The experience with the Sheridan shows that even with its troublesome armament and inadequate armor, troops in the field appreciated the Sheridan for being there where it was needed. The M1 Abrams tank is just as fast the Sheridan, vastly better armed and armored, and can even be carried by C-5 cargo planes—but its bridge-collapsing seventy-ton weight still severely limits where and how quickly it can be deployed, and imposes a formidable logistical burden in terms of fuel and maintenance. And you certainly can’t toss one out of a plane.

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 in 2019 and is being reposted due to reader interest.

Image: Wikipedia.