Show tanks replace horse troops on battlefield ARIS the strange and Pl PARIS impractical weapon of war invented by british and french officers in 1915 16 has grown into one of the most effective offensive weapons in world war IL II 11 first used in the battle of the somme alcoa a quartet quarter century ago the armored tank is now considered a monster of mars capable of spitting death into enemy positions where troops cannot go ga this weapon had its first real test to in germanys germanas Germ anys blitzkrieg against poland where massed tanks were sent against enemy em placements with excellent results modem tanks looking like armored m ored bugs scuttling across hills fields and trenches may vary to in size from one to one hundred tons for heavy offensive work they tire are protected by armor plate two inches or more in thickness other tanks may nave have only quarter inch plate some carry 30 men their armament runs from machine guns to mm cannon and they can speed along up to 60 miles an hour on their endless ch chain n tra tracks ks crews crew of the earliest tanks UNDER THE TURTLES SHELL A gunner inside one of frances giant tanks takes aim at the enemy as his chariot lumbers through no mans land numbered not more than two today frances giant tanks sometimes carry 30 men each has a specific duty as gunner mechanic navigator control operator or radio man such monsters are practically a battleship on land tanks may be used either as mechanized cavalry for opportunity offensives or as sheer force weapons for frontal attacks some models can swim rivers others lay their own bridges still others carry trailers and lay down smoke screens to shield advancing tr troops oops one of their most effective weapons is a tongue of searing flame which can be thrown up to 50 feet and penetrates inside the gun slits and portholes port holes of pillboxes pill boxes rank flank movements used when used as cavalry the tanks em employ ploy wide swinging movements around the flanks these take the form of excursions into his rear areas for this work light or medium light tanks are needed organized in small and compact armored divisions each has its own supporting mechanized artillery and motorized infantry heavy tanks are used for the frontal attack where troops are attempting to break through the enemy s lines it is in this type ot of warfare that most furious fighting develops large numbers oi of tanks are needed for such attacks german experts believe they need 50 to tanks per kilometer of front light tanks follow up artillery barrages lay the groundwork for such advances striving to silence enemy batteries smashing pillboxes pill boxes and most important putting antitank anti tank guns out of commission another defensive weapon is the tank barrier which consists of spiked obstacles penetrating from the ground these may be concrete blocks heavy logs 0 or r steel rails in switzerland where pr protective measures are being taken steel antitank anti tank barriers are arranged to jump out of em placements in the highway at the touch of an electric button concealed off the road the tank mans job is one of wars toughest and most dangerous protected only by steel helmets and ear muffs against the battering topsy trip through shell craters and barbed wire barriers soldiers inside the tank live in an inferno of noise bruised and battered while the engines roar and enemy bullets spang against the steel sides behind them thern come the soldiers to mop up when fl a tank gets stuck atop a barrier its time to move on oil tor for soon an antitank anti tank gun will come along while bullets whine all around the crew must scra scramble m ble out and retreat as best it can a lew few seconds later an antitank anti tank bullet will find the fuel tanks and mans metal monster will explode thus each tank ends its career though lives have been lost and a costly armored weapon has been blown to smithereens art armies fites at war consider both tank and crew have served their purpose if enough pillboxes pillbox pill boxes is were blown out |