which can transform illegibly faint scribble into clearly discernible text. Once you have found the right filter, simply click the ‘Apply to all pages’ button, and your document is transformed. Adobe also makes it easy to download documents to your device, share via email and save a copy to Google Drive.
Screen grabs from Adobe Scan mobile app
2. Samsung tablet computer
I mainly used my laptop computer for desk research and writing. For field research, I purchased an inexpensive Samsung Galaxy tablet (other brands are available), a 7-inch screen and 32-GB of storage. I found the smaller 7-inch form factor more convenient to use than the larger 10-inch screen, but I guess it is a matter of personal preference. Additionally, I got a hard-shell protective case, which doubled as a stand, and a Bluetooth wireless keyboard. The only apps I installed on the tablet were Adobe Reader, Adobe Scan, Kindle and Mendeley, which I will come to later. Using My Files on the Galaxy tablet, I created a very simple filing system. Next, I downloaded every research document onto the device as my project progressed. This put all my research documents at my fingertips and allowed me to work anywhere without being reliant on an Internet connection.
3. Amazon Kindle
During a degree course, you borrow and buy lots of books. Printed books take up a lot of shelf space. Whereas digital books (eBooks) only occupy storage space on your tablet, which can always be increased. I used Amazon Kindle as my preferred digital library. As well as the mobile app, you can access your Kindle library from any web browser using the Kindle Cloud Reader. Besides being accessible from anywhere, many Kindle eBooks are cheaper than printed editions. However, it was the search function on Kindle that I found most useful. Type any keyword or phrase into the search field, and Kindle will list every example of that word or phrase by chapter and page in a nice, neat, sequential list. The Kindle search feature saved me plenty of time during my research and while writing my dissertation. You can also bookmark pages and highlight text that you want to reference later.
Another useful money-saving tip for the cash-strapped student is to sign up for an Amazon Prime Student account, which offers you a wide range of discounts on everything from laptops to textbooks.
4. Index tabs
Marking the pages of numerous books for reference purposes can be a chore. However, my project supervisor suggested a very effective low-tech solution. Sticky index tabs are brightly coloured, self-adhesive strips of plastic or paper, which are ideal for marking pages of books that you might want to refer to repeatedly. Post-it Page Markers are recyclable index tabs; the paper used to manufacture them is ethically sourced (other brands are available). Another advantage of using paper-based tabs is that you can write on them for indexing.
5. Mendeley reference manager
Universities set out clear guidelines for footnotes and citations in military history papers such as the Modern Humanities Research Association (MHRA) style guide. It is important that you follow these style guides to the letter. Today, there are a wide range of reference management tools available to help you. Initially, I tried Zotero research software. However, I did not find it easy to use. Next, I tried Mendeley and struck gold. Mendeley is a free reference management software available for Windows, Android, Apple, and Linux. Once installed, you can upload your research to build a library of documents and references. Mendeley generates references, citations, and bibliographies in a whole range of journal styles including MHRA. The Mendeley Cite plugin for Microsoft Word enables you to insert footnotes quickly and easily into your papers.
One note of caution when using Mendeley. If you intend to share a rough draft of a working document with your supervisor, remember to export your document in the correct format. If you simply save your Word document and send it, then Mendeley code will remain present. When the recipient opens your document, they might find the formatting confused or unreadable. This is a mistake you do not want to make on the submission of your dissertation.
Mendeley Reference Management Software
6. Microsoft 365
Prior to starting my course, the university’s IT department set me up with Outlook email and a Microsoft 365 account, which includes popular Office products like Word, PowerPoint, and Excel. Additionally, the Microsoft 365 Education plan provides tools and services like SharePoint, OneNote, Teams and Publisher. Microsoft provides a wide range of mobile apps to enable you to work from anywhere on any mobile device. However, I must admit that I seldom used Microsoft 365 during my research project. For non-students, Microsoft generously provides a free online version of Office.
Obviously, everyone who undertakes a master’s degree in military history will meet the challenges of their own research project differently. Nevertheless, technology can help you save time, energy, and money, which might otherwise be wasted. Lastly, check out websites like Save the Student and UNiDAYS for a wide range of discount codes and free stuff. And remember that many software and hardware vendors will offer educational discounts but sometimes you must ask them.
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