French Tanks of World War I

A fascinating look at a little-studied aspect of World War I, namely the emergence of the first truly modern tank, the Renault FT.

It is a little known fact that France fielded more tanks in World War I than any other army. However, France's early tanks suffered from poor mobility and armor compared to their contemporaries. Indeed, their initial use on the Chemin des Dames in 1917 was a bloody fiasco.

In spite of initial set-backs, the French army redeemed its reputation with the Renault FT. ...