Battlefield 101: Amphibious Assaults скачать в хорошем качестве

Battlefield 101: Amphibious Assaults

Hosted by Michael Gray, professor of history at East Stroudsburg University, this series examines the evolution and application of battlefield strategies and tactics. In this episode, we look at how amphibious operations have been utilized, as well as how tactics and landing craft evolved in the 20th Century. Amphibious assaults have been a part of almost every major world conflict since ancient times. Prior to World War I, troops usually conducted amphibious assaults with rowboats or other light vessels. During the American Revolution, for example, General George Washington famously crossed the Delaware in a wooden Durham Boat. Likewise, during the Civil War, when Union forces launched their first amphibious assault against the Confederate stationed at Fort Hatteras and Clark, they used shallow, flat-bottomed skiffs to land their men. However, the widespread introduction of automatic weapons at the start of the 20th Century meant that operating out of these types of vessels was no longer feasible. The first modern amphibious assault took place during World War One, when Allied forces stormed the beaches of Gallipoli. As part of the operation, they used what is known as “X” Lighters – one of the first landing craft specifically designed for amphibious operations. Also called “Black Beetles”, these British-built ships were based off the design for traditional London barges, and featured a drop down ramp that could be extended over the bow. Even though the Allies’ campaign in Gallipoli eventually failed, the successful use of the “X” Lighters helped create optimism about the future of amphibious assaults. During World War II, the intricate coordination of the landing force, with its transportation, supporting air power, naval power and logistics really came into being.In fact, the first American offensive of the entire war was an amphibious assault that took place in August 1942 at Guadalcanal in the Solomon Islands. Using an early version of what was known as the Higgins boat, US Marines landed, for the most part, unopposed. But despite the ease of landing, the operation exposed several critical issues with amphibious assaults. First of all, early Higgins boats lacked a ramp at the front, which forced troops to climb over the side to exit – an action that was both slow and cumbersome and would have been difficult to perform under fire. Secondly, Guadalcanal revealed the critical need for supporting air and naval power, as well as a vast logistical network capable of supplying troops engaged in these types of operations.Because they lacked this, US forces on the island were plagued by a shortage of firepower, food, ammo and supplies during the entire six-month long campaign. The lessons learned at Guadalcanal and at other early amphibious assaults – like the November 1942 Operation Torch landings in North Africa – helped US forces better develop both their landing craft and their amphibious warfare doctrine. This, in turn, led to the creation of dozens of specially designed vessels, and the launching of increasingly larger and more complex amphibious assaults – Leading eventually to massive operations like the well-known D-Day Normandy landings, which brought together an assault force of more than 150,000 troops, more than 10,000 combat aircraft, and an armada of nearly 7,000 vessels, including more than 4,000 landing craft. Although they never reached the same size, scope and complexity, American forces have participated in a few amphibious operations since World War II. The largest – and arguably greatest – was the Inchon Invasion, which took place in September 1950 during the Korean War. The brainchild of General Douglas MacArthur, the operation used World War II era Higgins boats to land American Marines and UN forces at the northwestern coast of South Korea. Supported by naval gunfire, the troops stormed ashore and quickly overwhelmed the North Korean defenders, who had mistakenly believed that Inchon’s narrow channel, high seawalls and strong current would make a landing too risky. After advancing inland, they then ultimately helped to retake the capital city of Seoul – a move that helped temporarily reverse the strategic situation of the war. The brainchild of General Douglas MacArthur, the operation used World War II era Higgins boats to land American Marines and UN forces at the northwestern coast of South Korea. Supported by naval gunfire, the troops stormed ashore and quickly overwhelmed the North Korean defenders, who had mistakenly believed that Inchon’s narrow channel, high seawalls and strong current would make a landing too risky. After advancing inland, they then ultimately helped to retake the capital city of Seoul – a move that helped temporarily reverse the strategic situation of the war.