A Century of Tank Warfare:
Part 1 — WW1 and the Birth of Armor
This is the first post of Military Minds. Here we’re going to talk about Military History, Strategy, and Doctrine. Our initial writing is a three-part post about the evolution of tank doctrines in the 20th century. In the first part, we will discuss the emergence of tanks during World War I and their significance in shaping the future of armored warfare.
In this article, we will explore the early development of tanks during World War I and their profound impact on military history. The emergence of tanks and the doctrines that guided their use played a crucial role in shaping modern warfare, as these machines transformed the battlefield and redefined the strategies and tactics employed by armed forces. By examining the innovations and challenges that marked the dawn of armored warfare, we will gain a deeper understanding of the factors that influenced the evolution of tank doctrine throughout the 20th century.
Armored cars
In the years leading up to World War I, several nations recognized the potential of armored vehicles for military purposes. Early armored cars, such as the Simms’ Motor War Car designed by F.R. Simms, were often based on modified commercial automobile chassis, with added armor plating and mounted machine guns or small cannons. While these vehicles were still in their infancy, they laid the groundwork for the more advanced armored warfare that would emerge during the Great War.
During the early stages of World War I, armored cars were mainly used in reconnaissance and scouting roles, as well as for providing support for infantry units. They were typically organized into squadrons or smaller units, allowing for coordinated tactics and greater operational flexibility. Due to their speed and maneuverability, armored cars were particularly effective in theaters with more open terrain, such as the Eastern Front and the Middle East. In these areas, they could exploit their mobility and avoid the challenges posed by the heavily fortified and static battle lines found in other theaters, like the Western Front.
When considering the role of early armored cars in World War I, it is important to examine their advantages and limitations in comparison to traditional horse-mounted cavalry. Armored cars offered superior protection and firepower, but they were not as effective at traversing difficult terrain as their equestrian counterparts. This limited their overall effectiveness in scouting and reconnaissance roles. As the war progressed, the limitations of early armored cars would highlight the need for a new type of armored vehicle — one that could overcome the challenges presented by different types of terrain and evolving battlefield conditions.
The Role of Tanks
The Western Front of World War I presented unique challenges that significantly impacted the course of the conflict. The extensive trench systems and barbed wire entanglements turned the front into a highly fortified, static line of confrontation. Traditional methods of warfare, including horse-mounted cavalry and infantry assaults, proved inadequate against the enemy’s entrenched positions. The landscape of the Western Front, with its treacherous mix of mud, shell holes, and trenches, posed insurmountable difficulties for vehicles like armored cars. This environment necessitated the development of a new type of military technology, one that could overcome these obstacles and break the stalemate — a technology that would manifest as the tank.
In the face of the challenges posed by trench warfare, various innovations were undertaken to develop a vehicle capable of overcoming the obstacles on the Western Front. One such initiative was the formation of the Landship Committee in Britain, which sought to produce a heavily armored vehicle that could cross trenches and difficult terrain. The Committee’s efforts led to the creation of a prototype known as “Little Willie,” which was the first to utilize a fully enclosed armored hull and a caterpillar track system. This design provided the necessary traction and mobility to navigate the rough landscapes of the battlefield.
The culmination of these efforts was the British Mark I tank, which made its debut in 1916 as the world’s first operational tank. The Mark I had two variants: ‘Male’ tanks were equipped with naval guns in addition to machine guns, providing heavy firepower, while ‘Female’ tanks carried multiple machine guns for suppressing enemy infantry. This marked a significant evolution in armored warfare, with the Mark I being the first vehicle of its kind to combine the capabilities of mobility, protection, and firepower in a single platform. The deployment of the Mark I in battle symbolized a revolutionary step in the conduct of warfare, heralding a new era where armored vehicles would come to play a dominant role.
Operating the groundbreaking machines that were tanks necessitated a new set of skills and ushered in the need for specialized training programs for tank crews. Initial crew members were often drawn from a diverse range of military backgrounds — infantry, cavalry, and artillery. Infantrymen contributed their familiarity with ground warfare and direct enemy engagement. Cavalrymen, accustomed to swift and dynamic battlefield situations, brought their understanding of mobility and flanking maneuvers. Artillerymen’s expertise in indirect fire and range estimation added another layer of competence to early tank crews.
These selected personnel had to swiftly adapt to their roles, learning to navigate bulky armored vehicles, aim their weapons accurately under intense pressure, and carry out in-field maintenance while under enemy fire. The evolution of training practices and the invaluable combat experience accrued by tank crews during World War I played a significant role in shaping tank crew selection, training, and tactics in the conflicts that followed, underlining the lasting impact of these early developments.
