![]() ![]() ![]() However, it was in their tactical employment that German tanks dominated all rivals early in the war. The early tanks of Germany were inferior to many of their opponent's tanks in the areas of armour and firepower. The United Kingdom, the United States, the USSR, France and Italy produced significant numbers of tanks before and during World War II. In particular, the gun-vs-armor race of the war led to rapid increases in firepower and armor thickness and design.Ī German Tiger I tank in combat during the Battle of Kursk in 1943 Major themes By the beginning of the war, tanks were available that could travel hundreds of miles on their tracks with a limited number of breakdowns.ĭuring the war, much more rapid changes in design took place. Reflecting the growth of the automotive industry, tanks improved their engines, transmissions, and track systems. Tank design gradually improved in the inter-war period also. In addition to infantry support, tanks fulfilled traditional cavalry roles, provided mobile artillery support, and adopted combat engineering roles. Initially, tanks had been used for close support of infantry, but as modern mechanized doctrine was developed by several Armies, tanks became an essential part of the combined-arms team. The doctrine of armored warfare changed radically in the inter-war years as armies sought ways to avoid the deadlock imposed by modern firepower and looked for the means to restore offensive power on the battlefield. ![]() World War I tanks moved at a walking pace, were relatively unreliable, and were employed according to doctrines still being worked out at war's end. Tanks of the first World War reflected the novelty of the idea and the primitive state of the automotive industry. The tank was invented by the British in World War I, with nearly simultaneous development in France. ![]()
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