In response, the Free Syrian Army (FSA) was formed in July 2011 and launched an armed rebellion against the Assad government
Category Archives: Tank History
ISIS Tanks
The Islamic State (IS), alternatively known as: Daesh The Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant (ISIL) The Islamic State of Iraq and Syria (ISIS) is a quasi-state that bases its practices on fundamentalist Sunni Islam. While it engages in terrorism, it has characteristics associated with states, included territory and a population that it taxes. …
Evolution of the Light Tank
The term “military tank” conjures up images of huge vehicles trampling over everything in their paths. In fact, Allied Forces won the very first tank battle, which took place during World War I at the Battle of the Somme, partly because German forces panicked at the site of 28 ton British Mark I Heavy Tanks. …
M1 Abrams in Modern Warfare
While America’s M1 Abrams main battle tank has been around since the 1980s, it is still being used in combat today. Iraq, Isis and the Kurds The Abrams functions as Iraq’s main battle tank. Between 2010 and 2012, the Unite States supplied Iraq with 140 refurbished M1A1s. Unfortunately, because the frontal arcs on the refurbished …
Tanks in Afghanistan
In the more than 30 years in which armed conflict has taken place in Afghanistan, tanks have not played a very strong role. The rocky, mountainous terrain that covers the Afghan countryside is not well suited for tank warfare. However, the decades of conflict in Afghanistan have provided valuable lessons on the appropriate use of …
Tanks During the Second Gulf War
At the end of the First Gulf War, in February 1991, Kuwait was liberated. However, Saddam Hussein remained in power in Iraq. In the spring of 2003, a coalition, led by the United State, invaded Iraq. Its stated aims were to remove Saddam Hussein from power and to remove the threat of weapons of mass …
Tanks During the First Chechen War
During the First Chechen War, which lasted from December 1994 to August 1996, the Russian Federation attempted to prevent the Republic of Chechnya from gaining independence. Despite having superior military technology, the Russians were incapable of defeating the Chechens, who relied largely on guerrilla fighting tactics. The First Chechen War demonstrated the need for tanks …
Tanks During and After the Breakup of Yugoslavia
After World War II, Yugoslavia was created as a communist state. It was part of the Soviet bloc. The nation consisted of many different religious and ethnic groups, held together by their alliance with the Soviet Union. After the USSR collapsed, religious and ethnic rivalries came to the fore, resulting in many conflicts, and ultimately, …
Continue reading “Tanks During and After the Breakup of Yugoslavia”
Tanks During the First Gulf War
The First Gulf War, or First Persian Gulf War, which lasted from August 1990 to February 1991, was a reaction to the Iraqi invasion and annexation of Kuwait. A coalition force, led by the United States, fought to liberate Kuwait. During the First Gulf War, Coalition forces had significantly more advanced levels of military technology …
Tanks of Israel – From Independence Through the Yom Kippur War
Ever since the North African operations of World War II, desert terrain has proven to be ideal for tank warfare. Therefore, it is no wonder that in the early decades of Israel’s existence, tanks played an increasingly important role in the many conflicts between Israel and its Arab neighbors. When Israel first gained independence in …
Continue reading “Tanks of Israel – From Independence Through the Yom Kippur War”
Tanks During the Cold War
After World War II ended, an “Iron Curtain” across Europe divided the continent between Western and Soviet spheres of influence. Political and ideological differences led to an enormous amount of mistrust between the two sides. Both sides had large stockpiles of weapons that had been produced during the Second World War. During the Cold War, …
Tanks at the End of World War Two
A great rush of speed was undertaken after the allies had crossed the Rhine, striking swiftly into German territory with the lighter medium tanks of America and the cruiser tanks of Britain. German tanks were still superior in quality by the last days or World War Two, and even put up fierce resistance in some …