Tank: The Definitive Visual History of Armored Vehicles (DK Definitive Transport Guides)

TANK: THE DEFINITIVE VISUAL HISTORY OF ARMORED VEHICLES is yet another exquisite addition to the growing library of DK/Smithsonian books. If you have any interest in the subject matter (tanks), this is most definitely THE book to get. DK has mastered the art of creating encyclopedic books that “pop” with visual “eye candy”. Regardless of the subject matter, I find it hard to open up any DK book and not want to scan through it in entirety … even those books aimed at children. The combination of DK’s presentation and the wealth of artifacts provided by the Smithsonian is something I find hard to ignore. I’ve been looking for a solid all-encompassing book on tanks for years. I knew my search ended as soon as I saw the DK and Smithsonian logos on the pre-published book cover; I immediately pre-ordered. The book arrived today and was everything I hoped and expected it would be. As a 40-year student of World War II who also enjoys playing World of Tanks, I am confident this book will satisfy anyone with a craving for reading/understanding armored vehicles. Not a single page of the books 250+ pages is wasted. Presented in a chronological manner that pretty much starts with the early 1900s to present day … the thorough nature of the book doesn’t forget to spotlight Da Vinci’s armored vehicle drawing. Following the traditional method DK uses to present material, the chapters are grouped by significant periods in the history of tanks. Each and every page is laden with original (not archived) color photos that beautifully illustrate most every facet of tanks/armored vehicles all the way up to today. While the book is wonderfully rich in photographs, the accompanying text and factoids add to the books informative value. Throughout the book are numerous two-page spotlight sections that pay special attention to key innovations, innovators, vehicles and events in tank history. What I particularly liked was that iconic vehicles are highlighted and each is given a multipage spread that includes a highly detailed photographic examination of that vehicle’s interior and exterior (including the Sherman, T34 and Tiger tank). Even experimental tanks are covered and presented in vivid color (my only “complaint” would be that the infamous “Maus” didn’t get more attention). There really isn’t ANY downside to this book … it informs and entertains. TANK is a “must have” if you are interested in modern military history or tanks. The Smithsonian contribution is what really packs the book’s punch … the collection of photographs give you the experience of visiting a museum. I have several DK/Smithsonian “Definitive Visual History” books in my personal library and view them as indispensable resources. Each and every volume offers an exhaustive study of the subject matter with stunning visual support; TANK is yet another fine addition to this wonderful series of books.

Absolutely amazing pictures and facts. My son wore out his older one and had to get another. Great price quality made

You know ladies how hard it is to think of something unique and different, but not too expensive to get for your husband on Father’s Day? Well, if your husband is into history, especially military history, this book will make him excited! This book was put together by the Smithsonian so it is top notch quality and information! The illustrations are extremely well done!!! It doesn’t have a lot of reading long passages in it, but it is thorough enough so it can be enjoyed. My husband puts together models of tanks, ships and airplanes of the wars. So, he knows a lot about tiny details. We usually buy him a model, but his eyesight and skills are not as good now, so when he asked me this year, “What tank model are you giving me for Father’s Day?” I then started looking on Amazon, saw this book and thought, “That’s Perfect!” My adult daughter presented it to him and a smile came over his face immediately! Of course he began telling us all the details of the tank on the front of the book right away, which told us this gift was the perfect one for him!

This book is a pretty comprehensive insight into the development and history of tanks and armored fighting vehicles from World War I to today's conflicts in the Middle East. Each chapter of this book contains an introduction, several two-page directories of tanks, armored fighting vehicles, and armored troop carriers, notable tank battles, famous tank designers, and detailed four-page entries about notable tanks from a time period. The M1 Abrams, M2 Bradley, T-72, Tiger, T-34, Sherman, and Soviet amphibious tanks and armored troop carriers are among my favorite tanks, armored fighting vehicles, and armored troop carriers in this book, and this book happens much deservedly includes tanks built by China, Israel, South Africa, and a few other countries after World War II (North Korea and Iran have built their own tanks based on Soviet- and Chinese-supplied tanks as well as American and British tanks supplied to Iran before the Islamic Revolution, but are not included in this book). The reference section includes info on tank evolution, the engines used to power tanks, the caterpillar tracks for tanks, firepower, armor protection, uniforms and clothing worn by tank and armored fighting vehicle crews. It is quite amazing how British engineers came up with the idea of a mobile fortress with caterpillar tracks in order to break stalemates in the trenches and give the British and French a tactical advantage over the Germans in WW1, and years ago I was struck by the fact that the German invasion of Poland would be the first instance of military commanders placing tanks at the forefront of armies. The T-34 was a technological breakthrough for the USSR in land warfare because its performance was one of the many refutations of Hitler's narrative of Slavs as racially inferior to Aryans, stunning German military officers who had felt confident of a German victory on the Eastern Front. Although the Soviets never used any their tanks in combat with NATO member-states in Europe during the Cold War, they used them to crush the 1956 Hungarian uprising and 1968 Prague Spring, as well as use them in anger in Afghanistan during the 1980s. The M1 Abrams played a big role in Operation Desert Storm because it took out 2,000 of the 3,847 Iraqi tanks destroyed in the Persian Gulf War. Since the 2010s, the armies of Syria, Iraq, Saudi Arabia, Armenia, and Azerbaijan have used tanks and armored fighting vehicles in a number of intra-state conflicts in the Middle East and the Caucasus, demonstrating that tank warfare has adapted to the ever-growing number of wars within sovereign states.

Nice overview of The Tank. Easy read and well illustrated. However, no information revolutions. Good book for the causal reader

Très beau livre de collectionneur

This book is more of a quick overview than a really deep exploration of the topic. I wish it had more in the way of tables and timelines, but really, as a "coffee table book for dudes," it's pretty great. The printing is high quality and what information there is all seems to be accurate and concise.

I recently saw the movie Fury (directed by David Ayer and starring Brad Pitt) about a Sherman M4 tank and its crew during the Second World War. What intrigued me was how the crew worked in such a confined space so I bought the book. A big photo of the Sherman is shown on pages eighty-six and seven but turn over the page and I found twenty-six interior photos (all captioned). I think showing interior photos of several tanks (out of four hundred featured) is one of the strengths of the book. Dorling-Kindersley has done their excellent presentation with this title (and it puts to shame most other publishers of image-driven books) and it's worth noting the title: a visual history. The contents are not descriptions of great tank battles or personal reminiscences of tank crews but page after page of photos (nicely as cutouts) revealing tanks through past decades. Each has some brief technical details and a few words of background about the vehicle. Missing, I found, were any measurements and some tanks are impressively huge. I liked the fourteen pages at the back of the book, looking at the tanks' evolution, engines, tracks and suspension, firepower, protection, anti-tank weapons and uniforms. These pages are followed by a glossary and index. DK's tank book is a fascinating look at a unique bit of military kit. You can look inside the book at Westread Book Reviews then click 2025 and August.

Awesome book with some really great graphics!

Great book