Marine Corps Armored Warfare

History of Marine Corps Armored Warfare

During World War I Marine Corps Armored Warfare did not exist.  The creation of tanks are the result of mounting casualties during WWI.  Some form of weapon needed to break the stalemate caused by trench warfare.

Tanks have three components that help them excel during warfare.  First is armor and mobilization.  Having a moving piece of armor inched it’s way to the front line helped protect the occupants within.  The second is machine-guns and the main cannon.  With machine-guns it was possible to inflict a higher amount of damage on soft targets.  The main cannon made it easier to take out hard targets.  Furthermore, the third component was it’s caterpillar tracks.  This ensured movement in most types of terrain.

The United States did not start production of tanks until after World War I.  Even though tanks were produced by most countries following the war, the doctrine on their use did not meet the fullest potential.  The way tanks were put to use was in dedicated support roles.  Mobilized warfare would see this change however.

It was the Spanish civil war that provided the proving ground for armored doctrine.  The Spanish civil war raged against the forces of Fascism and Democracy.  The Fascist were known as Nationalist.  The Democrats were known as the Republic.  The two super powers that contributed most to the civil war was Nazi Germany and Communist Russia.

The Marine Corps understands how vital mobilized warfare is.  As an expeditionary force in readiness, we must always be prepared to face all the challenges of warfare.  This included amphibious landings, desert operations, and urban warfare to name a few.  Toward the closing of WWI, the combat effectiveness of tanks was realized.  Tanks in many ways, made trench warfare obsolete.  Although nations realized the effectiveness of tanks, just “how” to use them was still a grey area.

USMC 1st Tank Battalion

The USMC 1st Tank Battalion

USMC 2nd Tank Battalion

The USMC 2nd Tank Battalion

USMC 3rd Tank Battalion

The USMC 3rd Tank Battalion

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