04-24-2004, 06:12 PM
Paul Carell, an official historian of the German Army in WW2, gave an interesting, but ghastly, explanation of these so-called "mine dogs", in his excellent account of Operation Barbarossa entitled "Hitler Moves East". Apparently these dogs, while in training, were given their food only under tractors with the engines running. Later, when so conditioned to the noise and clatter, these dogs were fitted with anti-tank mine packs with vertical detonator rods sticking out of the top. When released (VERY hungry, usually), the hapless animals would run under the nearest fascist tank, brushing the vertical rod on the belly of the vehicle, detonating the mine and destroying the tank. Not one of the proudest projects developed by the Red Army, I am sure. :(
