  A retrospective analysis of the field theory of gravitation, describing
gravitational field in the same way as other fields of matter in the flat
space-time, is done. The field approach could be called "quantum gravidynamics"
to distinguish it from the "geometrodynamics" or general relativity. The basic
propositions and main conclusions of the field approach are discussed with
reference to classical works of Birkhoff, Moshinsky, Thirring, Kalman, Feynman,
Weinberg, Deser. In the case of weak fields both "gravidynamics" and
"geometrodynamics" give the same predictions for classical relativistic
effects. However, in the case of strong field, and taking into account quantum
nature of the gravitational interaction, they are profoundly different.
Contents of the paper: 1) Introduction; 2) Two ways in gravity theory:
2.1.Hypotheses of Poincar\'e and Einstein, 2.2. Gravity as a geometry of space,
2.3. Gravitation as a material field in flat space-time; 3) Classical theory of
tensor field: 3.1.Works of Birkhoff and Moshinsky, 3.2.Works of Thirring and
Kalman, 3.3.Thirring and Deser about identity of GR and FTG; 4) Quantum theory
of tensor field; 5) Modern problems in field theory of gravitation:
5.1.Multicomponent nature of tensor field, 5.2.Choice of energy-momentum tensor
of gravitational field, 5.3.Absence of black holes in FTG, 5.4.Astrophysical
tests of FTG; 6) Conclusions.
