Wholesale Tanks: A Century of Tank Warfare

Tanks are synonymous with the modern army; essential pieces of high-technology equipment. How did the tank come into being, develop, & influence conflict in the 20th & 21st centuries? Why do countries use tanks differently in combat, & what was the biggest tank-on-tank battle? The Casemate Short History of Tanks addresses these questions in an informative introduction to this iconic weapon. Tanks first battled on the Somme in 1916, & by the war's end, countries chose “heavy” or “light” designs. Design stagnated until World War II, which brought rapid change. Tanks proved integral in every theater; Germans used tanks to spearhead blitzkrieg, while Soviet tanks led to epic battles. After WWII, tank designs became sophisticated, with mixed results. American armor in Korea & Vietnam supported infantry, while Soviet armor faced guerrilla warfare in Afghanistan. Tanks played a pivotal role in the American “shock & awe” doctrine in Iraq & remain crucial on the battlefield.