Tank: 100 Years of the World’s Most Important Armored Military Vehicle

243 Pages·57.616 MB·English

by  Michael E. Haskew

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100 YEARS OF THE WORLD’S MOST IMPORTANT ARMORED MILITARY VEHICLE
TANK
MICHAEL E. HASKEW
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contents
INTRODUCTION:
A Century of Warfare . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6
PART I:
Development . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 8
1. Early Ideas . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10
2. Initial Designs . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 18
PART II:
World War I . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 24
3. First in War . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 26
4. Early Actions . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 46
PART III:
The Interwar Years . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 62
5. Innovation . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 64
6. Global Recognition . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 82
PART IV:
World War II . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 94
7. Legendary Designs . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 96
8. Epic Tank Battles . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 142
PART V:
The Cold War . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 174
9. East vs. West . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 176
10. Regional Conflicts . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 194
PART VI:
Modern Armored Fighting Vehicles . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 204
11. The Gulf Wars . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 206
12. The Third Millennium . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 224
INDEX
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 236
ACKNOWLEDGMENTS
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 238
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introduction
A Century of Warfare
The concept of the armored fighting vehicle, Zhukov was among the first Red Army commanders to In this posed shot created by photographer
particularly the tank, is nearly as old as warfare realize the potential of the tank in warfare. Alfred T. Palmer for the Office of War
Information, the commander of an M3 tank
itself. From the Greek phalanx to Roman siege During World War II, the German blitzkrieg rolled
casts a wary eye to the skies over Fort Knox,
engines, from the soaring intellect of Leonardo da Vinci across the frontiers of eastern and western Europe.
Kentucky. A spotlight, presumably held by
to the wondrous imagination of H. G. Wells, the idea of While Gen. Heinz Guderian commanded powerful
one of Palmer’s assistants, is visible
the tank has spanned the centuries, giving rise to the panzer formations in devastating attacks on neighboring at lower right in this uncropped version.
technologically advanced land-warfare systems fielded countries around Germany, Field Marshal Erwin Library of Congress
today by the armies of countries large and small. Rommel became a legend in the deserts of North Africa
Early in the twentieth century, the development in his command of the fabled Deutsches Afrika Korps.
of the tank as a weapon of decision on the battlefield Modern tanks perform in both offensive and
gained momentum. A century ago, during the horrors defensive roles, capable of exploiting breaches in enemy
of World War I, the armored fighting vehicle made its defenses and rapidly slashing into rear areas, disrupting
debut in battle. From often unwieldy boxes mounted communications, supply, and command and control.
on tractor chassis and prone to mechanical failure, They strengthen forward positions, working in concert
tank designs evolved during the interwar years into with infantry formations and providing mutual support.
sleek weapons with the classic characteristics of speed, Along with the evolution of the tank, antitank
mobility, and firepower. weapons have become more sophisticated, and the
Tactical theory accompanied the development of cycle of offensive development versus defensive
the tank as an offensive weapon. Between the world capabilities continues. The tanks that prowl the
wars, such advocates of armored warfare as the British battlefield today are fitted with advanced composite
strategists and tacticians Maj. Gen. J. F. C. Fuller and armor, infrared detection systems, global positioning
Sir B. H. Liddell Hart were among the earliest to equipment, and target-acquisition apparatus. Their
envision the potential of the tank to change the face of onboard countermeasures are designed to defeat
warfare. As a French Army officer, Charles de Gaulle antitank missiles and projectiles. Tanks also are
earned the derisive nickname “Colonel Motor” thanks fitted with defensive systems specifically designed for
to his vocal support of a plan to reshape his nation’s survivability in an urban warfare context, particularly
military around the new armored technology. in combat with paramilitary or militia forces that
During the 1920s, American Maj. Gen. Adna Chaffee Jr. employ low-tech weapons.
correctly predicted that mechanized armies would win Although some military analysts have for decades
the land battles of the future. Young US Army officers predicted the demise of the tank as a weapon of war
such as Dwight D. Eisenhower and George S. Patton due to advancing technology, its importance as a
risked their careers to champion the development of weapons system remains. Tanks project the firepower,
armored divisions. Meanwhile, in the Soviet Union, mobility, and armor protection that will make the
Marshal Mikhail Tukhachevsky developed the concept armored fighting vehicle a mainstay of military
of “deep battle” during the 1930s, and Marshal Georgi establishments for decades to come.
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part I
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