- 4 days ago
How tanks shifted from wartime weapons into instruments used to suppress civil uprisings, making them powerful symbols of political oppression. Tensions in divided Berlin, Soviet interventions in Eastern Europe (such as Hungary), and the growing standoff between NATO and Warsaw Pact forces....
深入了解旨在彻底终结二战的坦克东调行动、对日作战的艰难历程，以及所采用的毁灭性战术。随着冷战笼罩全球，坦克日益被用于镇压民众起义，使这种装甲战车沦为压迫的象征。然而，那个世界在1914年夏轰然崩塌。战争卷土重来——且比以往任何时候都更为惨烈。
因为在和平与进步的表象之下，另一种技术形式已然演变而成——其杀伤力远超人类此前所见的一切；仅在那一年结束时，便已有一百万人丧生。战事在法兰德斯那片血染的土地上陷入了僵局。机枪、铁丝网、战壕与火炮构成了一台巨大的杀戮机器，成千上万的生命被其无情吞噬。
深入了解旨在彻底终结二战的坦克东调行动、对日作战的艰难历程，以及所采用的毁灭性战术。随着冷战笼罩全球，坦克日益被用于镇压民众起义，使这种装甲战车沦为压迫的象征。然而，那个世界在1914年夏轰然崩塌。战争卷土重来——且比以往任何时候都更为惨烈。
因为在和平与进步的表象之下，另一种技术形式已然演变而成——其杀伤力远超人类此前所见的一切；仅在那一年结束时，便已有一百万人丧生。战事在法兰德斯那片血染的土地上陷入了僵局。机枪、铁丝网、战壕与火炮构成了一台巨大的杀戮机器，成千上万的生命被其无情吞噬。
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02:02once and for all.
02:06The attack began at 1 a.m., Khabarovsk time.
02:13It was pouring rain.
02:16When our troops attacked their main line of defense,
02:19the Japanese showed up in their underwear.
02:22We took their first line before they were even able to defend it.
02:28Mahmoud Gareyev was 22 and a veteran of the war against Germany.
02:36But despite the initial success,
02:39he knew that the war against Japan would be a long, hard struggle.
02:44They would have to fight for every inch of ground.
02:48The Japanese were hiding and firing back at us.
02:52The war would take at least another year, a year and a half.
02:56In August of 1945,
02:59rumours spread among the Soviet soldiers.
03:03Rumours of a gargantuan explosion in Japan.
03:16The first bomb was dropped over Hiroshima on August 6th.
03:23The next city followed on August 9th.
03:35Hiroshima and Nagasaki were utterly destroyed.
03:39Faced with nuclear annihilation,
03:42Japan surrendered on September 2nd, 1945.
03:47It was already clear that this was a completely new kind of weapon.
03:52But we were not specially briefed about it.
03:56We were not told much, especially about the radiation.
04:02Before the atomic bomb, tanks had been the ultimate symbol of power.
04:08Now, Mahmoud Gareyev, his fellow Soviet tank crews and soldiers worldwide,
04:13faced an uncertain future.
04:19What good were their tanks compared to nuclear weapons?
04:26After that nuclear attack, and in that early post-war world,
04:31there was a lot of soul-searching, certainly in the West,
04:34about whether we want to continue with the tank.
04:37Does it have a role and a function in future war?
04:43The U.S. were the only country with nuclear weapons.
04:47Tank fleets, like the Soviet Union had, were seen as obsolete.
04:53The U.S. stopped building tanks.
04:57Atomic bombs alone were to guarantee peace in their time.
05:03Well, it was clear that the atomic bomb would change the ways of war itself.
05:09Because of what this weapon could do,
05:11it was difficult to imagine how such a war would end.
05:17Soviet factories kept building ever more modern tanks.
05:22They were unfazed by the atomic bomb.
05:26And on August 28th, 1949, the world found out why.
05:37Soviet scientists had built a bomb of their own.
05:42The Soviet Union became a nuclear superpower,
05:46on par with the United States,
05:48and with more and better tanks.
05:53I believe it was absolutely necessary, and it paid off.
05:58If we had not had the kind of protection that nuclear weapons gave us,
06:02we would probably have a different world order now,
06:05and we would, let's say,
06:07have a different kind of dialogue with our potential friends.
06:13Korea, June the 25th, 1950.
06:24It took them only hours to overrun South Korea's defences.
06:30These were the same Soviet-built tanks
06:33that had been sent against Japan in 1945.
06:37After the end of World War II,
06:39the Soviet army had given them
06:41to their Chinese and North Korean allies.
06:47Well, we had brought everything that we had
06:50in terms of weapons.
06:51T-34 and KW tanks,
06:55150mm and 203mm long-range guns, and so on.
07:00We equipped everyone,
07:02including the Chinese People's Liberation Army,
07:04with our weapons.
07:07South Korea was allied with the United States.
07:10The U.S. pondered using its nuclear weapons to defend it.
07:15But North Korea was allied with the Soviets,
07:18who had nuclear weapons as well.
07:22It's simply impossible to use this weapon.
07:26I think even die-hard warmongers
07:29would think long and hard
07:30before ever using this weapon.
07:37The United States decided
07:39against using nuclear weapons.
07:43Instead, they and their allies
07:44sent their armies to defend South Korea.
07:48But by now,
07:49what tanks the U.S. still had
07:51was simply obsolete.
07:52The use of tanks in the Korean War
07:54makes Americans realise
07:56that there is still a need for tanks,
07:58as they could see,
07:59of the power of nuclear weapons.
08:01Actually, if you're going to have engagements
08:02like Korea,
08:04where it would be very unlikely
08:06you'd want to use a tactical
08:07or a larger nuclear weapon,
08:10therefore, your conventional forces
08:12are still going to be very important to you.
08:16U.S. engineers had to develop a new tank.
08:26They named it Patton,
08:28after the U.S.'s most famous tank general.
08:32The Patton had a 90mm gun
08:35that was superior to the T-34s.
08:38But many crews were uneasy
08:40whether the tank was ready for war.
08:43But once in Korea,
08:45the Patton proved a match
08:46for the Soviet tanks it faced.
08:49North Korea's invasion was defeated,
08:51and on July 27th, 1953,
08:54North and South Korea
08:55finally agreed to an armistice.
09:01But the next potential battlefield
09:03was already looming.
09:06The U.S. and the countries of Western Europe
09:09had formed a military alliance
09:11called NATO.
09:13All of NATO had access to U.S. tanks
09:16and the protection of U.S. nuclear weapons.
09:19The Soviet government felt threatened by NATO
09:22and forged its own alliance,
09:24the Warsaw Pact,
09:26on May 14th, 1955.
09:30The Soviets, they're into this position
09:33of not only supplying their own army with vehicles,
09:37but pushing the idea of Soviet expansion
09:40into countries,
09:41some of which Soviet troops are already based in,
09:44some of which he now starts supplying,
09:45so the Soviet bloc becomes bigger.
09:49To sweeten Warsaw Pact membership,
09:52the Soviet Union equipped its allies
09:54with its most modern tank,
09:56the T-54.
10:02It had a 100mm cannon
10:04that was far more powerful
10:06than anything NATO had.
10:09Despite this large gun,
10:11the T-54 was small and difficult to hit.
10:14To be so small,
10:16the T-54's interior was cramped,
10:19and its gun could only be raised by 9 degrees.
10:23And already,
10:24Soviet engineers were working on an update.
10:27The next model,
10:28the T-55,
10:29was to be protected against nuclear weapons.
10:32It could be sealed against radiation and fallout.
10:36Air for the crew ran through filters.
10:38The T-55 could fight in a nuclear war.
10:44I believe the T-55 was kind of like the Kalashnikov.
10:49It was a very reliable machine,
10:52very agile,
10:53with a high level of armoured protection.