The primary role of the earliest tanks was to support infantry assaults. Unlike armored cars, tanks could navigate the hostile terrain of the Western Front and directly engage with enemy fortifications. They provided mobile cover for advancing infantry, protecting them from machine gun fire and other threats. Additionally, tanks were employed to clear obstacles such as barbed wire, facilitating infantry movement across the battlefield. Their presence often had a psychological impact on enemy troops, creating fear and disrupting morale. However, it’s important to note that the effectiveness of these early tanks was limited by numerous factors, including mechanical reliability, speed, and communication difficulties. Despite these limitations, the integration of tanks into infantry assaults marked a significant shift in the nature of ground warfare.
The true potential of tanks was first demonstrated on the battlefield during the Battle of Flers-Courcelette in September 1916, as a part of the larger Somme Offensive. It was here that tanks, specifically the British Mark I, were first deployed in combat. Although their performance was hampered by mechanical issues, poor terrain, and a lack of refined tactics, they still had a substantial psychological impact on the enemy. The presence of these hulking metal beasts, impervious to most standard weapons and able to cross trenches, sent shockwaves through the German ranks. This initial deployment, while not a resounding tactical success, marked the debut of tanks in warfare and set the stage for their increased use and development in the years to follow.
While Britain was making strides with the Mark I, France was also actively working on their own armored vehicles. Early in the war, the French produced the Schneider CA1, a tank designed to cross trenches and support infantry. Though it was plagued with many issues such as poor mobility, weak armor, and a high center of gravity leading to instability, it marked the beginning of France’s efforts in tank development. Following the Schneider CA1 was the Saint-Chamond, another heavy tank designed to support infantry. Despite being larger and more heavily armed than its predecessor, it still struggled with similar issues, particularly with regards to mobility across difficult terrain.
However, it was with the Renault FT that France made a truly significant contribution to tank development. Introduced in 1917, the Renault FT featured several design elements that were innovative for the time, and would ultimately become standard on tanks to come. The vehicle’s layout, with the driver in front, the engine at the rear, and a traversable turret housing the main armament in the middle, was a significant departure from previous designs. This configuration allowed for improved maneuverability and a wider field of fire. Furthermore, the FT was also lighter and more mobile than earlier tanks, making it more suitable for a variety of roles on the battlefield. The Renault FT’s design not only represented a step forward in tank technology, but also set a precedent for future tanks, establishing a design concept that persists to this day.
The Central Powers, notably Germany and Austria-Hungary, were not blind to the tank developments of the Allies. They responded with their own armored innovations, the most prominent being the German A7V. Although introduced late in the war in 1918, the A7V represented the Central Powers’ initial foray into tank warfare. Equipped with an array of machine guns and a single 57mm cannon, the A7V was a formidable adversary. However, with only 20 units produced, its impact on the war was relatively minor compared to the Allied tanks. Its deployment, though, underlined the Central Powers’ acknowledgment of the new reality of armored warfare.
As the use of tanks became more prevalent, a new form of combat inevitably arose: tank-versus-tank engagements. The introduction of the A7V, along with the continued presence of British and French tanks, led to the first instances of armored engagements on the battlefield. These clashes of metal beasts, though relatively rare in World War I, opened up an entirely new field of warfare that demanded fresh tactics and technologies. Both the Allies and Central Powers were quick to realize that specialized anti-tank weapons and strategies would be necessary in the face of this new armored threat. Thus, the first seeds of future tank doctrines were sown in these early tank-versus-tank encounters.
The emergence of tanks in World War I revolutionized the landscape of warfare, significantly altering infantry tactics and setting the stage for modern combined arms warfare. Tanks, with their ability to provide mobile cover, resist machine gun fire, and cross trenches, offered infantry forces innovative ways to approach the battlefield. This necessitated a pivotal shift from the conventional warfare tactics towards a more integrated approach, with infantry units coordinating closely with tanks. They used these steel beasts for cover during advances and to clean out any resistance bypassed by the tanks.
Artillery units played an equally essential role, delivering preparatory barrages to weaken enemy defenses and at times, directly supporting tank-led assaults. As the war progressed, aircraft were increasingly used in reconnaissance and ground-attack roles, further enhancing this combined arms approach. Furthermore, the experiences and lessons learned during this period had a profound impact on future tank doctrines and design, underscoring the potential of tanks as a transformative element on the battlefield. These experiences paved the way for focused efforts to enhance tank performance, protection, and firepower in subsequent decades. Thus, World War I was instrumental in shaping the core of modern military strategy, particularly emphasizing the necessity for effective coordination between tanks, infantry, and other arms, ultimately laying the groundwork for modern tank warfare.
This concludes the first part of our exploration into the evolution of tank doctrines throughout the 20th century. In the upcoming posts, we’ll continue our journey beyond World War I. The second part will delve into the interwar period and World War II, examining how tank warfare evolved and was refined during these tumultuous decades. The third and final part will address the post-World War II era up to the present, assessing how tank doctrine has continued to adapt in response to technological advancements and changing battlefield dynamics.
Stay tuned for these upcoming installments as we further traverse the fascinating history of tank warfare.
Note: All images used in this blog post are sourced from Wikimedia Commons.
