Japanese Tanks 1939–45 (New Vanguard, 137)

It is always a pleasure to read one of Stephen Zaloga's books. This one is no exception as there are not many books available covering this topic. The Imperial Japanese Army possessed many tanks and tankettes. The fact that several thousand were manufactured from 1927 to 1945 by a newly industrialized nation with limited means is more impressive. The Japanese followed the standard inner war doctrine of using tanks to support infantry. This was satisfactory since the main opponent was the Republic of China which possessed a small mixed bag of tanks. When the aggressive Kwangtung Army exceeded its authority by initiating a series of border conflicts with the Soviet Union the Japanese tanks were out numbered . The crews were well-trained and brave but the preponderance of Soviet BT tanks (also with light armor) caused the Japanese army to be hard-pressed. The IJA re-visited tanks design and production with an eye to develop better vehicles but the needs of the navy and the air units took precedence. Yet the Japanese did continue to improve their tanks and by war's end had 10 armor divisions in place. This book covers that main tanks designs and application of armor tactics from the early Renault Otsu, Type 89 I-go, Type 94 tankette, to the Type 95 Ha-Go, the type 97 Chi-Ha and the Chi-Nu. The artwork is wonderful and the information very complete for a book of this size. This is a must have for military history enthusiasts, World of Tanks players and any wargamer. Thank you Mr. Zaloga.

Steven ‘book a month’ Zaloga has here filled a real need. A concise work on Japanese tanks of World War Two. Now the title is a tad misleading – basically what you are getting here is a full history of Japanese tank usage rather than just vehicles used in the World War Two years. Which is a good thing as it allows the reader to follow the development of the Japanese tank force. The book is the usual Osprey ‘New Vanguard’ work in that it has a small size, glossy pages, some lovely illustrations and a useful bibliography. Zaloga has included a number of useful tables including one about production numbers. The colour plates are good to get a vibe of the vehicle and many of the photographs in the book are very useful not only for the armchair historian but also the modeller. The work includes not only all the major types but also the tank types that were produced in tiny numbers – or even only as a couple of prototypes. Also included are the couple of assault guns the Japanese built and which were operational during the conflict. What was particularly useful and interesting was the section on the naval tanks – the Type 2 Ka Mi being credited with being the best designed amphibious tank of the war. What is not covered here are Japanese armoured cars and half-tracks – though there is a photo of a half-track towards the end of the book. Perhaps there is scope for another volume from the erstwhile Mr Zaloga on this topic in the future? Though there is a tiny amount of information on Japanese armoured cars in the volume on armoured trains in this same series. This book suffers only by dint of it’s brevity. But that is kind of the point of these New Vanguard books by Osprey. But for general military enthusiasts, modellers and those who just need an overview on the subject as it ties in with another subject more up their alley then this is a very useful purchase.

The tanks the Imperial Japanese Army employed in WW2 get very little examination. This booklet discusses the evolution and use of Japanese tanks along with many rare photos and color illustrations. It is a very important booklet for anyone interested in the subject.

Packed with valuable information, photos, and illustrations - a must for the Japanese WWII tank enthusiast. Zologa delivers!

Like most Osprey titles, this gives a good overview of the subject, with excellent artwork and photos. Mr. Zaloga's writing is up to his usual professional standards; his name is among the most numerous on my nonfiction shelves.

Japanese Tanks 1939-1945 by Steven J. Zaloga This small but mighty work by Mr. Zaloga, an historian, and illustrated by British artist Peter Bull has all the virtues of the Osprey series. It has only 48 pages but like the best of the Osprey volumes it stays rigorously focused on the topic. Japan in 1939 had one of the largest tank parks in the world. Most of it however overflowed with tiny tankettes which turned out to have a quite limited utility in battle. Their main battle tank had a weak major weapon. All Japanese tanks in the early years suffered from a too small turret, suitable for only a single soldier, which turned out to be too great a burden, too many tasks for one man to accomplish. I needed a reference work for a project I'm working on and this book filled the bill. It would be good for modelers as well as the drawings are colorful and correct showing the vehicles in their full colors.

There is very little information about WW2 Japanese armor, but this book is very informative and interesting. Up to the standard we expect from the publisher.

This is a good, unbiased, and comprehensive look at Japanese tanks written by someone who clearly investigated Japanese source material and focused on the big picture of Japanese tank development, not just the perspective of the U.S.A. post 1940. The title is a bit misleading since the book actually touches on Japanese tanks in Chinese conflicts prior to 1939, and has info on Japanese tank production dating back to 1931. The book is chock full of little gems at the end as well. Each time I thought the book had finished I found something neat in the last few pages.

This book was written by Steven J. Zaloga, the author well known for writing this type of book about tanks. It is Informative and Detailed. True to the description of the book on Amazon. Lots of Photographs and art work. I purchased the actual physical book, because I love to hold a book in my hands, look at the photos and drawings, bookmark special pages, flip back and forth, read in bed...there is nothing like a real book!!! A MUST BUY for tank enthusiasts!!

El libro que hacía falta. Conciso pero completo, da una imagen suficientemente clara y útil de la doctrina y el desarrollo de tanques en el Japón antes y durante la IIGM, lo mismo para aficionados y profesionales de la historia, modelistas, etc.

Sehr interessant

Steven Zaloga, esperto di storia dei carri armati e di guerra corazzata, ci ha regalato un lavoro meritevole. A dispetto del titolo, il libro risale alle primissime origini dell'arma blindata dell'esercito imperiale, descrivendo (seppur brevemente) i tankette Type 92, 94 e 97; i carri leggeri Type 95 e 98; il carro armato medio Type 97. Si dilunga inoltre sulle esperienze belliche avute dalle forze armate nipponiche negli anni trenta in Cina, le quali ebbero parte determinante nello sviluppo dei blindati del Sol Levante, e tratta anche (ma sinteticamente) del cruciale scontro di Nomonhan contro l'URSS che "aprì gli occhi" agli alti comandi giapponesi circa la modestia della loro componente blindata in combattimenti contro altri corazzati. Nella seconda parte l'autore elenca i tentativi intrapresi per rinnovare i carri e ne descrive, concisamente, genesi e caratteristiche; dedica anche spazio ai semoventi di vario tipo concepiti dal 1941, ma forniti in numeri irrisori. Infine sono esposte le battaglie più importanti alle quali parteciparono i veicoli giapponesi, compresi i carri anfibi della marina imperiale; le ultime pagine sono dedicate a succosi approfondimenti sui simboli tattici, mimetiche e altri dettagli. In definitiva si tratta di un saggio ben scritto, ben studiato, supportato da molta bibliografia in lingua originale, proposto in un inglese assolutamente comprensibile. Solo, mi è dispiaciuto non trovare più informazioni di tipo tecnico che affiancassero le pregevoli tabelle relative alla produzione annua per tipo. Il voto più preciso sarebbe 4 stelle e mezzo.

Very book. A good read.