| The first complete military tank was actually | | | | tanks which carried an 88 mm cannon. |
| developed by the French army. It was called the | | | | During the WW2 the armors were mainly made of |
| FT-17. They were the first ones with turrets. Even | | | | steel. After WW2, there were several developments |
| today several of the military tanks are built on the | | | | in weaponry technology and guided missiles were |
| same French technology. However, it is believed that | | | | developed. With these new armors the tanks also |
| Leonardo da Vinci designed the first one in the 15th | | | | got shorter. The closer to the ground the tank was, |
| century, but it was never built. | | | | the more difficult it was to hit. However, the United |
| Several tanks that were used in World War I were | | | | States could not use tanks in the Vietnam War |
| much bigger than the tanks that were used during | | | | because the tanks would sink in the paddy fields. But |
| World War II. When World War II began the tanks | | | | the North Vietnamese army used tanks, the T-34s |
| were using a 37mm cannon. Also, just before WWII, | | | | and T-55s, built by the Soviet. |
| radio sets were built. So, unlike the WWI tanks | | | | However, it was in the 1960s and 1970s that tank |
| where there used to be a flag bearer holding out | | | | building technology actually progressed. The tanks |
| flags for communication, the WWII tanks could | | | | started getting night vision and laser sights that |
| communicate with radio sets from within the tanks | | | | helped to increase their fighting abilities. |
| and work as a group. | | | | In the 1960 and 1970s tanks started to receive laser |
| However, World War II progressed, the tanks got | | | | sights, night vision and other enhancements to |
| bigger. They were called Tiger Tanks and weighed up | | | | increase their ability to fight. |
| to 50 tons. With a bigger one, a bigger weapon could | | | | Today, military tanks are an ultra modern version of |
| be carried. The Soviets had the largest gun with a | | | | the old tanks used during World War I and World |
| 122mm cannon. This particular one was called IS-2 | | | | War II. Modern day tanks are compact yet quite |
| and was actually an answer to the German Tiger | | | | powerful. |