Disadvantages of the tank on the war?

Answer 1

1. Physical restrictions: Besides NOT being able to take cover in a fox-hole, and being largely visible above ground 24 hours a day, 7 days a week...thus being susceptible to not only drawing enemy fire, but receiving constant "hits" as well; the tank is highly restricted to crossing over sensitive land features such as: Soft ground, paved roads (they damage streets), muddy/soft sandy river bottoms which cause the tank to sink deeper into the river, and the worst part (pertaining to weight) is they CANNOT cross the hundreds or thousands of bridges that exist in the region they are operating in. 2. War (Combat) Restrictions: Most historians, Most students, Nearly all civilians, and "some" military men normally forget or omit; the number one hardship of combat: SLEEP DEPRIVATION. During past wars, such as the Vietnam War, Korea, WW2, etc. Available for ground fighting men, there were NO hi-tech aids such as computers or Un-manned robots...laser beams, or other computerized navigational systems (GPS), UAV's unmanned aerial vehicles (although a form of UAV's certainly existed in the form of "drones" and experimental radio controlled propeller driven aircraft in WW2, Korea, and Vietnam). Technology in those wars were fairly basic in the traditional way..."Manpower." And wars were conducted by fighting them the old fashioned way; send men out to the field, search for the enemy (Vietnam) or advance into enemy lands (Korea & WW2) and/or stay there until enemy "Contact" was made (Vietnam), or the enemy was driven back (Korea & WW2). This was a 24 hours, 7 days a week, 30/31 days a month job; which REQUIRED "staying awake" 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, 30/31 days a month. Men had to split their sleep time to cover those hours EVERYDAY & EVERYNIGHT. The more men you had...the less time one had to stay awake. The less men you had, the longer you had to stay awake...EVERYNIGHT. From the combat arms of Armor (tanks), Artillery (guns/cannons), and Infantry (Grunts); only Armor had the smallest amount of men...4 crewmen per tank. In the Vietnam War, it was more often than not, 3 crewmen per tank. Sleep deprivation struck those tank crews the hardest; and it was very appreciative of the tank crews when their tanks could NDP (Night Defensive Positions) with other units such as Artillerymen or Infantrymen, so that they could catch up on their sleep.