Far more significant than the meagre forces obtained from the Anschluss were the armoured fighting vehicles which fell into German hands during the 1938/39 German takeover of the Czechoslovak state. Although, again, they were not strictly ‘captured’, and were simply handed over to the Germans. The two machines currently under Czech manufacture were to play a very significant role in the evolution of the Panzerwaffe. In due course the famous 8th Panzer Division would be equipped with Czech tanks. The two main Czechoslovak tanks were the Skoda / CKD LT-35 and CKD (also known as Praga and later as the B-LT-38, where the LT stood for Lehky Tank or Light Tank). The 38(t) had just begun its manufacturing cycle but 300 of the 35(t) were already available. Both were quickly pressed into German service as the Panzerkampfwagen 35(t) and 38(t) respectively. Although the LT-35 only remained in production until 1939 the LT-38 was manufactured until June 1942 under German supervision. The PzKpfw 35(t) served principally in the 1st Light Division until October 1939, when all were grouped into the 6th Panzer Division. PzKpfw 38(t) saw service with various Light Divisions and was then used to equip various Panzer Divisions. By late 1941 the Germans at last had better tanks in production and the PzKpfw 35(t) and 38(t) were relegated to policing and security duties. Some PzKpfw 35(t) were exported and saw service with the Slovak and Bulgarian armies (where some actually served until the 1950s), others were used by the Romanian, Hungarian and Italian armies. The PzKpfw 38(t) was also exported and was in service with German Allies, including Romania. Slovakia, Bulgaria and Hungary. Both the PzKpfw 35(t) and the 38(t) saw extensive service in Poland, France and Russia. During the fighting in Russia, the need for heavier armour and armament soon made both Czech tanks redundant and they were swiftly relegated to reconnaissance duties. Overall, the Panzerkampfwagen 35(t) and 38(t) were reliable vehicles and served Panzertruppe very well in time of need.
The Pz.Kpfw (38)t had been designed and tested before the seizure of Czechoslovakia in 1939. The influx of these valuable machines provided the vital extra numbers which made the early campaigns possible. The 7th and 8th Panzer Divisions used the Pz.Kpfw (38)t in place of the Panzer III during the fall of France.