The Ironclads of Cambrai

Tanks were first used in a mass attack on November 20, 1917, achieving a breakthrough of the German defense system of the Hindenburg Line. The initial victory at Cambrai brought cheering crowds into the streets of London and the ringing of church bells in celebration, but the British High Command failed to exploit the success. Within days, the Germans counter-attacked and regained much of the ground that the British had won, delaying the final victory for another year.

Format: Paperback / softback
Length: 248 pages
Publication date: 04 April 2023
Publisher: Pen & Sword Books Ltd

The introduction of tanks, the groundbreaking British weapon, during a massive attack on November 20, 1917, marked a significant milestone in the First World War. Not only did they achieve one of the war's most remarkable successes, but they also set the stage for the future of mechanized warfare. For the first time in three years of relentless trench warfare, epitomized by the horrific slaughter at Passchendaele, which was then reaching its peak, tanks breached the formidable German defense system of the Hindenburg Line. This breakthrough was followed by the deployment of British infantry and cavalry divisions, supported for the first time by low-flying fighter aircraft of the Royal Flying Corps. The initial victory at Cambrai brought jubilant crowds into the streets of London, with church bells ringing in celebration. It seemed that the success could lead to Germany's ultimate defeat. However, the British High Command failed to capitalize on this triumph. Generals who clung to the romantic notion of massive cavalry charges had little faith in this unfamiliar weapon, initially funded by the Royal Navy at the request of Winston Churchill, who was then the First Lord of the Admiralty and recognized its potential. The High Command underestimated the feasibility of the breakthrough and tragically miscalculated the necessary steps to follow it up. Within days, the Germans launched a counterattack, regaining much of the ground that the British had won. What could have been the decisive victory was postponed for another year.

Weight: 418g
Dimension: 156 x 233 x 27 (mm)
ISBN-13: 9781399019880