Product Description

‘I thought Tank Men was a triumph ... it is a really fine piece of work’ -
Richard Holmes

‘Some of the eye witness accounts Kershaw has collected for this comprehensive review of tank warfare have the power to chill the reader to the bone. This is warfare at the sharp end’ –NOTTINGHAM EVENING POST

The First World War saw the birth of an extraordinary fighting machine that has fascinated three generations: the tank.

In Tank Men, ex-soldier and military historian Robert Kershaw brings to life the grime, the grease and the fury of a tank battle through the voices of ordinary men and women who lived and fought in those fearsome machines.

Drawing on vivid, newly researched personal testimony from the crucial battles of the First and Second World Wars, this is military history at its very best.

Product Details

• Amazon Sales Rank: #31299 in Books
• Published on: 2009-04-16
• Original language: English
• Binding: Paperback
• 480 pages

Review
'A highly original and valuable piece of military history. It ought to transform our idea of the Second World War, it has mine...a marvellous and origninal book based on the most detailed research.' (Sir John Keegan )

'I thought TANK MEN was a triumph ... it is a really fine piece of work' (Richard Holmes )

'Some of the eye witness accounts Kershaw has collected for this comprehensive review of tank warfare have the power to chill the reader to the bone. This is warfare at the sharp end.' (Nottingham Evenong Post )

'Very well written, with excellent photographs, it's an indispensable addition to the body of knowledge about modern warfare.' (South Wales Argus )

About the Author

Robert Kershaw, who until recently held a senior positionwithin NATO,joined the Parachute Regiment in 1973 and has served actively in Northern Ireland, Bosnia and the first Gulf War, for which he was awarded the US Bronze Star. He has written four books of military history and has contributed to The Times, The Sunday Times, the Daily Telegraph and the Sunday Telegraph.

Customer Reviews

Superb, no other word for it...
Wow! This is the book that sees Robert Kershaw take a deserved place at the top table of military historians in the UK. With the publication of 'Tank Men' he fully deserves to sit next to John Keegan, Richard Holmes, etc. 'Tank Men' is an outstanding book - full of interesting stories from men on the front line - from many different nationalities. Concentrating on the two world wars, Mr Kershaw manages to achieve the difficult task of breathing new life into subjects such as, Kursk, The Blitzkrieg in the West and the Desert campaign. Warning! This is not a book full of cliches. Oh no. Instead it is a thought provoking, respectful collection of interviews and concise historical narrative. In short a book that anyone interested in military history should buy. Truly an outstanding read (I finished my copy in three days - it was so good.)

Stark reality
A book for all politicians to read, especially before sending men off to war. It has changed my perception of the pain, exhaustion and pure terror of a near century of warfare; for example I had read accounts about the battle of Beda Fomm but they certainly did not prepare me for this description of harrowing reality. Although there is a concentration on the men, the material is adequately explained even for those with little preknowledge. There are one or two errors but the do not reduce the 5 stars this books deserves.

A fascinating account of the lives of the men who fought in tanks
Covering both the period from the introduction of tanks during the First World War up to the end of the Second World War the book is a fascinating and well written account of the lives of the men who fought in tanks. This is given by using the history of the tank almost as a backdrop to the experiences of tank men with the use of a many first hand accounts and thoughts of these men. Two of the main themes are how man and machine where either helped or hinder by the tank's design and also the effect on the tank men of being either above of below the technology curve of tank development. This can be dramatically be seen by the Americans crews belief that a Sherman was more than a match for the likes of a Panther or Tiger. This was soon changed when they actually encounted one. As a follow on it is also interesting how the British managed to be left behind in tank design until the end of WWII while the Germans forged ahead from the primitive Panzer I to producing some of the most technically advanced tanks of WWII in just a few short years.

So if you want an insight into the lives of the men who fought in tanks, this is highly recommended. The only warning is that this is the not the history of tanks and so is relatively light on their development and technical aspects.