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Tank: The 10 War Machines That Changed the World and the Remarkable Men Behind Them
“Tanks are like dinner jackets”, an Australian general once commented, “you don’t need them very often, but when you do, nothing else will do.”
An authoritative history of the tank and the remarkable individuals who designed them and fought in them, from a former officer and best-selling historian
Tanks are the ultimate embodiment of industrial age warfare. In the popular imagination, they represent both a terrifying beast of destruction and a potent symbol of liberation.
The technology behind these war machines has evolved relentlessly, and yet the coming of the information age has led many to predict that drones, missiles, and Artificial Intelligence have made the tank obsolete. Time and again, however, tanks have continued to shape – and be shaped by -- battles around the world, from their introduction in 1916, through the Second World War and tank-on-tank fights in 1990s Iraq, to the current conflict in Ukraine.
In TANK, best-selling historian and former officer in the Royal Tank Regiment Mark Urban draws on wide-ranging accounts from soldiers, designers, and politicians, from Winston Churchill to Volodymyr Zelensky, to tell the remarkable story of one of the most important developments in military history. Through the ten most important vehicles ever made, Urban chronicles the incredible advances in tank technology – starting with the Mark IV, the first British tank to be used in large numbers in WW1, and following the story through the T-34 and Tiger to the M1 Abrams, a product of huge American Cold War investment that is still used to this day.
Officially supported by The Tank Museum and using never-before-seen archival sources, interviews and declassified documents, this is a fascinating history of the vehicle that changed conflict forever.
An authoritative history of the tank and the remarkable individuals who designed them and fought in them, from a former officer and best-selling historian
Tanks are the ultimate embodiment of industrial age warfare. In the popular imagination, they represent both a terrifying beast of destruction and a potent symbol of liberation.
The technology behind these war machines has evolved relentlessly, and yet the coming of the information age has led many to predict that drones, missiles, and Artificial Intelligence have made the tank obsolete. Time and again, however, tanks have continued to shape – and be shaped by -- battles around the world, from their introduction in 1916, through the Second World War and tank-on-tank fights in 1990s Iraq, to the current conflict in Ukraine.
In TANK, best-selling historian and former officer in the Royal Tank Regiment Mark Urban draws on wide-ranging accounts from soldiers, designers, and politicians, from Winston Churchill to Volodymyr Zelensky, to tell the remarkable story of one of the most important developments in military history. Through the ten most important vehicles ever made, Urban chronicles the incredible advances in tank technology – starting with the Mark IV, the first British tank to be used in large numbers in WW1, and following the story through the T-34 and Tiger to the M1 Abrams, a product of huge American Cold War investment that is still used to this day.
Officially supported by The Tank Museum and using never-before-seen archival sources, interviews and declassified documents, this is a fascinating history of the vehicle that changed conflict forever.
352 pages, Hardcover
Published June 5, 2025
14 people are currently reading
98 people want to read
About the author
Mark Urban
29 books75 followersMark Urban is a British journalist, author and broadcaster, and is currently the Diplomatic Editor for BBC Two's Newsnight.
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Displaying 1 - 8 of 8 reviews
December 8, 2025
Disposable, but good from a dad history perspective.
I did appreciate things like weight and depth of armour comparisons, because they do affect my spatial understanding of the weapons system along with expected performance.
References to the Ukrainian war are aplenty. There are good points around the 360 degree (and more) risk that tanks now face and to what extent the Merkava design perhaps outstrips the Abrams in the modern arena, with the proviso that it depends on the threat environment.
Another point covered off is the potential technological gap in the 50s-70s between NATO and the Soviet Union with the T-64 and its ilk, subject perhaps to that tank’s reliability issues. Urban doesn’t land exactly on whether the Soviet tanks were outright better, but considering relative force numbers, it appears NATO would have had to lean very heavily on air power.
I did appreciate things like weight and depth of armour comparisons, because they do affect my spatial understanding of the weapons system along with expected performance.
References to the Ukrainian war are aplenty. There are good points around the 360 degree (and more) risk that tanks now face and to what extent the Merkava design perhaps outstrips the Abrams in the modern arena, with the proviso that it depends on the threat environment.
Another point covered off is the potential technological gap in the 50s-70s between NATO and the Soviet Union with the T-64 and its ilk, subject perhaps to that tank’s reliability issues. Urban doesn’t land exactly on whether the Soviet tanks were outright better, but considering relative force numbers, it appears NATO would have had to lean very heavily on air power.
October 2, 2025
A excellent overview on the history of the tank, serving as a perfect introduction to people less versed in the tank and perhaps want to get a feel for the different eras of development before deep diving into a book on a specific tank or campaign.
