The Panzerkampfwagen II was designed as an interim vehicule waiting for the issuing of the panzer III and IV. It was based on the panzer I, but was larger and better equipped with a 20 mm anti-tank gun mounted coaxially with a 7.92 mm machine gun. It was first employed in 1936 during the spanish civil war, and was the main german tank during the campains of Poland and France.

At that time, its gun revealed its ineffectiveness against most of the opposite tanks, and its 10 mm armour was not able to resist against anti-tank weapons. Even though its low vision capability was an another drawback, this panzer demonstrated a great mobility and agility. The armour was increased starting from the D version but the gun remained the same, and during the campain of Russia, the Panzer II was relegated to a reconnaissance mission.

The Panzer II was removed from service in 1943, but its chassis was used for other german self-propelled armoured vehicules during all the war.