Key Point: The Sherman’s inadequacies were products of its origins. American tanks in World War II were generally inferior to their German counterparts. German tanks boasted better armor protection ...

Land combat in World War II was dominated by the tank. The role of these hefty vehicles changed somewhat as the war evolved, with new models being manufactured and their weapons and defenses evolving.

Here’s What You Need to Remember: The U.S. did eventually field a new, heavier tank in early 1945. Sporting a 90-millimeter gun and thicker armor, the M-26 Pershing rectified many of the Sherman’s ...