I am constantly amazed at how martial history is now being preserved AND shared.
Not in history books. Not in museums.
No. History is in essence being preserved and shared through video games and modellers.
Quite honestly I find that stunning. If you were to go online and attempt to research American heavy tanks during and immediately after WW2, you would be taken to a World of Tanks forum, or video. Interested in obscure aircraft? More than likely you'll be going to Secret Projects forum.
Gamers and Modellers.
The modern day historical preservation societies.
Japan being an island doesn't have a strong armor tradition unlike Japan's fabulous warships, submarines, and naval fighters. Japanese tanks were meant to battle the Chinese and were obsolete against the Russians during the WW2. Armors are one military equipment that the Japanese aren't proud of and are subjects of jokes among Japan's military fans.
ReplyDeleteThe problem continues to this day and modern day Type 90 and Type 10 Japanese tanks are non-competitive against Russian, Korean, and even possibly Chinese tanks.
Near the end of the war they start to build pretty good tanks, Type 4 Chi-To for example. But too late, too little.
DeleteThat was an amazing video from a game company. I thought on Ubisoft did stuff like that for their games.
ReplyDeleteOne thing I will say about the Japanese is that they can camouflage a tank like nothing I have ever seen before. Give them a couple of hours and that big monster turns into just another bush.
Maybe you're not reading the right books:
ReplyDeletehttp://www.amazon.com/Japanese-Tanks-1939-45-New-Vanguard/dp/1846030919/ref=sr_1_1?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1390035612&sr=1-1&keywords=japanese+tanks
http://www.amazon.com/World-Japanese-Tank-Tactics-Elite/dp/1846032342/ref=sr_1_2?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1390035643&sr=1-2&keywords=japanese+tanks
http://www.amazon.com/Japanese-Antitank-Military-Intelligence-Division/dp/1494762897/ref=sr_1_4?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1390035679&sr=1-4&keywords=japanese+tanks
http://www.amazon.com/Japanese-Armor-1931-45-Markowski-Wawrzyniec/dp/8372372101/ref=sr_1_10?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1390035817&sr=1-10&keywords=japanese+tanks
http://www.amazon.com/Imperial-Japanese-Tanks-1918-45-Roland/dp/0852424345/ref=sr_1_7?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1390035875&sr=1-7&keywords=japanese+tanks
you do realize that four of the five books you listed are aimed squarely at modellers. additionally the fifth book is an out of print govt document.
Deletei stand by my statement.
Hard to find much on the Japanese tanks, the fact that the Light Stuarts were a match for and the M-4 Sherman was as deadly to them as the Tiger to us says a lot about those tanks.
ReplyDeleteI do love the one Japanese One Man Tank though.
No engine, no turret and no wheels or tracks.
I have almost a full size library on WWII and I have very little on Japanese Infantry and especially tanks. You are far more likely to find books on pilots and Navy battles/tactics but really not that much on infantry/tanks, I assume it's because there weren't that many survivors.
ReplyDeleteMaybe it's the modelers who help the forgotten vehicles, airplanes and ships to resurface and the modeler's societies that demand those models from the model kit companies.
ReplyDeleteawesome blog...very intresting posts..keep share like article really very informative for all..
ReplyDeletePrinting a book in china