It follows the chronological development of the tank with 10 key tanks featured, starting of course with the Mark IV and running right through to those in service today. Most readers of this will probably be quite well versed in the key tanks from WW1 and WW2, but what I appreciated most about this was the insights on some of the Cold War era tanks such as the Centurians service in the Korean War. The technological (and electronic advances) were covered well by the Abrams and the Merkava tanks which covered the Gulf War and as this is a new publication there were some very relevant explorations into Israel’s tank force, the Armenia/Azerbijan conflict and current Ukraine/Russia war.
Written by historian and former officer in the British army’s Royal Tank Regiment, his knowledge of serving in a tank comes into play in his assessments, and although he hasn’t picked his tank as one of his top 10 (the Chieftan) he makes a few references and insights into his time with it along the way by way of comparisons and features.
While this isn’t going to give much new content to experts, it’s great as an overview and refresher for some of the more familiar tanks going into just the right amount of technical and design detail about each (apron an hour per tank on audiobook), peppered with action reports, military assessment and opinions. He regularly drops in the names of previous or following tanks into the narrative to give context of where a design decision might lead, or perhaps why they have experimented with a certain feature as the requirements and styles of warfare shift from conflict to conflict, based on a wide variety of factors from terrain to tasks. The format works well, with each chapter starting with a first hand account of a tough engagement / battle with the tank which often highlights some of the models greatest merits, with a smirk raised each time the narrator put on an accent whenever he was quoting someone from a particular country.
I could certainly see him coming back with a second volume of 10 MORE great tanks (mainly to read more about my favourite tank: the Jagdpanther) with perhaps with a dedicated chapter on experimental innovations so he could go a bit more into Hobart’s Funnies and a pop culture chapter talking about surviving tanks and their use in film / video game history to cover how tanks are often modified to resemble other models.
It follows the chronological development of the tank with 10 key tanks featured, starting of course with the Mark IV and running right through to those in service today. Most readers of this will probably be quite well versed in the key tanks from WW1 and WW2, but what I appreciated most about this was the insights on some of the Cold War era tanks such as the Centurians service in the Korean War. The technological (and electronic advances) were covered well by the Abrams and the Merkava tanks which covered the Gulf War and as this is a new publication there were some very relevant explorations into Israel’s tank force, the Armenia/Azerbijan conflict and current Ukraine/Russia war.
Written by historian and former officer in the British army’s Royal Tank Regiment, his knowledge of serving in a tank comes into play in his assessments, and although he hasn’t picked his tank as one of his top 10 (the Chieftan) he makes a few references and insights into his time with it along the way by way of comparisons and features.
While this isn’t going to give much new content to experts, it’s great as an overview and refresher for some of the more familiar tanks going into just the right amount of technical and design detail about each (apron an hour per tank on audiobook), peppered with action reports, military assessment and opinions. He regularly drops in the names of previous or following tanks into the narrative to give context of where a design decision might lead, or perhaps why they have experimented with a certain feature as the requirements and styles of warfare shift from conflict to conflict, based on a wide variety of factors from terrain to tasks. The format works well, with each chapter starting with a first hand account of a tough engagement / battle with the tank which often highlights some of the models greatest merits, with a smirk raised each time the narrator put on an accent whenever he was quoting someone from a particular country.
I could certainly see him coming back with a second volume of 10 MORE great tanks (mainly to read more about my favourite tank: the Jagdpanther) with perhaps with a dedicated chapter on experimental innovations so he could go a bit more into Hobart’s Funnies and a pop culture chapter talking about surviving tanks and their use in film / video game history to cover how tanks are often modified to resemble other models.
November 27, 2025
Mark Urban's 'Tank' is a triumph that rises above many tomes narrating the story of the armoured fighting vehicle for several reasons. First, it is the only current book, to my knowledge, that details the development of the Armoured Fighting Vehicle from its conception to the current war in Ukraine. It narrates those early days in Lincoln, seeking a solution to both protect infantry and force success on the mud and mire stalemate of the western front, to the rapid developments during the second global war, to the current European conflict in Ukraine, with its recent developments of drone technology again questioning the survival of the tank as a battlefield winner.
Secondly, Mark Urban is not just a military historian but saw service during the Cold War with the Royal Tank Regiment. So, he writes with grease under his nails and the smell of cordite and diesel on his clothing! He narrates for us from the commanders seat of a Chieftain (p247) and can help us sweat it from inside the turret as well as just simply looking on. This provides an interesting dynamic to his text and commentary.
The author’s method is to explore the history of the TANK through the lens of what he regards as the ten most significant examples of the Main Battle Tank, from the Mark IV, and Renault FT, through to the significant leaps made during WW2 with the Panzer IV, T-34, Sherman and Tiger, into the Cold War era with the Centurion, T-64, and Merkava, to conclude with the M1 Abrams.
His history is peppered with anecdotes and first-hand commentary, alongside rigorous research and depth that both informs and keeps the reader moving forward at a good pace. This is history made interesting and I highly commend it.
