How WWI's First Tank Battle Shaped Modern Armored Combat
On April 24, 1918, during WWI, the first-ever tank battle occurred near Villers-Bretonneux. German A7V tanks clashed with British Mark IV tanks, showcasing the tactical lessons of using cannon-armed vehicles over machine-gun tanks and the importance of halting to fire accurately.
Those lessons might seem obvious in hindsight, but England, Germany, and Poland all continued deploying numerous machinegun-only tanks at the beginning of World War II before their tactical inadequacy finally sank in. For the British and German crew and junior officers on the morning of April 24, they had to improvise every step of how they engaged in their first battle between lumbering armored behemoths.
Sébastien Roblin holds a Master’s Degree in Conflict Resolution from Georgetown University and served as a university instructor for the Peace Corps in China. He has also worked in education, editing, and refugee resettlement in France and the United States. He currently writes on security and military history for War Is Boring. This first appeared earlier and is being reposted due to reader interest.
