Installing a stick in front of the vehicle was the solution to avoid decapitations in World War II. What was happening and why was this solution a success?

The Willys Jeep was one of the most used military vehicles in World War II. Wikipedia

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The ingenuity of people in times of war can reach unimaginable heights. Even more so in conflicts of the magnitude of World War II. Considered the most critical period of the 20th century, the Germans, Japanese and Italians allied themselves to form an axis with territorial expansionist ambitions. His armies They sowed chaos during the first years of the waralthough from the middle of the first half of the 1940s, everything changed.

The Germans mainly devised a defense strategy that basically consisted of the incorporation of metal cables that were placed at the height of the soldiers’ heads in its path. From there and, after seeing what a successful mechanism it was, it was decided to go for a rudimentary, but effective solution. Do you remember the Jeep Willys that were used, above all, by the United States Army? Yes, we are referring to the same one that led, years later, to the production of the first Wrangler. Well, here is the incredible option that allowed us to solve the problem.

Why they installed a metal bar on military vehicles

There were two ways to travel safely on those roads in which the German army had turned back. On the one hand, it was feasible to take advantage of armored tanks to carry out advance movements. In this way, any possible obstacles and traps would be overcome. Within these seconds, was the installation of the wiring that we mentioned previously. It is a system that worked and that, without a doubt, was used to a large extent.

Now, what if there was no availability to use tanks at that time and you had to travel on roads? The route, on many occasions, It had to be done on a motorcycle or, simply, through military vehicles convertibles. In these cases, this system was infallible. Thanks to it, it was possible not to fall into the trap. It is important to point out that this guerrilla technique ended with more than one soldier having his throat cut or simply decapitated. After all, it was, in many cases, barbed wire.

The wire cutter used to be a weapon during World War II, so the installation of this technology allowed solve a problem that put the integrity of soldiers at risk. This type of metal antenna was completely attached to the front bumper of the military vehicle. It is important to keep in mind that this curious solution was installed, for the first time, in 1915, a moment that coincides with the second year of the First World War. On that occasion, a Killen-Strait tractor of British origin was the leading model.

This kind of metal stick did not impede the driver’s visibility and, at the same time, it did not hinder their dynamic aspirations. It should be noted, at the same time, that the impact with a barbed wire fence did not pose a danger to the soldiers’ safety. After all, the speed at which these vehicles used to travel was not too high due to the mechanical limitations of the Jeep Willys and, of course, the presence of multiple obstacles on the road.

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