This module is not currently running in 2026 to 2027.
Why is the tank such a potent symbol of power? Does it merit its reputation? How has this piece of military technology changed the nature of war in the 20th Century? You’ll investigate how quickly advocates of these new machines developed theories of armoured warfare and how these were applied to the battlefield. You’ll also examine what drove the supposed decline of the tank and heavy armour in the years since the collapse of the Communist Bloc, only to be given a new lease of life by the two Gulf Wars. The cultural ideas that grew up around the tank will also be a focus: how it became a symbol of modernity and change. From their crucial importance in the Hungarian uprising in 1956, to the Beijing protests of 1989, tanks became powerful weapons and equally powerful symbols in the modern era. Learning more about tanks along both lines of inquiry will enable you to better understand their enduring influence and the evolution of modern warfare.
Lecture 16, Seminar 16
15 minutes + slides. Presentation. Assessment Details: Individually present on a weekly topic with reference to primary and secondary sources. worth 20%.
2,000 words Essay. Assessment Details: Write a question-based essay informed by the historiographical literature and, where appropriate, primary sources. worth 80%.
Reassessment Method: Single Instrument - 100% written assessment / essay (2,000 words)
On successfully completing the module, students will be able to:
1) Appraise the utility of armoured fighting vehicles on the conduct of war at the tactical, operational, and strategic levels, measuring this against its symbolic value.
2) Investigate the influence of key individuals in the development of modern tank forces, placing them in their historiographical context.
3) Apply a variety of methodological and historiographical approaches, including political, social, cultural and military history, to the study armoured warfare.
4) Individually and/or collectively debate, differentiate and explain differences in armoured theory and practice across extended chronological periods and geographic areas.
5) Effectively communicate information, ideas, and interpretations concerning scholarly debates using written and visual primary evidence.
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