Introduction
The following introduction is taken from the Tankograd website:
ARMORED CAV
22nd and 11th Armored Cavalry Regiments
Guardians of the Iron Curtain 1948-94
The reconnaissance screen and border surveillance mission of the 2nd Armored Cavalry Regiment assigned to VII (US) Corps, and 11th Armored Cavalry Regiment assigned to V (US) Corps, along the Iron Curtain, the intra-German border, consisted of the following tasks: To monitor the movements and activities of East German border troops and Warsaw Pact forces in the area close to the border / reconnaissance and early detection of approaching or deploying Warsaw Pact forces, and initiation of appropriate alarm measures / showing the flag against possible enemy coup d’état actions using one’s own firepower / delaying, wearing down and, if possible, destroying the enemy’s attacking forces.
This publication shows the vehicles of the two “Armored Cav” regiments in impressive and hitherto mostly unpublished photos taken during their mission and on exercises, 1948-94.
Review
This offering from Tankograd in part covers one of the longest serving military units, without break in the form of the 2nd Cavalry Regiment which was formed in 1836. This makes the 2nd armoured Cavalry Regiment heading towards 200 years of history and I am sure is a matter of pride for the Americans. This duel language title from Tankograd looks at the service of the 2nd and 11th armoured cavalry from the end of WWII where they were utilised to police civilian and military personnel during a period of deteriorating relations between the Soviets and Western allies. They role eventually moved over to civilian policing in the late 1940s, and the cavalry units monitoring Soviet activity on the areas bordering them and also had to be ready to perform the role of a regular military unit if the Cold War had become hot.
The period covering the early years of the units role, have a limited number of images in black and white. But as you creep past the 1960s and on to more colour images become available, so the armoured and soft skinned vehicles of the winter have reasonable representation. When you get half way through the title, you leave the 2nd Cavelry and get dedicated coverage of the 11th armoured cavalry regiment covering the same period after WWII and the roles which they performed during this time. The vehicles represented for this unit start in the early 1960s and continue on to the advent of the Bradley APC and Abrams MBT. Looking specifically at the images in the title, we get to see a great mix of paint schemes showing the evolution of American armour and its camouflage. The photographs vary in quality, but for the most part are very good. However, you have to make allowances for early period colour photography which while colour is better replicated it always looks a little fuzzy to me compared to the coloured photography from WWII and the present day, where clarity is much better. The book provides 102 colour photographs plus 41 black and white photographs over its 72 pages and the presentation of the contents I found particularly pleasing as both units are covered in their areas.