Tank: War Machines That Changed the World

Join Mark Urban as he discusses the history of these iconic vehicles and the remarkable men behind them.

About the event

Tanks are the ultimate embodiment of industrial-age warfare. In the popular imagination, they represent both a terrifying beast of destruction and a potent symbol of liberation.

The technology behind these machines has evolved relentlessly, and yet the coming of the information age has led many to predict that drones, missiles and Artificial Intelligence have made the tank obsolete.

Time and again, however, tanks have continued to shape – and be shaped by – battles around the world, from their First World War introduction in 1916 through the Second World War to the tank-on-tank fights in 1990s Iraq and the current conflict in Ukraine.

In this talk, Mark Urban – a bestselling historian and former officer in the Royal Tank Regiment – will draw on wide-ranging accounts from soldiers, designers and politicians to tell the remarkable story of one of the most important developments in military history.

Additional information

This event is eligible for our 20% ticket bundle discount.

Book tickets to three or more different events across the festival and you can save 20%. Tickets must be purchased in the same transaction and the discount will automatically be applied within the basket.

About the speaker

Mark Urban is a writer and columnist for the ‘Sunday Times’, specialising in defence and foreign affairs. Until 2024, he was the Diplomatic Editor of BBC’s Newsnight programme. He formerly served in the British Army, both in the Royal Tank Regiment and in the Territorial Army.

Mark is the author of several books, including ‘Red Devils’, ‘Task Force Black’ (a ‘Sunday Times’ No 1 bestseller) and ‘The Skripal Files’ (a ‘Sunday Times’ Best Politics Book of 2018).