10:57It was very well received by the troops
10:59and much loved by our tankers,
11:01the T-55.
11:05The T-54 and T-55 combined excellent protection
11:09with superior firepower.
11:12Within just a few years,
11:14tens of thousands were built.
11:20Soviet and Warsaw Pact armies together
11:23paraded them through Eastern Europe.
11:27Their leaders could not foresee
11:29the consequences of such rampant militarisation.
11:38Budapest,
11:39October the 23rd,
11:401956.
11:43200,000 Hungarians
11:46took to the streets.
11:47They called for freedom,
11:50for a withdrawal from the Warsaw Pact,
11:52and for all Soviet troops
11:54to leave Hungary.
11:56When the government did nothing,
11:58protesters took out their anger
12:00on Soviet symbols and statues.
12:05That convinced the Soviet army
12:07that something had to be done.
12:11The 1956 events in Hungary
12:14show that the Americans
12:16tried various disruptive manoeuvres
12:18to alienate countries
12:19from Soviet support.
12:25Soviet leaders sent their tanks
12:27to end the protests.
12:29The Hungarian army
12:30was supposed to join them.
12:32But Hungary's tankers
12:34would not move
12:35against their own people.
12:37Instead,
12:37many joined the protesters.
12:40Suddenly,
12:41the Soviet army
12:42faced an insurrection
12:43armed with tanks.
12:45Soviet generals were nervous
12:47and withdrew their army
12:49on October the 28th, 1956.
12:52And just like that,
12:53the people of Budapest
12:54were free.
12:56One of them
12:56was Istvan Elieva.
13:00We ran away from home.
13:03Three of us
13:03were going to defect
13:04to the West
13:05when it happened.
13:07It was a ridiculous thing.
13:09We were eight years old.
13:11What can you expect
13:12from an eight-year-old child?
13:16Istvan and his friends
13:17dreamed of a new life.
13:19They left their homes
13:20in Budapest
13:21and set out
13:22on their tricycles.
13:29We hid in a cornfield.
13:31We told ourselves
13:31that we would have
13:32to stay hidden
13:33when we got to the border
13:34so the secret police
13:35didn't catch us.
13:39But in the middle of the night,
13:40they saw lights
13:41coming towards them,
13:43lights from Soviet tanks.
13:47When Istvan Elieva
13:48and his friends
13:49emerged from the cornfield
13:50in the morning,
13:51they found themselves
13:52in a war zone.
13:59We saw a lot of dead people.
14:01We saw wrecked cars
14:02and burnt-out tanks
14:04and we saw soldiers.
14:07Soviet leader Nikita Khrushchev
14:10wanted to make an example
14:11of Hungary.
14:13He sent several thousand
14:14Soviet tanks
14:15into Budapest.
14:17It was the single
14:18largest tank operation
14:19in history.
14:21Khrushchev decides
14:22that this is a time
14:23we have to make a stand
14:24now with Hungary,
14:25hence the brutal force.
14:27If the Russians
14:27are going to do it,
14:28they're not going
14:29to do it in half measures.
14:31Many of Hungary's soldiers
14:33had sided
14:33with the protesters.
14:40Now they found themselves
14:42facing one of the largest
14:43tank armies ever assembled.
14:50If you send your troops
14:52into another country,
14:53you have to be decisive
14:55about it.
14:58To fool around
14:59with companies
14:59or battalions
15:00only serves
15:01to unleash war.
15:06Hungary's army
15:06disintegrated
15:07and civilians
15:08took up the fight.
15:13They filled bottles
15:14with gasoline
15:15with a rag
15:16for a wick.
15:17These Molotov cocktails
15:19could set a tank aflame,
15:21forcing the crew
15:22to flee.
15:25Still,
15:25it's a shocking experience
15:27to see burnt people.
15:29Many soldiers
15:30were burnt
15:31inside their tanks
15:32when they had
15:33gasoline bottles
15:34thrown against them.
15:36No, we weren't scared.
15:38That's the interesting part,
15:40that we weren't scared.
15:41A lot of kids
15:42of my age
15:43did crazy things
15:44like throwing grenades.
15:48They weren't afraid
15:49because they didn't understand
15:51what they were doing.
15:54Soviet tanks
15:55conquered Budapest
15:56in three days.
15:58When the smoke cleared,
16:003,000 Hungarian civilians
16:02and 700 Soviet soldiers
16:05lay dead
16:06in the streets.
16:08Istvan Helieva
16:09had experienced
16:10the terror
16:11of the tanks
16:12firsthand.
16:13But the effect
16:14was different
16:15than one might expect.
16:16Tanks began
16:17to fascinate him.
16:20I was aware
16:21I was aware
16:21that these
16:21were dangerous things.
16:24I'd seen
16:24what they were
16:25capable of.
16:27But I liked them.
16:29I knew
16:30that a tank
16:30could do really
16:31evil things,
16:32but I liked
16:32the way
16:33they were built.
16:35Istvan Helieva
16:36was fascinated
16:37by the powerful,
16:38robotic nature
16:39of the tanks.
16:41To his countrymen,
16:42they were symbols
16:43of oppression.
16:45After Budapest,
16:46none would dare
16:47question Soviet dominance
16:49and risk facing
16:50their tanks again.
16:51The Soviets
16:53are prepared
16:54to not care
16:55about world opinion
16:56at this time.
16:56So how they
16:58suppress people,
16:59it's not done
17:00with the media
17:01in mind whatsoever.
17:02It is a brutal
17:03suppression
17:03that goes on.
17:12In West Berlin,
17:14thousands protested
17:16the invasion
17:16of Hungary.
17:17They feared
17:18that they might
17:19be next.
17:20West Berlin
17:21was part of
17:22West Germany
17:23and NATO.
17:25But like an island,
17:26it was surrounded
17:27by East Germany,
17:28a Warsaw Pact member.
17:33The United States
17:34sent one of their
17:35best tank units
17:36to Berlin
17:37and named it
17:38the Berlin Brigade.
17:43It was armed
17:44with modernised patterns.
17:46Many soldiers
17:47were already
17:48the second
17:48or even third
17:49generation
17:50to come to Europe.
17:58My father fought
18:00in World War I
18:00with the United States Navy.
18:03My cousin fought
18:04in World War II
18:06with the U.S. Army.
18:08Captured twice,
18:09escaped twice.
18:12George Jolwin
18:13was a standout
18:14high school football player.
18:16He turned down
18:17other prestigious colleges
18:18to join the U.S.
18:20Military Academy
18:20at West Point
18:21in 1957.
18:23Jolwin had first
18:25seen tanks
18:25in World War II
18:26newsreels
18:27and been fascinated
18:28ever since.
18:30I went through
18:32what we would call
18:33our basic courses
18:34in the infantry
18:36and tanks
18:38were available
18:40then at Fort Benning.
18:41We did many exercises
18:43where we would
18:45cross-attach tanks
18:46with infantry
18:47and so I got
18:48to know tanks
18:49very well.
18:51George Jolwin
18:53graduated as
18:54second lieutenant
18:54in the U.S. Army
18:55in 1961.
18:58He was posted
18:59to West Germany
19:00and discovered
19:01West Berlin.
19:03I went there
19:05and had to take
19:06the train.
19:06You had a special
19:08train to take
19:08from Frankfurt
19:09and I mean
19:10it was a
19:12wonderful place
19:13and
19:15very lively
19:16free
19:17and open.
19:22All that changed
19:24on August 13th
19:251961.
19:28George Jolwin
19:29saw Soviet tanks
19:30cut off
19:30West Berlin.
19:34Following them
19:35were engineers
19:36with bricks
19:37and barbed wire.
19:39it was the beginning
19:41of the Berlin Wall.
