By: Roman Jarymowycz
Tank Tactics gives you a fascinating look at the nature of armored operations in the Normandy invasion and subsequent battle for France, during the Second World War. Although the book focuses on the development and experiences of the US and Canadian armored forces, it is highly analytical, and continuously contrasts North American practice and experience with that of the British, German, and Soviet armies, so you don't get a parochial American view of things, but an overview of how all the combatants fought their wars. In fact, I thought that one of the most interesting parts was a chapter which contrasted the western Allies' post-Normandy offensives with the methods used by the Russian army. Although the western Allies were in some ways superior, the author sees the Russians as setting the standard for large scale offensive operations, and makes a very strong argument in support of his claim. He is also unsparing in his criticism of Allied military leadership. The author, a professional armored soldier and scholar, clearly knows his subject and writes pretty clearly about it. The are some minor problems that better editing might have avoided. Technical terms are sometimes used and only later defined, and in a couple of cases never defined. There is some repetition. The text would have benefited if the author had more consistently noted the dates of the events he describes, so readers could better grasp the relationships between parallel sequences of historical events. But in terms of the book's goals, these are minor. Tank Tactics gives you an excellent view of the methods of WWII armored warfare. (Non-fiction) 07/23/09