Secondly, Mark Urban is not just a military historian but saw service during the Cold War with the Royal Tank Regiment. So, he writes with grease under his nails and the smell of cordite and diesel on his clothing! He narrates for us from the commanders seat of a Chieftain (p247) and can help us sweat it from inside the turret as well as just simply looking on. This provides an interesting dynamic to his text and commentary.
The author’s method is to explore the history of the TANK through the lens of what he regards as the ten most significant examples of the Main Battle Tank, from the Mark IV, and Renault FT, through to the significant leaps made during WW2 with the Panzer IV, T-34, Sherman and Tiger, into the Cold War era with the Centurion, T-64, and Merkava, to conclude with the M1 Abrams.
His history is peppered with anecdotes and first-hand commentary, alongside rigorous research and depth that both informs and keeps the reader moving forward at a good pace. This is history made interesting and I highly commend it.
June 7, 2025
Warfare has always has fascinated me, so I was drawn to this instantly, but I wasn't sure what to expect, as I've haven't read much on the subject of Tanks specifically previously, my interest mainly coming from t.v documentaries and films. But let me tell you, it certainly did not disappoint.
It's an incredibly detailed work, and it's clear the author has put in some considerable research on the topic, and alot is packed into those just over 300 pages, with a comprehensive index at the back.
Here we have, presented in a concise, compelling style, an exhaustive account of these mighty instruments of war, detailing the emergence, rise, and evolution of these fierce machines, and includes accounts from the soldiers that use them, people who designed them, as well as politicians.
Throughout there are a number of absorbing photos to accompany the information on these untamed tools of the battlefield, and although It's quite a niche subject, I'm sure this book with have a wide audience of anyone interested in war, history or politics.
5 🌟 🌟 🌟 🌟 🌟 's from me.
It's an incredibly detailed work, and it's clear the author has put in some considerable research on the topic, and alot is packed into those just over 300 pages, with a comprehensive index at the back.
Here we have, presented in a concise, compelling style, an exhaustive account of these mighty instruments of war, detailing the emergence, rise, and evolution of these fierce machines, and includes accounts from the soldiers that use them, people who designed them, as well as politicians.
Throughout there are a number of absorbing photos to accompany the information on these untamed tools of the battlefield, and although It's quite a niche subject, I'm sure this book with have a wide audience of anyone interested in war, history or politics.
5 🌟 🌟 🌟 🌟 🌟 's from me.
Read
November 7, 2025Mobility vs Protection ( ie how heavy the tank / thick the armour and what engine / tracks / gas usage )
Armament - how big the gun (and clever inventors relied on the formula of Energy (E) is related to square of velocity not just size of the projectile
A history of the tank in warfare from 1900s to present day - balancing power and protection in tank design. And beyond design ( or before design ) - questions of what is the tank to be used for - a platform for punch or for destroying other tanks .
I guess the same ideas of traditionalist vs innovators would apply to use of futuristic weapons like drones .
Other than technical details - there are ground level stories of tank men who faced the onslaught to the German juggernauts ( the Tiger and Leopard tanks ) and the heroics of WW2 desert warfare
Armament - how big the gun (and clever inventors relied on the formula of Energy (E) is related to square of velocity not just size of the projectile
A history of the tank in warfare from 1900s to present day - balancing power and protection in tank design. And beyond design ( or before design ) - questions of what is the tank to be used for - a platform for punch or for destroying other tanks .
I guess the same ideas of traditionalist vs innovators would apply to use of futuristic weapons like drones .
Other than technical details - there are ground level stories of tank men who faced the onslaught to the German juggernauts ( the Tiger and Leopard tanks ) and the heroics of WW2 desert warfare
August 21, 2025
An absorbing history of armoured, mobile warfare by a renowned expert:
How and why tanks were developed and deployed, how their weaknesses were exploited, and how these affected the next phases of development.
I wish the book had been available before I visited the Tank Museum at Bovington. Having read it will no doubt prompt a return. But having been, and seen the small spaces inside for crews, it gives one pause for those who served in them and perished.
Well worth the time …
How and why tanks were developed and deployed, how their weaknesses were exploited, and how these affected the next phases of development.
I wish the book had been available before I visited the Tank Museum at Bovington. Having read it will no doubt prompt a return. But having been, and seen the small spaces inside for crews, it gives one pause for those who served in them and perished.
Well worth the time …
November 30, 2025
A great read for military buffs or even those who just want to understand the role and impact of tanks throughout history .
Super interesting, fair and so well researched.
What a great job Mark Urban has done.
Super interesting, fair and so well researched.
What a great job Mark Urban has done.
December 29, 2025
Fascinating insight into the history of tanks. Not just the technical stuff but also the procurement process. Some great characters too.
Displaying 1 - 8 of 8 reviews