A Historical Connection Between Plastic Water Tanks And Armored Tanks
Plastic water tanks are a far cry from the armored behemoths also called tanks, but they do have a curious historical connection. Yes, that’s right, modern plastics were invented after World War II, while tanks first made their debut in the waning years of the Great War, but there’s something of a relationship.
While not plastic water tanks, military tanks were first so named by their British creators in an effort to disguise their research and development. It was hoped that by classifying these inventions basically as “tanks” on paper, any German spies who might have gotten a hold of the secret documents that referred to them could perhaps be mislead. As it turned out, the label stuck and tanks have been called just that ever since.
In English, anyway. In German, and many other languages, they’re known as only “armor,” a more appropriate term that’s a recognized synonym in the English-speaking world, particularly among military circles. A far cry from today’s plastic water tanks indeed, but the thought is never far away in the minds of military history buffs.
The connection is a little more than simply etymological, actually, as the earliest designs did look like nothing more than basic water tanks to those who had the security clearance to see them. Tanks have dominated the battlefield for over sixty years, and even today they form the core of most conventional land warfare tactics.
The introduction of attack helicopters and guided missiles have significantly diminished their striking power, and the asymmetrical warfare prevalent in conflicts these days render them ill-suited for most missions, but nothing on the horizon can match the tank in its useful combination of firepower, maneuverability, and defensive capacity. Though less used, the tank still figures eminently in assault tactics and grand strategy and should find a role for itself in the decades yet to come.