The forerunners of tanks part1

Let’s concentrate on this topic “tanks”. Someone think that it may be a recent invention but others say that it may have existed a long time ago. Actually, ancient kingdoms used their vehicles to carry out various types of missions just as what tanks did today. But their materials and tactics are usually a little bit different. At 3500 BC, Sumerian living at the Tigris and Euphrates rivers first developed carts drawn by “onagers” (some sort of donkeys like this

one in the picture). These carts have a crew of 2 which includes a warrior and a driver.  Later, the Egyptians came up with the idea of chariots. These chariots are lighter and were drawn by horses. Two men armed with a spear and a bow act as the crew. (As seen in the picture below.)

            In the Assyrian army at 1000_BC, chariots play an important role in the military force. Around the time, Ancient China has also made a cart which can carry 10 warriors with a roof and side protection. That is just a start, but coming up next will be something entirely fresh. In the Hussite wars in Bohemia of the fifteenth century (1420-1431), wagons were use for defence or as a cover for the infantry.

These wagons were armed with cannons, crossbows and halberds. 4 or 6 horses are in charge to pull them while 20 men will be controlling them. These wagons move in a column but can be broken and deployed again rapidly into a circle from a fort or an outpost. It can repel any enemy attack by his strong firepower as well as its perfect weaponry.            Other examples include the tank-like-cart of the infamous inventor-artist, Leonardo da Vinci. It has several cannons on its flanks and some smaller cannons on the top. A steam engine will be powering the vehicle. 

            That’s for the introduction of the forerunners of tanks; we will be posting up more next week. Thanks for reading!