American Tanks of World War II

by Stephen A. Hart

American Tanks of World War II explores the tanks, self-propelled guns, halftracks, and armored cars deployed by American forces, from the Torch landings in Algeria to the hard fighting in Normandy and the bitter Ardennes offensive.
 
With the United States producing almost 90,000 AFVs during World War II, American tanks made up the bulk of those deployed by the western Allies and were even supplied through the lend-lease scheme to the Soviet army on the Eastern Front. Organized chronologically by type, the entries in this book include the M3 Stuart, the first American-crewed tank to engage the enemy in tank combat in the war; the ubiquitous M4 Sherman, which proved cheap and reliable and was built in great numbers and in many variants; the M22 Locust light tank, designed to be air-dropped in support of airborne units; and the M26 Pershing, a heavy tank that arrived late in the war and was capable of beating the best tanks Germany had to offer. There are also chapters on the many motor gun carriages used by US forces, including the M8 HMC and T12 halftrack, both designed to provide close support for infantry.

128 pages, Hardcover

Published June 14, 2023

About the author

See also works published as Stephen Ashley Hart

Reviews

[Evan Ladouceur]

This well illustrated and detailed book provides a comprehensive primer on US armored vehicles in the Second World War. Dr. Hart covers all major vehicles and many variants. There is a meaty section on the M4 Sherman, as appropriate. I also appreciated the coverage of non-tank vehicles, especially tank destroyers, which generally get short shrift. Text is generally limited to vehicle descriptions, though there is limited coverage of context: performance in action; theaters used; troop satisfaction. I would have preferred a lengthier introduction, expanding on design philosophy, and comparison to German and Allied designs. Nevertheless, this is a strong, well organized, and handsome reference book.

[Belle]

Great book for those with a keen interest in US war history . I liked the detail in the illustrations with the inclusion of the authentic insignias, numbers and camouflage painted on specific tanks. The facts and information were easy to digest and I especially appreciated the inclusion of both metric and imperial stats. The range capacity for every tank was absolutely terrifying!

*Temporary access to e-copy received via Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.