The first tanks in the war

In 1916, for the first time in the history of wars, tanks took part in the battle. This happened on the fields of the First World War in the Battle of the Somme River on the Western Front.

The British cars were the first to go into battle. The name "tank" was used by the British as a code designation to mislead German intelligence.

In the first attack, 32 cars moved, going at a speed of 5 kilometers per hour. Only 18 reached enemy positions due to technical malfunctions. But they fulfilled their task – the German infantry fled in panic.

Thanks to the tanks, human losses during the offensive decreased by 20 times. The armor protected people from cannons, machine guns and grenades.

A year later, hundreds of tanks participated in the fighting.

Image: History and IWM