Heinz Guderian

I believe that Guderian is the correct answer to the specific question. However, I will add a few other tidbits to the subject. Winston Churchill was one of the earliest supporters of the tank, having pushed for them extensivley during World War I. George Patton deployed tanks in World War I and spent a portion of the inter-war years working out tank tactics in the deserts of California and Arizona, frequently using his own money to buy fuel and spare parts, since the Army didn't have the budget to spend on that kind of training. The training he paid for allowed him to develop his strategy that allowed him to effectively drive across France to the border of Germany. But, he outran his supply lines and had to stop. Field Marshall Erwin Rommel was also a strong advocate of the tank and used it effectively in North Africa. Rommel was very successful, but he also had a problem with very long supply lines, which hindered his ability to use mechanized warfare to its potential. Guderian is probably the best choice for the answer because his strategy for the invasion of Russia (Operation Barbarosa) was masterfully developed and brilliantly executed. Who knows how far he would have gotten if it hadn't been for the Russian Winter hitting and Germany's inability to distribute lubricants that could keep equipment operating in sub-zero temperatures.

Many will say the father of Tank warfare is Heinz Guderian, but if you travel back into history you will see that Leonardo da Vinci was the first to devise the tank. He devised a metal wheeled transport with wholes in the sides for guns(the first tank). So you can say Heinz Guderian was the father, but in my eyes it was Da Vinci, because his inventions led to the modern tank warfare.