T-54

The T-54 was a Soviet tank that played a significant role in post-World War II military developments. Following World War II, there was a recognized need for all tanks to be well-armed to combat enemy tanks, ending the specialization of infantry and cavalry tanks. The Soviet army maintained large armored forces, and the threat they posed, along with the effectiveness of Soviet-built T-34/85 tanks in the Korean War, spurred further tank development.12

The T-54 and T-55 tanks were armed with 100-mm guns, representing an increase in calibre from earlier Soviet tanks. This trend of increasing gun calibre continued with later Soviet tank models like the T-62, T-64, T-72, and T-80, which featured progressively larger smoothbore guns.2