19:49The Berlin Brigade's
19:51tanks went
19:51to the newly
19:52created border
19:55but all they could do
19:57was watch
19:57the Iron Curtain
19:58become manifest.
20:02Europe would be
20:03split in two
20:04for the next
20:0528 years.
20:07When I went there
20:08and the
20:09mower,
20:09the wall
20:10was being built
20:10the tension
20:12and what you saw
20:14there by
20:14Checkpoint Charlie
20:15of
20:18people
20:19getting caught
20:20in the barbed wire
20:20coming through
20:21trying to escape
20:22from east to west
20:24it reinforced
20:25in a way
20:26I now know
20:27why we are here.
20:31George Jolwin
20:32felt part of
20:33the elite
20:33of the US Army
20:34but he knew
20:36that they alone
20:37could not stop
20:38a potential
20:38Soviet invasion.
20:41They needed
20:42the Bundeswehr
20:44but rearming
20:45West Germany
20:46after World War II
20:47had been controversial.
20:49The Bundeswehr
20:50was given
20:51US-built tanks.
20:53Even so,
20:54Jolwin knew
20:55that NATO
20:56could not match
20:56the Warsaw Pact
20:57for sheer numbers
20:59but his superiors
21:00reckoned
21:01that they might
21:02not have to.
21:03to attack
21:05the attacker
21:06needs to build
21:07normally we say
21:08a three-to-one advantage.
21:10If you're in
21:10a defensive position
21:11you've got
21:12dug-in positions
21:14you've got
21:14all the supporting fires
21:16artillery
21:16tanks
21:17mines
21:19etc.
21:21To penetrate
21:22that requires
21:23a larger force.
21:26West German generals
21:28were not happy
21:29with their patterns.
21:31They wanted a new tank
21:33and tasked the engineers
21:35who had built
21:35Hitler's panzers
21:36to build it.
21:41The most feared tank
21:42of World War II
21:43had been the Tiger.
21:46its successor
21:47its successor
21:47was named Leopard.
21:53It was conceived
21:54as a high-tech tank
21:55with night vision optics
21:57advanced electronics
21:58and an engine
22:00that could run
22:00on almost any kind
22:01of fuel.
22:06Germany's generals
22:07reckoned that the Leopard
22:08would give them
22:09the edge
22:09over any tank
22:11the Soviets
22:11might come up with.
22:18Warsaw Pact generals
22:20were concerned
22:21about NATO's
22:22high-tech tanks.
22:25To match them
22:27they demanded
22:28more and better tanks
22:29based on the T-55
22:33and to drive them
22:34they needed
22:35ever more
22:36and better tank crews.
22:39In 1967
22:41I joined the army.
22:43I went to Red Sog
22:44because the tank corps
22:45there had a tank
22:47driving school.
22:50I spent eight months
22:52there and then
22:52I was transferred
22:53to the 2nd Battalion.
23:00Ysvanileva
23:00had seen Soviet tanks
23:02crush his country's
23:03revolution in 1956.
23:07Tanks had fascinated
23:09him ever since.
23:11he first climbed
23:13into a T-55
23:14in 1966
23:16and soon found out
23:17that there was
23:17a lot to tank training
23:19he would never
23:19have expected.
23:25in order to be a tank driver
23:26you had to pass
23:28an underwater
23:28aptitude test.
23:32To cross a river
23:33underwater in a tank
23:34you had to train.
23:39A lot of people
23:40failed
23:41due to the
23:42underwater crossing.
23:43It was a special part
23:45of training you see.
23:46in general
23:47in general
23:4830 out of 100
23:48failed.
23:59when driving underwater
24:01there was no way
24:02to see the outside.
24:04It's easy to lose
24:06all sense of direction.
24:07This made crossing
24:09even small rivers
24:10very dangerous.
24:12but Ysvanileva
24:14passed the underwater test.
24:17Soon after
24:18he learned just why
24:19his commanders
24:20emphasised underwater
24:21training.
24:29They realised
24:30that the western forces
24:32would blow up
24:33the bridges
24:33so all the rivers
24:34running from the south
24:35to the north
24:36into the north sea
24:37or the channel
24:38all those bridges
24:39would be blown
24:40how are they going
24:41to carry on the advance?
24:42So they give the tank
24:43a snorkel
24:44so it can deep wade
24:45under certain types
24:47of rivers.
24:49Soviet engineers
24:50knew that
24:51not all T-55s
24:53were waterproof
24:55and so the crews
24:56had to learn
24:57something else
24:57how to escape
24:59from a sinking tank.
25:09From the beginning
25:11Ysvanileva's training
25:12focused on more
25:13than just how
25:14to operate his tank.
25:17All of Hungary's
25:18tank crews
25:19were trained
25:19to fight
25:20to fight
25:20a very specific
25:21enemy.
25:25NATO was our enemy.
25:28The German
25:29and the Italian
25:30armies
25:31but also
25:32the Austrians.
25:34We had a briefing
25:36on the enemy armies.
25:40The Leopard 1s
25:41already existed
25:43and we had
25:44their specifications
25:45and when we compared
25:48we made quite
25:49a sour face
25:50because a lot
25:51of their machines
25:52were far better
25:53than what we had.
25:56Ysvanileva
25:57was in the middle
25:58of this tank arms race
25:59between NATO
26:00and Warsaw Pact.
26:01He was discontent
26:03because the Soviet army
26:04kept their newest tanks
26:06for themselves
26:06and only gave them
26:07older models.
26:09But should war come
26:11they were expected
26:12to bear the brunt
26:13of the fighting.
26:17First and foremost
26:18I was a Hungarian soldier.
26:20Primarily
26:21I would have protected
26:22Hungary
26:23at any cost
26:24but not the Warsaw Pact.
26:28On the evening
26:29of August 1st 1968
26:32Ysvanileva
26:33and his fellow soldiers
26:34were ordered
26:35to get ready
26:35for combat.
26:46We didn't like it
26:47and as privates
26:48we didn't know
26:49what was going on
26:50but neither did
26:50the officers
26:51or the junior officers.
26:55Ysvanileva
26:55and his fellow tankers
26:57were nervous.
26:58Was this the war
26:59they had been trained for?
27:01On August 20th
27:03they were told
27:04to assemble
27:05for their mission briefing.
27:11They told us
27:12that in Slovakia
27:13a counter-revolution
27:14had broken out
27:17and according
27:19to the Warsaw Pact
27:20we had to go in
27:22to help
27:22our Slovakian comrades.
27:27Slovakia
27:28was part of Hungary's
27:29neighbour
27:29Czechoslovakia.
27:31The countries
27:33were close
27:33and many Hungarians
27:35lived in Slovakia.
27:37in the spring
27:38of 1968
27:39peaceful political
27:41protests
27:41and reforms
27:42had shaken
27:43Czechoslovakia.
27:47Soviet leaders
27:49called these reforms
27:50a counter-revolution.
27:52They ordered
27:53their generals
27:53to plan an invasion.
27:57Mahmoud Garev
27:59was among them
27:59and to ensure compliance
28:02the Soviet leadership
28:03once again
28:04found an alternative
28:05culprit.
28:07In Czechoslovakia
28:08things were more serious.
28:10This was about
28:11torpedoing
28:12the Warsaw Pact.
28:14We were told
28:15that NATO troops
28:16were massing
28:17at the Czechoslovakian
28:18border.
28:20The internal
28:20uprising
28:21had to be put down
28:22so that NATO troops
28:24could not enter the country.
28:29Mahmoud Garev
28:30knew that
28:31Czechoslovakia
28:32shared a border
28:33border with West Germany
28:33and thus NATO.
28:38What he didn't know
28:39was that there never
28:41were plans
28:41for a NATO intervention.
28:46How do you motivate troops?
