On the Morning of the 15. September, 1916, attacked British troops, the German positions at Flers-Courcelette in the Somme Offensive. Previously, only attacks of the infantry were after heavy preparatory fire of the artillery is common, but in the 15. Of September accompanied the British out of 32 tanks.

attack with the infantry

With the fast, highly mobile Armoured units of the Second world war, the attack had little in common. The giants accompanied the infantry, not armed alone with a carbine and bayonet on the enemy’s trenches and machine guns rush had to. The heavy tanks forward travelled with the soldiers, and should help you with your machine guns and cannons at the Moment of the attack.

main battle tanks: Leopard 2 up to the T-14 are the most important tank models Fullscreen

The Leopard 2A6 can prevail in comparison to NATO tanks, exercises regularly, compared to the M1 Abrams. It depends, however, mainly on the tactical skills of the crew. In the tank competition in 2016, the United States, the two Army Teams had with your M1, no Chance. The three Leopard-teams from Germany, Denmark and Poland occupied the first three places. The winner was Germany.

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quoted An Australian tank soldier: “The old tub made a sudden jerk. Oh God, I thought. Time to take farewell. But it was not to the end. Only a few German bodies, in which we had slipped. The Germans shot with guns on us. The fire from bubbly, like water on a duck. The guy couldn’t get out. They shot more, until our tub over them waddled.”

Moderate success, enthusiastic reports

As is often the case of new weapons systems, the use was not as successful as you suggest could. But even then, the time recognized and enjoyed, that these battle ships would change to the country, the war massively. The “Manchester Guardian” reported enthusiastically: “One of these machines can attack an entire battalion of the enemy, a battery, a trench bristling with machine guns and you will be victorious.”

In the same report acknowledged the problems: “The terrified Germans could do nothing, but the steering failed. The driver could only drive in a straight line, that’s what he did.”

use as a battering RAM

Under these conditions, it was no wonder that none of the contemporaries of the later tanks technology thought, with deep incursions into the enemy’s Hinterland, all the sections of the Front thwart. None of the former models could have a roll of 100 miles, to stay without lying. The tanks you saw in the role of an escort vehicle of the infantry. He should look like a battering RAM to break through the enemy lines. The fascination was in his invulnerability. The surprised opponent had no weapons that could penetrate the armour to break and was practically defenseless.

Even without a breakthrough through the German lines, the use of the Somme had a psychological effect. After the previous, extremely loss attacks of the British rich, the appearance of Tanks on the improved the mood of the troops.

At the first use of the tanks remained, however, in the heavy, unsuitable terrain stuck. Mechanical error led to default, in addition, the units moved so slowly, that was zeroing in on the German artillery. This failure led to the Paradox that Germany ran the development. It is under the threat estimated, while the British improved the models technically.

the possibilities of the tank is not Russian tank Armata Putin’s detected new wonder weapon –

During the whole war, the leading military did not recognize the capabilities of their new weapon. Again and again, the colossi like a Hammer against heavily fortified German positions were used in unsuitable terrain. They reached, however: At the beginning of the First world war, after terrible losses, the classic storm attacks a densely-Packed infantry or cavalry had rifles have no Chance against an entrenched defender with automatic machines. This dominance of the defense, the tank broke again.

a few years ago, it was assumed that the century of the battle tank would go to the end. After the end of the East-West conflict, it was hoped for a world without wars. This Illusion dissolved quickly. Then it was thought that, at least, wars heard with movement, battles of large armies in the past. Also, since it is not today so sure of that.

Technically, the giants were seen over the missile of the infantry very vulnerable to become. But with new armor and active defense systems seem to have the tables turned. The Russian T-14 Armata is seen as the first tank for the second century of the tank. The Western counterparts are already announced.

Interview, Nato-armored successor to the Leopard 2 wanted: from Die the big tank?

Since then, Russia has presented the Super-tank T-14 Armata, to work tanks in the West, new struggle. The star spoke with the British military experts Nicolas Drummond about the main battle tanks of the future and the weaknesses of the current models.

Gernot Kramper

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