The tank was arguably the most important technological innovation that developed during World War I; however, without the support of the British Army and the allocation of important wartime resources, it would have remained merely a peripheral weapon. For far too long, the depiction of the British ...
The tank was arguably the most important technological innovation that developed during World War I; however, without the support of the British Army and the allocation of important wartime resources, it would have remained merely a peripheral weapon. For far too long, the depiction of the British War Office and GHQ, France, as anti-technological and cavalry-oriented has persisted. While some historians have recently challenged this view, much of the "traditional" versus "progressive" school of thought, in regard to the production and employment of the tank, still survives. By posing the question: was the tank a "peripheral weapon?" this work reveals the vital role of the War Office in the production and employment of this stunning new weapon.