Armoured Warfare
A Military, Political and Global History
Alaric Searle
Bloomsbury Academic, New York, 2017, 288 pages
Book Review published on: September 22, 2017
In Armoured Warfare, Alaric Searle has presented a thorough, comprehensive, and concise overview of the history and nature of armored and mechanized warfare from the first appearance of tanks in World War I to their current use in the twenty-first century. The book is not a technical discussion or a listing of the numerous types of tanks produced throughout its history. Instead, this book provides a much broader view of this influential piece of military equipment.
Searle presents the history of armored warfare beginning from 1916 by adopting a military, political, and global perspective. He explores the origins of the tank and its role in World War I, as well as its contribution to the outcome of the war. He then goes on to discuss its role as a tool of propaganda and military might, the many controversies of the interwar period, and the employment of armored forces in all the major theaters of World War II. His history continues with a discussion of armored and mechanized warfare post-World War II; in Korea, Indo-China, and Vietnam; and during conflicts of the Arab-Israeli and Gulf wars.
For the military reader or historian, Armoured Warfare is a necessary and relevant source to begin the process of understanding the evolution of armored warfare and how armored fighting vehicles have influenced modern wars through the use of combined arms and mechanized warfare. Armoured Warfare is a worthwhile addition to any military library as a reference for armored warfare and the evolution of combined arms. It has a global perspective and provides a survey of the history of the tank, and it is an ideal companion for those studying armored warfare, modern military history, and war studies.
Book Review written by: Lt. Col. Jeffrey L. LaFace, U.S. Army, Retired, Fort Leavenworth, Kansas