The first tanks were used to break through trench defences in support of infantry actions particularly machine gun positions during the First World War and they were fitted with machine guns or high explosive firing guns of modest calibre. These were naval or field artillery pieces stripped from their carriages and mounted in turrets or sponsons on armored vehicles. They were generally short-barrelled weapons, longer barrels being an unnecessary encumbrance and action was at short ranges. The thin armour of the tanks meant that such weapons were effective against other vehicles, though the Germans fielded few tanks anyway and the Allied tanks concentrated on anti-infantry and infantry support activities.

This thinking remained pervasive into the dawn of World War II, when most tank guns were still modifications of existing artillery pieces, and were expected to primarily be used against unarmored targets. The larger caliber, shorter range artillery mounting didn't go away however. Tanks intended specifically for infantry support (the infantry tanks) which were expected to take out emplacements and infantry concentrations carried large calibre weapons to fire large high explosive shells though these wer not ineffective against other vehicles.

However, other strategists saw new roles for tanks in war, and wanted more specifically developed guns tailored to these missions. The ability to destroy enemy tanks was foremost on their minds. To this end, the emerging anti-tank gun designs were modified to fit tanks. These weapons fired smaller shells, but at higher velocities with higher accuracy, improving their performance against armor. Such light guns as the 2-pounder and 37 mm equipped a number of cruiser tanks in the 1930s. However, these proved insufficient against more heavily armored tanks, and lacked the ability to fire a large high-explosive shell for attacking infantry and fortifications.

World War II saw a leapfrog growth in all areas of military technology. As tanks became heavier and better protected, their weapons grew from 37 to 50, 75, 88 and 90-millimetre calibre. Shells were improved to provide better penetration with harder materials and scientific shaping. All of these meant improvements in accuracy and range, although the average tank had to grow as well to carry the ammunition, mounting, and protection for these powerful guns.

During the Second World War, the British produced some variants of their tanks with howitzers, notably the Churchill tank which had a hull mounted gun similar to the contemporary French Char B as well as a turret gun. This was dropped as an unworkable idea and the majority of British "Close Support" (CS) tanks had their turret gun replaced with a howitzer or similar as with the Centaur CS with its 95 mm HE firing gun.