28:48You motivate
28:48by saying
28:50they're going to attack us,
28:51they've got
28:51all this
28:52planning.
28:53We had plans
28:55to go
28:56and help
28:57open up
28:58Berlin
28:59if it came
29:00that.
29:00But attacking
29:01Russia,
29:03you know,
29:05Napoleon failed,
29:06Hitler failed.
29:09It was
29:11really trying
29:12to protect
29:13Western society
29:15as we knew it.
29:17Our leaders
29:19understood that.
29:20I think our troops
29:21understood it.
29:22On August
29:24the 21st,
29:251968,
29:26Soviet,
29:27Hungarian,
29:27Polish,
29:28East German
29:29and Bulgarian
29:30tanks
29:30were ordered
29:31into Czechoslovakia.
29:36The East German
29:37army stopped
29:38at the border
29:38since a German
29:40invasion so soon
29:41after World War II
29:42seemed too provocative.
29:47But Istvan Ileva
29:48and Hungary's
29:49tank troops
29:50headed straight
29:51across.
30:07They ordered
30:08us to go,
30:09gave us
30:10the target
30:10and everything.
30:11But the
30:12unfortunate
30:12Slovakian
30:13border guards
30:14didn't know
30:14a thing.
30:15They were
30:15probably still
30:16running.
30:16They got
30:17so scared.
30:18They got
30:18so scared.
30:20The Warsaw
30:21Pact generals
30:21had learned
30:22from Budapest.
30:26This time
30:27they sent
30:28overwhelming
30:28numbers of
30:29tanks and
30:30troops
30:30from the
30:30beginning.
30:31Their mission
30:32would be
30:33to neutralize
30:34the Czechoslovak
30:35army before
30:35it could
30:36take sides.
30:38Ileva's
30:39regiment
30:39was sent
30:40to surround
30:40and disarm
30:41the Slovak
30:42tank forces
30:43in the city
30:43of Levice.
30:50in fact if
30:52the regiment
30:52of Levice
30:53had attacked
30:54us,
30:54two-thirds
30:55of them
30:55were Hungarian
30:56soldiers
30:57sitting in
30:57their tanks
30:58and we
30:59were Hungarians
31:00as well.
31:01But back
31:02then that
31:02was the
31:03point.
31:03This was
31:04the reason
31:05why the
31:05Russians
31:06sent us.
31:08Soviet
31:09leaders hoped
31:10that the
31:10forces in
31:11Levice
31:11would not
31:12fight their
31:13fellow
31:13Hungarians.
31:16Istvan
31:17Eleva had
31:17been told
31:18that he
31:18would defend
31:19Hungary.
31:21Now he
31:22and his
31:22fellow tankers
31:23had become
31:24an occupying
31:24force in
31:25a foreign
31:25country.
31:28I was
31:29sitting on
31:29top of
31:29the tank.
31:30I was
31:31eating.
31:32There was
31:33a big
31:33shutter on
31:34the window
31:35of the
31:35house.
31:36A young
31:37lady opened
31:38it,
31:39looked out
31:39of the
31:40window and
31:40asked me,
31:41what are
31:42you doing
31:43here?
31:44I just
31:45told her,
31:45I don't
31:46know.
31:47I don't
31:48know.
31:52The
31:52plan of
31:53the
31:53Warsaw
31:53Pak
31:53generals
31:54seemed
31:54to have
31:55worked.
31:55So
31:56overwhelming
31:57were their
31:57numbers
31:58that the
31:58Czechoslovak
31:59army did
32:00not dare
32:00oppose
32:00them.
32:03Soviet
32:03tanks
32:04headed
32:04straight
32:04for
32:05Prague.
32:06They
32:07would
32:07face
32:07an
32:07angry
32:08population
32:08but
32:09this
32:10time
32:10one
32:11not
32:11supported
32:11by
32:12tanks.
32:13Tanks
32:14are
32:14driven
32:14into
32:14the
32:14city
32:14centres
32:15and
32:15again
32:15we're
32:16back
32:16to
32:16this
32:16image
32:17of
32:17the
32:17tank
32:18as
32:18being
32:18for
32:19the
32:19protesters
32:20a
32:20symbol
32:20of
32:20oppression
32:21but
32:22from
32:22the
32:23Soviet
32:23viewpoint
32:23of
32:24looking
32:24at
32:24using
32:25that
32:25tank
32:25very
32:27few
32:27times
32:28is
32:28a
32:28civil
32:29population
32:29going
32:30to
32:30have
32:30something
32:31effective
32:32to
32:32use
32:33against
32:33it.
32:37Where
32:38armed
32:39resistance
32:39proved
32:40futile
32:40the
32:41people
32:41of
32:41Prague
32:42found
32:42other
32:42ways
32:43to
32:43resist.
32:46They
32:46tore
32:47down
32:47street
32:47signs
32:48and
32:48gave
32:48Soviet
32:49soldiers
32:49wrong
32:50directions.
32:55The
32:56women
32:56of Prague
32:56took
32:57to
32:57taunting
32:57the
32:58occupying
32:58soldiers
32:59often
32:59in
33:00scanty
33:00clothes.
33:04other
33:05people
33:05went
33:06further
33:06and
33:06put
33:07themselves
33:07in
33:07the
33:07path
33:08of
33:08tanks.
33:18What
33:18made
33:19the
33:19papers
33:19all
33:20over
33:20the
33:20world
33:20was
33:20this
33:21unarmed
33:21guy
33:22standing
33:22right
33:23in
33:23front
33:23of
33:23the
33:23tank
33:24and
33:25that
33:25became
33:25a
33:26symbol
33:26too
33:26of
33:27how
33:28do
33:28you
33:29stand
33:30up
33:30to
33:30aggression.
33:32Soviet
33:33tanks
33:33put
33:34an
33:34end
33:34to
33:34the
33:34Prague
33:35Spring.
33:38What
33:39few
33:39people
33:40realized
33:40was
33:41that
33:41the
33:41people
33:41of
33:41Prague
33:42had
33:42put
33:42a
33:42chink
33:43in
33:43the
33:43tank's
33:43mighty
33:44armor.
33:46Soviet
33:47generals
33:47meanwhile
33:47decided
33:48that
33:49they
33:49needed
33:49a
33:49real
33:50world
33:50test
33:50of
33:51their
33:51tanks
33:51against
33:51NATO's.
33:56In
33:571968
33:58we
33:58went
33:58to
33:58Czechoslovakia
33:59when we
34:00returned
34:01we
34:01were sent
34:02on
34:02because
34:02war
34:03was
34:03breaking
34:03out
34:03in
34:03the
34:03Middle
34:04East.
34:05We
34:06went to
34:06Egypt
34:06for
34:06two
34:07years.
34:07We
34:07were
34:08there
34:08in
34:081970
34:09and
34:0971.
34:13Mahmud
34:13Gureyev
34:14was part
34:14of a
34:15Soviet
34:15military
34:15mission.
34:18They
34:18delivered
34:19Soviet
34:19tanks
34:20to
34:20Egypt
34:20and
34:21Syria.
34:27Soviet
34:28army
34:28generals
34:29knew
34:29that
34:29these
34:30tanks
34:30would
34:30fight
34:30Israel.
34:32Israel
34:33had
34:33NATO
34:33tanks
34:34and
34:34was
34:35known
34:35for
34:35its
34:35highly
34:35trained
34:36tank
34:36crews.
34:39Any
34:39war
34:40would
34:40be
34:40a
34:40battle
34:40for
34:40survival
34:41for
34:41their
34:41country
34:42and
34:43many
34:43soldiers
34:43had
34:44another
34:44even
34:44deeper
34:45motivation.
34:47I
34:48was
34:48born
34:48in
34:48the
34:48kibbutz
34:49Lokamai
34:49Hagetaut.
