Author Description

This work examines the use of tanks in urban warfare. It seeks to provide insight and a historical precedence on the wisdom of employing tanks in an inherently dangerous dimension of the modern battlefield, intensifying the shortcomings in technological design and the lack of crew training for city fighting. Instead of being a legacy system ready for the scrap heap, tanks are still a vital component of the US Army, even in the streets. Chapter 1 - Sherman Tanks in the Streets: Aachen, 1944 * The Westwall * Encircling Aachen * The Fight for Aachen * The Final Push In Retrospect * Chapter 2 - Pattons to the Rescue: Hue, Vietnam, 1968 * The Attack on Hue * Just Holding On * Pushing Back. * Battle of the Citadel * In Retrospect * Chapter 3 - Rock the Casbah: Beirut, 1984 * The Israeli Defense Forces * The Palestine Liberation Organization * Syrian Forces * The First Phase * Battle of Beirut * Into the City * In Retrospect * Chapter 4 - Headlong into Hell: Grozny, 1995 * Russian Order of Battle and Planning * Chechen Order of Battle and Planning * The Invasion * After Grozny * In Retrospect * Chapter 5 - Into the Maelstrom: Fallujah, November 2004 * Coalition Forces * The Plan of Attack * The Assault. * The Dust Settles * In Retrospect * Chapter 6 - Conclusion * Bibliography During World War I, the tank was developed as an infantry support weapon to exploit breaches made in enemy lines. Technological limitations in speed, range, and mechanical reliability kept tank doctrine at the tactical level until the German offensives in 1939-40 showed that modern armored forces were a key element to the operational level of warfare. Yet, there was virtually no discussion of employing armor in the cities. Even famed military historian and early theorist of modern armored warfare John Frederick Charles Fuller seldom mentioned using tanks in urban terrain, and then only to dissuade their use. Avoiding the employment of armor in cities is a long-held trend that holds sway in most moder