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First Tank Developed in England
-Nicknamed "Little Willie", the tank was formalized by a British Colonel named Ernest Swinton, along with the secretary of Imperial Defence, William Hanley, who thought of the idea of an overland vehicle with a tread-based transportation system. Churchill, who, at the time, was the Navy minister, commissioned the prototype to be made, since he saw its possible value on the battlefield. Little Willie weighed 14 tons, and was hardly manueverable, but, the project continued throug the war. -
Mark IV's at the Battle of Cambrai
-After several prototypes and underwhelming battlefield performances, English Mark IV tanks were deployed into the Battle of Cambrai. Finally, the Tanks potential was realized as these tanks, despite their constant overheating, and battlefield malfunctions, managed to change the tide of Cambrai. At last, these mechanical behemoths proved worthwhile and production was increased. These Tanks also caught the eye of nearly every superpower in the war and nearly every superpower began production. -
Start of WWII
-Almost as soon as WWII was official, production and research towards tanks skyrocketed. Every major country involved in the Second World War developed their own lines of tanks. Also, this marked the first time tanks began to diverge in their uses. Slow, long range tanks with massive guns were produced, along with small, fast tanks used for reconnaissance. From here, tanks would continue to branch apart , allowing modern day variants to emerge. -
Tanks recieve Electronic Systems
-Many upgrades and additions were made to tanks, making them a close resemblance to what we use today. Tanks got countermeasures for guided rockets, different shells that were used in different scenarios. However, the most important upgrade of all was electronic systems. Systems were now operable at the press of a button. Also, tanks received major internal upgrades (like air conditioning) making it far less difficult for a crew to operate. -
Persian Gulf War
After almost half a century of constant modification, thanks to the cold war, Tanks were rolled out in the Persian Gulf. These behmoths had not been seen almost since WWII and their capabilities were incredible. As many world superpowers threw ald thir cold war toys into a literal sandbox, it became apparent what the World War death machines had evolved into. -
Tanks becoming outdated?
-By this point, tanks have been around for nearly exactly a century. They've played a large part in every war they've been involved in. But, like any instrument of war, the Tank, some historians speculate , is coming to an end. To many, they're giant, difficult to transport, and expensive to make and maintain. And furthermore, it is said that the firepower they possess isn't needed anymore. Even if that's true, the tank isn't going away for a while. And if it does, it certainly won't go quietly.