34:51The
34:52kibbutz
34:52was founded
34:53by
34:53refugees
34:54who
34:55came
34:55from
34:55Europe
34:55after
34:56the
34:56Holocaust.
34:59Zavika
35:00Greengold
35:01was called
35:01up for
35:02military
35:02duty
35:02in
35:031970.
35:08Like all
35:09recruits,
35:10he was given
35:11a choice
35:11of what
35:12to do
35:12in the
35:12army.
35:15I
35:16was given
35:16three
35:17options
35:17to
35:17serve.
35:18The
35:19tanks,
35:19the
35:20tanks,
35:21or the
35:22tanks.
35:26These
35:28were
35:28centurions
35:29and
35:30there
35:31I
35:31fell
35:31in
35:31love
35:32with
35:32the
35:32tanks.
35:34I
35:35saw
35:35what
35:35the
35:35turret
35:35looks
35:36like,
35:37the
35:37cannons
35:37mounting.
35:40I
35:40didn't
35:40know
35:41what
35:41it
35:41was.
35:41I
35:42didn't
35:42understand
35:42what
35:43I
35:43was
35:43seeing,
35:43but
35:44in
35:44my
35:44eyes,
35:44I
35:45saw
35:45it
35:46as
35:46a
35:46thing
35:46almost
35:46as
35:47beautiful
35:47as
35:47the
35:48curves
35:48of
35:48a
35:48woman.
35:50I
35:51fell
35:51in love
35:51with
35:51this
35:52thing
35:52called
35:52tank.
35:58Zvika
35:58Greengold
35:59commanded
35:59a British
36:00made
36:00centurion
36:01tank.
36:03It
36:04was
36:04designed
36:04in
36:05World
36:05War
36:05II
36:05and
36:06considered
36:06obsolete
36:07by
36:07the
36:071960s.
36:11Israeli
36:12engineers
36:12upgraded
36:13it
36:13with
36:13a
36:14better
36:14cannon,
36:15new
36:15armor
36:15and
36:16a
36:16reliable
36:16diesel
36:17engine
36:17for
36:17the
36:18harsh
36:18climate.
36:21In
36:211973,
36:23Zvika
36:23Greengold
36:24was put
36:24in charge
36:25of a
36:25platoon,
36:26a group
36:27of four
36:27tanks.
36:28On
36:29October
36:29the 5th
36:301973,
36:31he went
36:32home to
36:32celebrate
36:32the Jewish
36:33New Year,
36:34Yom
36:34Kippur.
36:37Around
36:37noon,
36:38we heard
36:38airplanes
36:39in the
36:39sky.
36:42That
36:42was highly
36:43unusual
36:43for
36:43Yom
36:44Kippur.
36:49Then
36:50we heard
36:50sirens
36:50which
36:51seemed
36:51to come
36:51from
36:52Akko
36:52and
36:52Nahariyah.
36:57We
36:58didn't
36:58understand
36:59what was
36:59happening.
37:00Someone
37:00switched
37:01on the
37:01radio.
37:01We
37:02listened
37:02to
37:02the
37:02BBC
37:03because
37:03there
37:03are
37:04no
37:04Israeli
37:04radio
37:04broadcasts
37:05on
37:05Yom
37:05Kippur.
37:09Yom
37:10Kippur
37:10is the
37:11most
37:11important
37:12Jewish
37:12holiday.
37:13So
37:14almost
37:15all of
37:15Israel
37:15was
37:16off
37:16work
37:16including
37:17most
37:17of
37:17the
37:18army.
37:22Syria
37:23and
37:23Egypt
37:23chose
37:24this
37:24day
37:24to
37:25send
37:25in
37:25their
37:25tank
37:26armies.
37:27Syria
37:28would
37:28attack
37:28from
37:29the
37:29north
37:29through
37:30the
37:30Golan
37:30heights.
37:33The
37:33Egyptians
37:34would
37:34cross
37:35the
37:35Suez
37:35Canal
37:35then
37:36the
37:36Sinai
37:37Peninsula.
37:41To
37:42defeat
37:42Israel's
37:43tanks
37:43they
37:44had
37:44the
37:44newest
37:45Soviet
37:45technology.
37:49The
37:50Arab
37:50countries
37:51when
37:51they
37:51go
37:51to
37:52attack
37:52Israel
37:53were
37:54going
37:54to
37:54have
37:55to
37:55have
37:55anti
37:56tank
37:56defenses
37:57and
37:58a
37:58new
37:58generation
37:59of
37:59anti
37:59tank
38:00weapons
38:00are
38:00coming
38:01into
38:01play.
38:02Already
38:02they've
38:03got
38:03RPG-7s,
38:04the
38:04famous
38:05rocket
38:05launched
38:05anti
38:06tank
38:07missiles
38:07but
38:07they've
38:08now
38:08got
38:08supplied
38:09from
38:09the
38:10Soviet
38:10Union
38:11SAGA.
38:13The
38:13SAGA
38:14is an
38:14anti
38:15tank
38:15missile
38:16in a
38:16suitcase.
38:18It
38:18is
38:18remote
38:19controlled
38:19with
38:20a
38:20joystick.
38:22Syrian
38:23and
38:23Egyptian
38:23soldiers
38:24had
38:24spent
38:25months
38:25training
38:25with
38:26the
38:26SAGA.
38:31the
38:32secret
38:32of
38:32its
38:32warhead
38:33is
38:33it's
38:34mostly
38:34hollow.
38:36Its
38:36explosives
38:37are
38:37packed
38:37around
38:38a
38:38lining
38:38made
38:39of
38:39copper.
38:40On
38:40impact
38:41the
38:41explosion
38:42liquefies
38:43the
38:43copper
38:43which
38:44burns
38:44into
38:45the
38:45tank
38:45and
38:45sets
38:46it
38:46on
38:46fire.
38:50The
38:51thing
38:51is
38:52it's
38:52always
38:53a
38:53battle
38:53between
38:53armor
38:54and
38:54weapon
38:55and
38:56the
38:56weapon
38:56unfortunately
38:57always
38:58wins.
39:01You
39:02can
39:02build
39:02a
39:02new
39:03kind
39:03of
39:03reactive
39:03armor
39:04or
39:04nuclear
39:05protection
39:05against
39:06rocket
39:06launchers
39:06but
39:08not
39:08long
39:08after
39:09there
39:09will
39:09be
39:09a
39:09new
39:09weapon
39:10to
39:10counter
39:11it.
39:16When
39:17the
39:17attack
39:17came
39:18it
39:18took
39:18Israel's
39:19army
39:19by
39:20surprise.
39:22They
39:23frantically
39:24recalled
39:24their
39:24soldiers
39:25from
39:25holiday
39:25leave.
39:29The
39:30main
39:30threat
39:30to
39:31Israel
39:31were
39:32the
39:32Syrian
39:32tanks
39:33coming
39:33through
39:33the
39:33Golan
39:34heights.
39:38I
39:39will say
39:39it
39:39another
39:40way.
39:40We
39:41fought
39:41with
39:41our
39:41backs
39:42to
39:42Auschwitz.
39:46Zvika
39:47Greengold
39:48reported
39:48for duty
39:49in the
39:49Golan.
39:50He
39:51had
39:51to
39:51get
39:51his
39:51four
39:52tanks
39:52ready
39:52but
39:53only
39:53two
39:53of
39:53his
39:54crews
39:54had
39:54made
39:54it
39:54there.
40:02Around
40:039pm
40:04our
40:04brigade
40:05executive
40:05officer
40:06David
40:06Israeli
40:07came
40:07out
40:07to
40:07us
40:08and
40:08asked
40:08Zvika
40:09are
40:09you
40:10ready?
40:10I
40:11told
40:11him
40:11two
40:12tanks
40:12are
40:13ready
40:14and
40:14he
40:15said
40:15you
40:15have
40:15to
40:16head
40:16out.
