M48 Patton vs Centurion

The British Centurion and the American M48 Patton, two leading tanks of the Cold War era, clashed in the 1965 Indo-Pakistan War. Expert author David P. Higgins assesses the strengths and limitations of the two tanks and explores their clashes in the largest tank battles seen since 1945.

The two countries’ tank regiments, many of which shared a proud legacy in the British Indian Army, fought one another in the difficult terrain of Jammu and Kashmir, the focus of a long-running dispute between India and Pakistan. The armoured clashes at Asal Uttar, Chawinda and Phillora would demonstrate that the Centurion, with its powerful gun and lower profile, generally proved superior to the faster, lighter but overly complex Patton.

Featuring full-colour artwork, expert analysis and archive photographs, this is the full story of the clash between two leading tanks of the Cold War era that were never designed to fight each other, but rather to line up on battlefields as allies.