Tank Commanders: Knights of the Modern Age [Hardcover]

George Forty (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: May 1993

The arrival of the tank on the Western Front in 1916 changed the face of modern warfare. This major study traces the development of this important new breed of soldiers. The important thinkers, inventors & builders are included alongside the great battlefield leaders, & the development of the all arms team. Reveals just what makes the tank leader so different from many commanders in military history. Covers conflicts in Asia -- Korea, Vietnam, India & Pakistan; the Middle East conflicts between Israel & her Arab neighbors; & the action of Desert Storm in the Gulf War. Includes a wealth of archive photos & specially created maps & diagrams.

--This text refers to an alternate Hardcover edition.

Product Details

• Hardcover: 200 pages
• Publisher: Motorbooks Intl; 1st Ed. (U.S.) edition (May 1993)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0879387203
• ISBN-13: 978-0879387204
• Product Dimensions: 9.2 x 6.1 x 1.2 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1.4 pounds
• Average Customer Review: 3.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (1 customer review)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #5,163,087 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

3.0 out of 5 stars Good Overview of Armor Warfare, January 29, 2010

By 

cpt matt (tanktown, DE) - See all my reviews
(VINE VOICE)   

This review is from: Tank Commanders: Knights of the Modern Age (Hardcover)

I was disappointed when I read this book. I thought it would be a collection of stories of individual tank commanders, what they did to make them successful. The book is sold as a revealing work of the human element, but I did not find that. Instead, this is a high level overview of armored warfare since WW1. As such, it is ok.

There are some maps, the B&W photos are clear and help illustrate the development of tank warfare, but there is nothing new or startling in this book. It is a competent review of famous campaigns and names such as Rommel, Guderian, Fuller, Patton and Tal.

Operation Desert Storm was too new to get more than a few paragraphs, but the author is certain that some new field tank commanders will emerge. Indeed. Author George Forty served in the Royal Tanks Corps so he is no stranger to tanking, but he does not add anything new to the historical use of tanks in war.

A good introduction to students of armored war, for those who want more depth, I'd recommend looking elsewhere. This is book ok if getting a used copy or borrow from library rather than paying full price for this book.