40:19With
40:20only
40:20two
40:20tanks
40:21ready
40:21Zvika
40:22Zvika
40:22Greengold
40:23gave
40:23the
40:23order
40:23to
40:23move
40:24out
40:25he
40:25knew
40:26that
40:26his
40:26centurions
40:27were
40:27severely
40:28outnumbered
40:28and
40:29facing
40:29more
40:29modern
40:30tanks
40:31all
40:31they
40:32had
40:32was
40:32their
40:32training
40:33the
40:34Israeli
40:34defense
40:35forces
40:35quite
40:36simply
40:36is
40:36fighting
40:37for
40:37its
40:37life
40:37and
40:38its
40:38country
40:38with
40:39some
40:39very
40:39skilled
40:40tank
40:40crewmen
40:41and
40:41some
40:41very
40:41experienced
40:42soldiers
40:42as
40:43well
40:43which
40:44is
40:44another
40:44one
40:44of
40:44those
40:45elements
40:45that
40:45always
40:45has
40:46to
40:46be
40:46brought
40:46into
40:46play
40:47not
40:47just
40:47about
40:48the
40:48equipment
40:48it's
40:49about
40:49the
40:49people
40:49involved
40:53Zvika
40:53Greengold's
40:54tanks
40:55drove
40:55higher
40:55into
40:56the
40:56mountains
40:58suddenly
40:59one
40:59tank
40:59broke
41:00down
41:01Zvika's
41:02tank
41:02had
41:02to
41:02continue
41:03all
41:03alone
41:05and
41:16suddenly
41:17the
41:17incline
41:18ended
41:18and
41:18we
41:19were
41:19on
41:19the
41:19peak
41:19of
41:19some
41:20hill
41:21the
41:22Shushnia
41:22valley
41:23opened
41:23beneath
41:23us
41:24and
41:24within
41:25was
41:25a
41:26large
41:26mass
41:26of
41:27Syrian
41:27armored
41:27fighting
41:28vehicles
41:30and
41:30suddenly
41:31I
41:31was
41:31facing
41:32a
41:32Syrian
41:32tank
41:36my
41:37whole
41:37crew
41:37saw
41:37it
41:38it
41:38was
41:38so
41:38close
41:38Eshko
41:39screamed
41:40and I
41:40called
41:40fire
41:46Zvika
41:47aimed
41:47at
41:47the
41:47next
41:47one
41:48and
41:48fired
41:48again
41:49and
41:50again
41:51then
41:52he
41:52called
41:53his
41:53commanding
41:53general
41:54and
41:54told
41:54him
41:54about
41:55what
41:55he
41:55was
41:55facing
41:58but
41:59he
41:59didn't
42:00believe
42:00me
42:00he
42:01began
42:01asking
42:01me
42:02how
42:02many
42:02are
42:03there
42:03how
42:03many
42:04tanks
42:04do
42:04you
42:04have
42:05I
42:06knew
42:06that
42:06the
42:06Syrians
42:07were
42:07intercepting
42:07our
42:08communications
42:09should
42:09I
42:10tell
42:10them
42:10that
42:10I
42:10am
42:10one
42:11single
42:11tank
42:13the
42:13general
42:14sent
42:14nine
42:14tanks
42:15to shore
42:15up
42:16Zvika's
42:16position
42:17the
42:17newly
42:18formed
42:18unit
42:19was
42:19dubbed
42:19Zvika
42:20force
42:21they
42:21were
42:22facing
42:22over
42:22a
42:22hundred
42:23Syrian
42:23tanks
42:24Zvika
42:25force
42:25fired
42:26as
42:26fast
42:26as
42:26they
42:26could
42:27until
42:28they
42:28ran
42:28low
42:29on
42:29ammunition
42:31behind
42:35us
42:35trucks
42:35arrived
42:36with
42:36fuel
42:36and
42:37ammunition
42:40so
42:41we
42:41went
42:41back
42:42there
42:42one
42:43after
42:43the
42:43other
42:43to
42:44refuel
42:45and
42:45get
42:45more
42:45ammo
42:46to
42:47boresight
42:47the
42:48cannons
42:48and
42:48do
42:48other
42:49things
42:49they
42:49hadn't
42:49had
42:49time
42:50for
42:53the
42:54syrians
42:54were
42:54surprised
42:55by
42:55such
42:55stiff
42:56resistance
42:56their
42:57modern
42:58soviet
42:58tanks
42:58should
42:59have
42:59been
42:59able
42:59to
42:59destroy
43:00anything
43:00israel
43:01had
43:02but
43:02their
43:03tanks
43:03were
43:03made
43:03for
43:03battles
43:04in
43:04the
43:04plains
43:04of
43:05central
43:05europe
43:05not
43:06in
43:06mediterranean
43:07mountains
43:09the
43:10syrian
43:10tanks
43:10were
43:11russian
43:11they
43:12were
43:12much
43:12lower
43:12and
43:13could
43:13only
43:13raise
43:13their
43:14gun
43:14by
43:14nine
43:14degrees
43:15there
43:15are
43:16technical
43:16reasons
43:16for
43:17this
43:19we
43:20fought
43:20with
43:20centurions
43:21the
43:22downward
43:22angle
43:22of
43:22the
43:22centurion's
43:23gun
43:23is
43:2317
43:24degrees
43:25the
43:26israeli
43:27centurions
43:27were
43:28at
43:28the
43:28top
43:28of
43:28the
43:28golan
43:29heights
43:29they
43:30were
43:30able
43:31to
43:31lower
43:31their
43:31guns
43:32enough
43:32to
43:32fire
43:33at
43:33the
43:33syrian
43:33tanks
43:34in
43:34the
43:34valley
43:34but
43:35those
43:36could
43:36not
43:36raise
43:36their
43:37cannons
43:37high
43:37enough
43:37to
43:38fire
43:38back
43:39the
43:40syrians
43:40were
43:40fought
43:41to
43:41a
43:41standstill
43:42but
43:42they
43:43still
43:43had
43:43their
43:43Saga
43:44missiles
43:45soldiers
43:46with
43:46Saga's
43:47moved
43:47to
43:48destroy
43:48Zavika
43:48force
43:50suddenly
43:50Zavika
43:51felt
43:52an
43:52impact
43:55I
43:56looked
43:56down
43:56into
43:57the
43:57turret
43:57and
43:57saw
43:57nothing
43:58but
43:58fire
43:58and
43:59then
43:59I
44:00fell
44:00straight
44:01into
44:01the
44:01flames
44:03somehow
44:03I
44:04managed
44:04to
44:05turn
44:07the
44:07turret
44:08was
44:08full
44:08of
44:08shell
44:08casings
44:09ammunition
44:09boxes
44:10dust
44:11and
44:11dirt
44:11but
44:12somehow
44:12I
44:13managed
44:13to
44:13turn
44:16around
44:18and
44:19get
44:19out
44:20but
44:21I
44:21had
44:21shrapnel
44:21in my
44:22face
44:22and
44:22in
44:22my
44:23hands
44:30just
44:30as
44:31Zavika
44:31Greengold
44:32and
44:32his
44:32gunner
44:33abandoned
44:33their
44:34tank
44:34it
44:35exploded
44:37they
44:38were
44:38thrown
44:39clear
44:39and
44:40knocked
44:40unconscious
44:41I
44:43woke up
44:43completely
44:44confused
44:45my
44:46comrade
44:46asked
44:47are you
44:47alive
44:48yes
44:49let's
44:50run
44:50for it
44:50we
44:51ran
44:51back
44:52towards
44:53where
44:53the
44:53other
44:53tanks
44:53lay
44:54in
44:54position
44:56we
44:57got
44:57there
44:57running
44:58calling
44:58to
44:59them
44:59in
44:59Hebrew
44:59we
45:00were
45:00lucky
45:00it
45:01was
45:01utter
45:01chaos
