An American soldier walks in front of a British-made MKIV tank, circa 1918.
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An American soldier walks in front of a British-made MKIV tank, circa 1918.
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Earlier this week, it was announced that German and American tanks are heading to Ukraine to assist in the country’s continued resistance to the Russian invasion.
Some analysts say it could change the game for the duration and outcome of the war. And looking back at history, tanks certainly played a significant role on other European battlefields.
Starting with the First World War, when they first appeared, tanks introduced the idea that an armored all-terrain vehicle could break the stalemate of trench warfare.
NPR’s Mary Louise Kelly spoke with historian and former British army officer, Antony Beevor, to discuss the tank’s legacy, and how it has evolved to the present.
This interview has been edited for length and clarity
Highlights of the Interview
On what early tanks were designed in the first World War
The massacre of soldiers coming out of the trenches and walking through no man’s land was so horrible, that everyone was trying to think of an alternative. And so that’s where the idea of an armored tank came up – and it was because it looked almost like a water tank, but covered together – as a project.
And Churchill, who was working at the time in the government, put as much pressure as he could to help in its development. And the British were probably only the first, really, to run the tank [circa 1916]. And there, they had these monsters with rails on the outside rather than shelter under armor or something like that.
British soldiers enjoy a run on a British Mark IV tank.
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British soldiers enjoy a run on a British Mark IV tank.
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On the development of tanks for the Second World War
Stalin came to a big program. And, of course, in fact, the Red Army had the largest tank force in the world. But they were not nearly as well trained as the German tank crews.
And in fact, German tanks were probably inferior to both British and French tanks in 1940. And yet, because of the speed and, above all, because of the determination to pass, not worry about the flanks and just keep going, they were much more devastating in their tactics.
April 1942: British tanks Valentine and Matilda are loaded onto a train bound for Russia.
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April 1942: British tanks Valentine and Matilda are loaded onto a train bound for Russia.
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About Russia’s recent use of tanks
It was very unimpressive and quite amazing in the way they repeated the mistakes of the Second World War — all their worst mistakes — and also sent them straight down a road, where you can block — by shooting one or two. them, you can then basically stop the whole column and then pick off them one by one.
The Ukrainians did this and, using those British guns against the NLAW tanks very effectively, absolutely massacred them.
On how the newly promised German and American tanks could impact the war in Ukraine
Also, the whole advantage of the Leopard (German tank) is that so many other countries in Europe got the Leopard. And therefore, there is less problem on spare parts, resupply of ammunition and all the rest of it. And of course, it’s a very, very good tank. But I mean, frankly, there is no number.
They need more quantity. Basically, they’re talking about 300. They might get 200 with luck, which would be kind of roughly the equivalent of a proper armored division.
Most of them – and especially those coming from Germany – were basically still sitting, in many cases waiting for proper repairs. This is really one of the problems. Europe especially has been sitting under the American umbrella, and has simply allowed its military situation to deteriorate drastically over the years.
Ukrainian tanks move on a road before an attack in the Lugansk region on February 26, 2022.
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Ukrainian tanks move on a road before an attack in the Lugansk region on February 26, 2022.
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It could be [a game changer]. Everything depends on the time. And even a certain number will certainly help, because what they are waiting for and why Zelenskyy is so desperate to have the tanks, is that they know perfectly well that Putin will launch a major offensive in the spring as soon as the land dries up.
And for that, they need to be ready. But there is a fundamental paradox here, and this goes back to the beginning of the war, when the killing — the destruction of all the Russian tanks as they advanced on Kyiv at the beginning made everyone — every military commentator at the time says, “Well, well, that proves the tank era is over.” But we are all seeing, we should say, a small U-turn, in the attitudes towards the tank in the war.
This story was adapted for the web by Manuela Lopez Restrepo.
