Description
Book SynopsisToday tanks are synonymous with the modern army; imposing, essential pieces of high-technology equipment, seemingly impregnable. But how did the tank come into being, and how did it develop and influence conflict in the 20th and 21st centuries? Why do different countries use tanks so differently in combat and what was the biggest tank-on-tank battle?
The
Casemate Short History of Tanks addresses all these questions and more in an informative and entertaining introduction to this iconic weapon of the last hundred years.
Tanks first ventured into battle on the Somme in 1916, and by the end of the war countries were beginning to choose “heavy” or “light” tank designs to suit their preferred doctrine. Design stagnated between the wars, until World War II brought about rapid change. Tanks would prove integral to fighting in almost every theatre; the Germans swept across Europe using tanks to spearhead their
blitzkrieg method of war, until Soviet tanks proved more than their match and led to some epic tank battles on a huge scale.
After World War II, tank designs became increasingly sophisticated, and armor undertook a variety of roles in conflicts, with mixed results. American armor in Korea was soon forced into an infantry support role, which it reprised in Vietnam, while Soviet armor was defeated in guerrilla warfare in Afghanistan. However, tanks played a pivotal role in the American “shock and awe” doctrine in two wars in Iraq, and tanks remain a crucial weapons system on the battlefield.
Trade ReviewThis is a book for students and they will enjoy it as a slice of military history, which could open a whole new interest and understanding for them. * Gun Mart *
Tanks is part of Casemate's brilliant new series: Short Histories. * Books Monthly *
These books would be excellent for someone with an early interest in military history or for someone talking history at school. Very readable and easy to understand with some good illustrations. * Army Rumour Service *
