emilyh

The beginning of the use of tanks was a huge development in the progress of all of the wars. Although most of the armies and militaries didn’t think highly of the tanks at first they are now a monumental part of this War On Terror in Iraq. The tanks started off as a very little part in the wars but now they are probably the most important part and serve as a safety regiment for all of the militaries today. The progression of tanks was one of the best things that could have happened to the troops and they are a huge part of the war today. There isn’t just one individual person responsible for the development of the first U.S. tank. The first design could be drawn back to the 18th century. In 1885 __Holt Company__, a tractor-building corporation was the first to recommend the idea of the tanks for military use but it was never acted upon. They were essentially a mildly armored body mounted onto an agriculture tractor. [|__The tracks at the bottom of the tanks acting as wheels were referred to as “caterpillars.”__]In 1901 the first engine with “crawler tracks” was produced and sold in Maine by Alvin O. Lombard. Because this project was a secret mission the soldiers and engineers had to think of some type of code name. In December 1915 the shell shape of the vehicle resembled water carriers, because of this the name they assigned it was a “tank” and the name stuck. [|__The first tank was around 14 tons and 12 feet long track frames; it could hold 3 people in very constricted areas. The top speed was 2-3 miles per hour.__]The tanks were very unreliable at the beginning of their first expeditions in real battle conditions. Because of the tanks weren’t always successful they were rarely used early on in the first world wars. In today’s war the tanks are the number one way of safety and transportation for the military. The very first tank was ready for combat in January of 1916. And in September of 1916 history was made at the Battle of the Somme with the first tank line in position with 36 D1 tanks in action. Though the battle was a success the tanks didn’t have much luck. They were an unreliable source of action for the army. The tanks got stuck in muddy trenches and often broke down on war terrain more than they originally thought they would. The crews inside were also very uncomfortable because of the heat and the congested conditions inside of the tank. Still with many challenges with the tanks the army did not give up. Eventually the tanks were used more and more during the battles. The armies took advantage of their design teams and went to work designing more and more updates to the tanks. The design structures were very up to date compared to the first original tanks and while they’re design was close to the same the speed, size, and safety kept building up to high levels. These new tanks proved more successful than the originals. While designing new tanks weight became the main issue. If the weight of a tank got to be too high the tank’s capabilities were put to a minimum. Another battle the tank designers had to over come was the heat inside the tank. Even considering the tank’s high vulnerability they were and still are a very large part of successes during the wars. The tanks have improved over the years with heavier armor and more space inside for more soldiers and cargo. In the twentieth century the improvement of the tank is very great. The tanks are now used as a source of safety for both the military and the army. Tanks are definitely a way of especially safe transportation around battle areas and war fields. Although the muddy terrain is very difficult for the tanks to move around in and go very fast, they are still very armored and of the utmost important in keeping all troops safe in dangerous regions of Iraq today. The development of tanks over the past years and centuries has been monumental in the amount of success the wars have made in our lives today. So many great thoughts and actions have gone into the designs of new tanks and the capability that they possess. The tanks have served as a device of transportation and safety to all of the troops that have taken advantage of the use of these major armored vehicles. Even though the tanks have had and still have some set backs in their capabilities they are still of great value to the troops in Iraq today. They have saved many lives of humans and even animals, as we’ve seen in //From Baghdad, With Love.// They have changed the war for the better and made it somewhat of a safe haven for troops.
 * __The Development of Tanks in the War__**

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