The Forgotten Tanks of the Vietnam War
Tanks in the jungle
The Vietnam War is infamous for its jungle environments, booby traps, and piecemeal battles. There were very few large engagements and no sweeping maneuvers across large swaths of territory. It was very much a guerilla war for many years. This left main battle tanks relegated to the sidelines and in support roles for many operations. But there were still plenty of tanks in Vietnam. From the earliest successes of the APC to the inheritor of the M4 Sherman’s legacy, Vietnam saw various armored vehicles cut their teeth in modern combat. Most people do not remember what kinds of tanks were used in Vietnam and whether tanks could even be used in the jungles at all.
Here are some of the most important and iconic tanks used in the Vietnam War.
M48 Patton — The Forgotten Main Battle Tank
The M48 main battle tank continued the American tradition of naming its tanks after famous past generals. The M48 was named after General George Patton and followed tanks named for General Sherman and General Pershing, who served in the Civil War and World War I, respectively. The M48 was the…
