Weapons, real and symbolic

In TANK, Mark Urban chronicles the evolution of tank technology and its impact on warfare, focusing on ten key vehicles from the Mark IV of World War I to the modern M1 Abrams. Drawing on accounts from soldiers, designers, and politicians like Winston Churchill and Volodymyr Zelensky, the book explores battles from 1916 through World War II, the Cold War, and the Ukraine conflict. Officially supported by The Tank Museum, it uses archival sources, interviews, and declassified documents to highlight advances in protection, mobility, and firepower.

Mark Urban's 'Rifles' examines the development of the rifle and its impact on warfare, tactics, and soldiering over time. The book explores technological changes in small arms, their tactical employment, and how rifles altered battlefield dynamics and soldier training. Urban situates the rifle within broader military, political, and social contexts, illustrating its role in shaping regimental identities and combat methods. Through historical vignettes and analysis, he reveals the rifle's significance beyond its mechanical function. The work provides both technical detail and human perspectives on the evolution of small arms.

Catherine Fletcher's 'The Firearm Revolution' examines how early firearms transformed warfare, politics, and society from the 16th century onwards. The book traces technological innovations like the wheel-lock pistol and situates gun development within broader changes such as state formation and imperial expansion. Fletcher explores cultural responses to guns, including early gun-control laws and visual representations of firearms. She also considers how firearms reshaped social hierarchies and notions of honor, assassination, and policing. The work combines technical, political, and cultural history to argue that firearms were central to the making of the modern world.