What tanks did the Soviets use in the Cold War?

The M47 series evolved through to the M60 series. The first Soviet main battle tank was the T-64 while the first American MBT was the M48 Patton. These vehicles and their derivatives formed the bulk of the armoured forces of NATO and the Warsaw Pact throughout the Cold War; many remain in use in the 21st century.

Why was the tank invented?

The tank was developed as a means to break the stalemate on the Western Front in World War I. Military technology of the time favored the defense. Even if an attack did succeed, it was almost impossible to exploit the breach before the enemy rushed in reinforcements to stabilize the front.

Why did the Soviet Union have such a large tank fleet?

During the civil war, the use of armoured trains and artillery trains was common. This tended to lead to a greater interest in tanks and armoured cars compared to some western nations. The rapid growth of heavy industry in the USSR under the Five-Year plans made a large tank fleet possible.

How many T-34 tanks did the Soviet Union produce during WW2?

At the outset of the war, T-34 tanks amounted to only about four percent of the Soviet tank arsenal, but by the war’s end, they comprised at least 55\% of the USSR’s massive output of tanks (based on figures from; Zheltov 2001 lists even larger numbers).

What was the name of the first Soviet tank made in 1920?

In 1920, the factory remanufactured fourteen burnt-out French Renault FT tanks for the Red Army, the Russkiy Renos, and assembled a single new copy, named ‘Freedom Fighter Lenin’. Initially, the tanks and armoured cars in Soviet hands were a mix of captured Renault FTs and a few British tanks and British-built Austins left behind in the civil war.

Why did the Soviet Union use casting turrets in their tanks?

The widespread use of casting turrets was copied by the USSR, and led the way in rationalizing designs for fast production, eliminating unnecessary components or manufacturing steps that added little value, which later was to be incorporated in the mass production of their tanks such as the T-34. Mark V Composite tank used in Russian Civil War.