Customer Reviews

Marines Under Armor: The Marine Corps and the Armored Fighting Vehicle, 1916-2000

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Well written and concise. The author focuses on acquisition, programmatics and doctrine - the exploits and combat history of Marine tank units are not covered in detail. Readers looking for coverage of tactical and operational details regarding Marine tank units in combat should look elsewhere. That said, the Marine Corps debate on armor, as it related to force structure and doctrine are well described. A great case study in how military services struggle to organize, train and equip for the next conflict.

This is a great book for the military history buff!

The book is constructed as a chronological narrative. The author recounts the story of the development of USMC armored doctrine and the selection/acquisition of armored vehicles from the start to the modern era. You get to explore the perspectives of "the old corps" attitudes, of the challenges of integrating mechanized tools of warfare into an infantry-based force, and the difficulties of offloading heavy vehicles over beaches.

If you've ever wondered what a Marmon-Herrington light tank looked like (oy, what an odd bird!), or how many M2 Light Tanks the Marines had in service in 1942, or how many M1A1 Abrams tanks the Marines had in service in 2000, you'll find your answers in here.

It is well written and a pleasure to read. Yet is is also a treasure trove of information.

So if you are intrigued by learning off-the-beaten-track historical information that is still relevant and meaningful to today's headlines, you'll be glad you read this book. I am!