T-54 and T-55 Main Battle Tanks 1944-2004

by Steven J. Zaloga, Hugh Johnson (Illustrator)

Overview

The T-54 and T-55 tanks are the most widely manufactured tanks of all time. They have become ubiquitous to wars around the globe since the 1950s, starting with Hungary in 1956, and including the the Arab-Israeli wars of 1967, 1973 and 1982, the Vietnam war of 1967-75, the Iran-Iraq War of 1980-88, the Afghanistan conflict, Operation Desert Storm, the Yugoslav Civil Wars, and the recent conflict in Iraq. This book will examine the roots of this prolific tank family, starting with the Soviet Army's first attempts to replace the legendary T-34 during World War II, and covering the T-43 and the T-44, the more successful T-54, and its ultimate evolution into the T-55.

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9781841767925
Publisher:	Bloomsbury USA
Publication date:	07/25/2004
Series:	New Vanguard , #102
Pages:	48
Product dimensions:	7.23(w) x 9.87(h) x 0.10(d)

About the Author

Steven J. Zaloga was born in 1952, received his BA in history from Union College, and his MA from Columbia University. He has published numerous books and articles dealing with modern military technology, especially armored vehicle development. His main area of interest is military affairs in the former Soviet Union and Eastern Europe in the Second World War, and he has also written extensively on American armored forces.

Table of Contents

Introduction · Design and development · Operation · Active service · In combat · T-54 and T-55 in other theatres · Bibliography · Colour plate commentary · Index