In Britain, tanks were first referred to as landships. The Landships Committee was set up in 1915 by Winston Churchill to develop designs. To conceal their true purpose from possible spies, they were called tanks, to give the impression of simple water tanks. The name stuck.



The tank was developed independently by Britain and France during World War I. It was first used in 1916 by the British army during the Battle of the Somme. The French and British armies built thousands of tanks, but the German army was unconvinced of their potential and built only 20.

After WWI tank design improved, their role on the battlefield was reassessed. In the lead-up to World War II and during the war itself, tanks were built by both the Allies and the Axis powers in great numbers. Factories switched from their usual products to making tanks and other armaments. Women joined the war effort and were involved at many levels.

The tanks deployed by Germany during WWII were inferior in terms of armaments and armor, but had one key advantage: they all carried radios, enabling better tactical coordination and flexible use as rapid attack forces.

The British 79th Armoured Division under Major General Percy Hobart had a variety of tanks adapted for different tasks, from amphibious actions to mine-clearing. The strange appearance of some of these earned them the nickname "Hobart's Funnies."

The U.S. even equipped Britain with American tanks under the lend-lease agreement; these played a significant part in the Normandy landings of D-Day.

After WWII ended, most tank factories returned to manufacturing their original products.