The Weapon that Changed War Forever
2,276The foul weather of November 20, 1917, had perfectly concealed the 476 British tanks as they approached the German fortifications near the French town of Cambrai. Nineteen infantry divisions accompanied the tanks and readied themselves for a surprise attack.
Third Army General Sir Julian Byng was confident his new combined artillery, infantry, and tank tactics would put the Germans on the run. Almost 500 tanks pointing downhill with thousands of men behind would surely inspire fear in the heart of the enemy.
At 6:30am, the stillness of the morning was suddenly disturbed by a creeping barrage of over 1,000 British guns. The symphony of metal, powder, and earth had begun.
Germany had considered the barbed wire protecting their lines to be invincible, but the British had other ideas in mind. It would be (QUOTE) “Through the mud and the blood to the green fields beyond." The tank formations roared and rolled downhill in a brand new strategy that was about to change war forever…
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