The Role of the Tank

[Liebchen]

It began as a pure terror weapon, designed to achieve a breakthrough.

My recollection (from reading, not from being there :) ) is that tanks' original purpose was to cross trenches and no-man's-land without being cut down by the all-powerful MG nests and/or artillery.

The fact that this attribute -- and it's imperviousness to small arms and grenades -- terrorized infantry is entirely secondary. Not to be dismissed, of course, and to be exploited as much as possible. But not the actual originally-intended purpose of the tank.