#interwar

Today, we are looking at a small friend and a big one: the Type 89 I Gō Kō light tank (八九式軽戦車, イ号/ Hachikyū-shiki kei-sensha, I Gō) and its big brother, the Type 95 Ro Go (ロ号) heavy tank (九五式重戦車 / kyūgo-shiki jūsensha). Both are based on their “father,” the Experimental Tank No. 1. (試製一号戦車 / Shisei ichi gō sensha), Type 87 Chi I (チイ). The story began shortly after World War I, following the victory over the Central Powers in 1918. The Japanese Army realized that its infantry needed armored support: a conclusion drawn from the battles of the First World War, particularly those on the Western Front, where tanks were frequently deployed alongside infantry and artillery.