Tanky

Tanks. This is not the subject one would expect from me but I've always loved history and am really interested in military history. History is written by the winners, after all. So when H. proposed we spend a Saturday (not the first time) at the Czech Military Museum I was all for it.

The museum is mostly outdoor. When you enter the complex, there are 5 long exposition halls that are divided by time periods: WWI, WWII, and Cold War. Each hall is arranged to show how military vehicles would have been utilized in their time period.

There is also a hall that recreates a large tank battle that happened in 1945 in the eastern Czech town of Ostrava. There is a trench that runs about 60 meters through the dark hall. Above you there is the sound of gun shots, whizzing grenades and incoming artillery fire. You feel like you've experienced a little of the battle for yourself.

Outside there is a long line of tanks with their details on small plaques with details of when the tank was produced, by who, when it was in use and any special facts to draw attention. I was awestruck at the number of things inventors have come up with to do with a tank. There were tanks that could dig trenches, amphibious tanks, tanks to assist with domestic tragedies such as floods and even a tank that could become a temporary bridge.

There was a time in life when I thought I might want to become a war correspondent. I think my hours at the military museum was all the action I'll be seeing for awhile.

www.vhu.cz