45:03the
45:03soldiers
45:04were
45:04running
45:04around
45:05and
45:05in
45:05addition
45:06to
45:06ours
45:06there
45:07were
45:07seven
45:07or
45:08eight
45:08other
45:08tanks
45:08that
45:08had
45:09also
45:09been
45:09hit
45:12savika
45:12Greengold
45:13boarded
45:13another
45:13tank
45:14and
45:14fought
45:14on
45:15but
45:16the
45:16strain
45:16of
45:17battle
45:17was
45:17becoming
45:17too
45:18much
45:19after
45:20over
45:2048
45:20hours
45:21of
45:21fighting
45:21he
45:21collapsed
45:22and
45:23was
45:23evacuated
45:23from
45:24the
45:24battlefield
45:27on
45:27the
45:27road
45:27I
45:28saw
45:28the
45:28terrible
45:29face
45:29of
45:29retreat
45:31civilians
45:31and
45:32soldiers
45:33tanks
45:34and
45:34all
45:34kinds
45:35of
45:35things
45:35were
45:35heading
45:36for
45:36the
45:36river
45:36Jordan
45:38I
45:38screamed
45:39and
45:39cried
45:39it's
45:41all
45:41over
45:41the
45:42Golan
45:42heights
45:42have
45:43fallen
45:43flee
45:43everybody
45:44run
45:44away
45:46but
45:46then
45:47fresh
45:47reinforcements
45:48arrived
45:49in the
45:49Golan
45:49they
45:51heard
45:51that
45:51Savika
45:52force
45:52had
45:52destroyed
45:53over
45:5360
45:54enemy
45:54tanks
45:56this
45:57boosted
45:58their
45:58morale
45:58allowing
45:59them
45:59to
46:00defeat
46:00the
46:00next
46:01Syrian
46:01attack
46:06attack
46:07after
46:07two
46:07weeks
46:08of
46:08war
46:08Egypt
46:09and
46:09Syria
46:10sued
46:10for
46:11peace
46:11on
46:11October
46:12the
46:1225th
46:131973
46:18Soviet
46:19tank
46:19engineers
46:20analyzed
46:20the
46:21Yom
46:21Kippur
46:21war
46:22they
46:23integrated
46:23lessons
46:24learned
46:24into
46:25a
46:25new
46:25tank
46:25the
46:26T-72
46:28its
46:28cannon
46:28could
46:29fire
46:29the
46:29same
46:29kind
46:30of
46:30guided
46:30missiles
46:31that
46:31had
46:31proven
46:32so
46:32successful
46:33it
46:34also
46:34had
46:34an
46:34automatic
46:35loader
46:36meaning
46:36that
46:36it
46:37needed
46:37one
46:37less
46:37crew
46:38member
46:38and
46:39could
46:39be
46:39built
46:39even
46:40lower
46:40than
46:40the
46:40T-55
46:43the
46:43T-72
46:44repeated
46:45the
46:45success
46:45of
46:46the
46:46T-55
46:47it
46:48too
46:48is
46:48a
46:48mass
46:49produced
46:49machine
46:49with
46:50a
46:50very
46:50favorable
46:51combination
46:51of
46:52the
46:52battle
46:52triad
46:54firepower
46:54mobility
46:55and
46:56armor
46:59and
47:00thus
47:00tank
47:01designers
47:01on
47:02both
47:02sides
47:03of
47:03the
47:03iron
47:03curtain
47:04raced
47:05to
47:05outbuild
47:05each
47:06other
47:08German
47:08engineers
47:09developed
47:10the
47:10Leopard
47:10too
47:10its
47:11main
47:12feature
47:12was
47:12a
47:12sophisticated
47:13stabilized
47:14gun
47:16it
47:17could
47:17automatically
47:18track
47:18a
47:18target
47:19even
47:20while
47:20driving
47:20at
47:20high
47:21speed
47:25to
47:26show
47:26off
47:26just
47:27how
47:27well
47:27the
47:27cannon
47:28worked
47:28the
47:29German
47:29army
47:29produced
47:30a
47:30tank
47:30commercial
47:31featuring
47:32a
47:32mug
47:32of
47:32beer
47:37it
47:38was
47:38perhaps
47:38the
47:39ultimate
47:40trivialization
47:41of the
47:42ultimate
47:42war
47:42machine
47:48we
47:48have a
47:49terrible
47:49tendency
47:49of just
47:50looking at
47:51the
47:51tanks
47:51as a
47:52top
47:53trumps
47:53phenomena
47:53you know
47:54the
47:54T-54
47:55maybe
47:56the
47:56Centurion
47:57and
47:57certainly
47:57the
47:57M-60
47:58were
47:58going
47:58to
47:58be
47:58better
47:59but
48:00that's
48:00not
48:00how
48:00those
48:01tanks
48:01were
48:01going
48:01to
48:02fight
48:03the
48:04commanders
48:04of both
48:05NATO
48:05and the
48:06Warsaw
48:06Pact
48:06spent
48:07billions
48:07on
48:08their
48:08tank
48:08fleets
48:12the
48:12goal
48:13was
48:13to
48:13project
48:13enough
48:14strength
48:14that
48:15the
48:15other
48:15side
48:15would
48:16not
48:16dare
48:16attack
48:28both
48:29sides
48:29held
48:29maneuvers
48:30to
48:30showcase
48:31their
48:31prowess
48:33these
48:34maneuvers
48:34took
48:34place
48:35in
48:35divided
48:35Germany
48:37for
48:38if
48:38war
48:38came
48:38they
48:39knew
48:39it
48:39would
48:39be
48:40fought
48:40here
48:40and
48:41the
48:41key
48:41would
48:42be
48:42an
48:42area
48:42known
48:43as
48:43the
48:43Fulda
48:44Gap
48:45among
48:45the
48:46forces
48:46stationed
48:47here
48:47was
48:47the
48:48US
48:48elite
48:497th
48:49army
48:51in
48:511985
48:52George
48:53Alwin
48:54became
48:54deputy
48:55chief
48:55of
48:55staff
48:56of
48:56this
48:56army
48:57and
48:57responsible
48:58for war
48:58games
48:59involving
49:00the
49:00Fulda
49:00Gap
49:01that's
49:02where
49:02the
49:03Turinger
49:03Mountains
49:03it opens
49:04up and
49:05becomes
49:05rolling tank
49:06country
49:06from there
49:07down to
49:08the
49:08Rhine
49:09River
49:09at least
49:10that
49:11what
49:11many of
49:12us thought
49:13and
49:15that's
49:15where we
49:15had a lot
49:16of war
49:16games
49:16that's
49:17where we
49:17anticipated
49:20Guarding
49:21the
49:21Fulda
49:21Gap
49:22became
49:22the
49:22focus
49:23of
49:23US
49:23tanks
49:24in
49:24Europe
49:26but
49:27stationing
49:27entire
49:28armies
49:28here
49:29put a
49:29strain
49:30on
49:30the
49:30US
49:30economy
49:33George
49:33Alwin
49:34was put
49:35in
49:35charge
49:35of
49:35reducing
49:36the
49:36numbers
49:36needed
49:37to
49:37protect
49:37the
49:37gap
49:46they
49:47then
49:47get
49:47to
49:47the
49:47point
49:48where
49:48they're
49:48thinking
49:48let's
49:49pre-position
49:49equipment
49:50and
49:51certainly
49:51the
49:51US
49:52army
49:52has
49:52large
49:53stocks
49:53of
49:53tanks
49:54and
49:54other
49:54equipment
49:54already
49:55there
49:55in
49:56Europe
49:57this
49:58pre-positioned
49:59equipment
49:59was
50:00the
50:00key
50:00to
50:00a
50:01strategy
50:01called
50:02reforger
50:03return
50:04of
50:05forces
50:05to
50:05Germany
50:07thousands
50:07of
50:08US
50:08tanks
50:08were
50:09pre-positioned
50:10in
50:10storage
50:10sites
50:11across
50:11West
50:11Germany
50:13their
50:14crews
50:14lived
50:15in
50:15the
50:15US
50:15but
50:16could
50:16be
50:16flown
50:16in
50:17within
50:1772
50:18hours
50:19for
50:20reforger
50:21to
50:21work
50:21Jarlwin
50:22knew
50:23the
50:23tanks
50:23had to
50:24be
50:24kept
50:24in
50:24perfect
50:25condition
50:27troops
50:28would
50:28say
50:28why
50:28do
50:29you
50:29have
50:29inspections
50:29in
50:30the
50:30motor
50:30pool
50:30because
50:31for
50:32want
50:33of
50:33a
50:33wrench
50:34you
50:34couldn't
50:35put
50:35a
50:35track
50:35back
50:36on
50:36and
50:36you
50:36are
50:36sitting
50:37there
50:37and
50:37you
50:38are
50:38a
50:38target
50:39and
50:39you
50:39have
50:40higher
50:40probability
50:41of
50:41being
50:41killed
50:42so
50:42you
50:43have
50:43to
50:43have
50:43all
50:43your
50:44tools
50:44now
50:45tankers
50:46you
50:46don't
50:46want
50:46to
50:47talk
50:47about
50:47because
50:47it's
50:47not
50:48as
50:48sensational
50:48but
50:49I
50:49want
50:49to
50:49talk
50:49about
50:50that
50:50because
50:50that's
50:51what
50:51the
50:52difference
50:52between
50:52good
50:53units
50:53and
50:53great
50:53units
50:55reforger
50:55was
50:55practiced
50:56every
50:56year
50:57one
50:58of
50:58the
50:58units
50:58would
50:58be
50:59called
51:05tanks
51:05and
51:06headed
51:06out
51:06into
51:07maneuvers
51:07it
51:08was
51:08another
51:09show
51:09of
51:09force
51:09and
51:10hopefully
51:10deterrence
51:12George
51:12Jarwin
51:13and
51:13NATO's
51:14other
51:14planners
51:15kept
51:15reforger
51:16on
51:16a
51:16hair
51:16trigger
51:17if
51:18war
51:18seemed
51:18likely
51:19they
51:19would
51:20have
51:20only
51:20a
51:20few
51:21days
51:22don't
51:22wait
51:22for
51:23the
51:23first
51:23shot
51:23to
51:23be
51:24fired
51:24start
51:25this
51:25process
51:25and
51:26that's
51:26a
51:26deterrent
51:27factor
51:27if
51:28you
51:28start
51:28that
51:29process
51:29you
51:29start
51:30building
51:30it
51:30up
51:30before
51:31war
51:32starts
51:33it's
51:34a
51:34deterrent
51:35factor
51:37on
51:37the
51:37other
51:37side
51:38of
51:38the
51:38iron
51:38curtain
51:39readiness
51:39for
51:40war
51:40was
51:40just
51:41as
51:41high
51:42the
51:43Soviet
51:43and
51:43East
51:44German
51:44armies
51:44had
51:45their
51:45best
51:45units
51:46on
51:46the
51:46eastern
51:46side
51:47of
51:47the
51:47Fulda
51:47gap
51:51the
51:52service
51:52with the
51:52Soviet
51:53forces
51:53in
51:53Germany
51:54is
51:54well
51:54remembered
51:55by
51:55everyone
51:55everyone
51:57lived
51:57the
51:57war
51:57do
51:57you
51:57understand
51:58everyone
51:59lived
51:59with
51:59the
52:00possibility
52:00and
52:01we
52:01knew
52:02that
52:02the
52:02order
52:02could
52:02come
52:03at
52:03any
52:03time
52:03to
52:03fulfill
52:04our
52:04mission
52:04objectives
52:07by the
52:08late
52:081980s
52:09tensions
52:10in both
52:10Germanies
52:11ran
52:11high
52:12it
52:13seemed
52:13like
52:14the
52:14war
52:14that
52:14nobody
52:15wanted
52:15could
52:15happen
52:16at
52:16any
52:16moment
52:21time
52:21then
52:22an
52:22event
52:22halfway
52:23across
52:23the
52:23world
52:24changed
52:25the
52:25age
52:26of
52:26tanks
52:26in
52:27a
52:27way
52:27that
52:27nobody
52:28could
52:28have
52:28foreseen
52:30in
52:31April
52:31of
52:321989
52:32the
52:33students
52:34of
52:34Beijing
52:34took
52:35to
52:35the
52:35streets
52:35as
52:37before
52:37in
52:37Hungary
52:38Czechoslovakia
52:39and other
52:39places
52:40they demanded
52:41more
52:41freedom
52:42and as
52:43had happened
52:44before
52:44the Chinese
52:45government
52:46sent tanks
52:47to crush
52:47the uprising
52:49but they
52:50were stopped
52:51by a single
52:52man
52:56the
52:57fact
52:57that
52:58the
52:58person
52:59was
52:59brave
52:59enough
53:00to
53:00stand
53:00there
53:01straight
53:01away
53:02you
53:02could
53:02see
53:02he's
53:03established
53:03a
53:03relationship
53:04he's
53:05not
53:05going
53:05to
53:05be
53:05as
53:06brutally
53:06happened
53:06elsewhere
53:07in
53:07Channingman
53:07Square
53:08vehicles
53:09crushed
53:10people
53:11who were
53:11rebelling
53:12against
53:12that
53:12government
53:13at
53:13the
53:13time
53:17the
53:18images
53:18of a
53:19single
53:19man
53:19holding
53:20up
53:20a
53:20column
53:21of
53:21tanks
53:21sent
53:22shockwaves
53:23around
53:23the
53:24world
53:26ultimately
53:26he
53:27was
53:28whisked
53:28away
53:28and
53:29the
53:29uprising
53:30was
53:30crushed
53:31by
53:31the
53:31Chinese
53:31army
53:33the
53:34tank
53:34man's
53:34identity
53:35has
53:35never
53:36been
53:36revealed
53:38but
53:39like
53:39the
53:39Hungarian
53:40and
53:40Czech
53:41protesters
53:41who
53:42came
53:42before
53:42him
53:43he
53:44showed
53:44the
53:45world
53:45the
53:45limits
53:46of
53:46the
53:46power
53:47of
53:47the
53:47tank
53:49as
53:50soon
53:50as
53:50people
53:50realize
53:51that
53:51there's
53:52people
53:52inside
53:52the
53:52vehicle
53:53and
53:53you
53:53can
53:53establish
53:54a
53:54relationship
53:54with
53:55those
53:55people
53:55the
53:56robotic
53:57nature
53:57that
53:57obli-potent
53:59nature
53:59of a
54:00tank
54:00is
54:00broken
54:04during
54:05the
54:05summer
54:05of
54:061989
54:06a wave
54:08of
54:08protests
54:09swept
54:09through
54:09the
54:10countries
54:10of
54:10the
54:10Warsaw
54:11Pact
54:12and
54:13their
54:13governments
54:13came
54:14to
54:14realize
54:14a
54:15harsh
54:15truth
54:17after
54:17Beijing
54:18after
54:19the
54:19tank
54:19man
54:20they
54:21had
54:21lost
54:21the
54:22certainty
54:22that
54:23their
54:23tank
54:23crews
54:24would
54:24obey
54:25if
54:25told
54:26to
54:26move
54:26against
54:26their
54:27own
54:27people
54:28.