The Rise of Modern Amphibious Warfare - Essay Example

? The Rise of Modern Amphibious Warfare: The Coming of Global Maritime Power Projection RESPONSE The innovation of the largemodern sailing warship reinforced the strategic potential of amphibious warfare because it offered a platform to carry all weapons across the ocean. The modern warship had the capacity to navigate all water and river systems and had adequate space for carrying more troops and food supplies necessary to sustain a combat for a longer time.1 As such, it promoted the effectiveness of amphibious warfare during this period. The innovation of steam power, long-range guns and explosive shells also strengthened the amphibious warfare by allowing the troops to reach and attack their enemies from a greater distance across the globe. Indeed, Britain owed its military supremacy at this time to the use of sailing. Additionally, the well-defined command system and a detailed understanding of army and navy interoperability fostered amphibious warfare.2 Indeed, the possession of expertise to conduct amphibious landings as applied by the British troops led to the effective use of amphibious warfare. Ultimately, amphibious warfare had the strength of accommodating all types of ships, aircraft, weapons, and landing forces in a military combat. Nevertheless, amphibious warfare had limitations that included the adverse effects of unpleasant weather that affected the sailing, speed, and timing of the troops.3 Moreover, diseases during the voyage and on landing areas also affected the troops, thus limiting the success of amphibious warfare. Moreover, the preparation and articulation of an amphibious warfare requires a lot of time and details that may limit the speed of succeeding in a combat.4 RESPONSE 2 Ideally, the strengths resulted in the success and the limitations accrued to failure of amphibious operations. Furthermore, the use of a higher degree of detailed planning and coordination by the higher authorities than used in other warfare boosted the success of the amphibious operations. Additionally, the use of expert knowledge and designing only a rigid and final plan promoted the operations.5 More so, the establishment and use of the air and land army as a supporting weapon in amphibious warfare also promoted the success of various amphibious operations. Moreover, the adoption of a unity of command bestowed in one commander is essential to the success of an amphibious warfare as it helps in the planning and articulation of an operation.6 The use of specialised services also fostered the success of the operations. At the same time, the possession of more troops, superior firepower, and sufficient forces to engage in an amphibious warfare for a long time promotes the success of an amphibious warfare by overpowering and defeating the enemy.7 The use of aggressive tactics and extended front assaults draw positive effects on amphibious warfare.8 More so, the use of tactical dispositions, forward defense, and information relating to the enemy boosts the success of the operation. The use of naval forces in amphibious warfare helps to reduce the enemy’s defense, thus clearing the way before the actual landing of the troops. On the other hand, factors that led to the failure of the operations include strong opposition, failures to anticipate, learn and adapt to changes in the nature of warfare, which culminated in numerous defeats in amphibious warfare.9 Additionally, lack of intelligence and underestimating the strength of the enemy also characterised the failure of the operations.10 Ultimately, unfavourable weather demeaned the success of such operations. RESPONSE 3 Sea control may refer to an existing condition in the sea where one has exclusive freedom to use an area of the sea for their good and bar opponents from using it for a specified time.11 The sea area under control may include the seawater, electro-magnetic spectrum, air space above, and the seabed. Sea control is a fundamental prerequisite to all amphibious operations. Sea control forms the strength of any naval force as it prevents the enemy from attacking the naval force directly. Moreover, it allows the military and merchant ships of the naval force to move freely as the attackers stay in port or far away from the controlled waters. This allows for the free use of amphibious operations that develop ground based strategic options. It also allows the naval force to navigate, transport troops, supplies, and trade while denying their enemies that advantage during amphibious warfare.12 Moreover, sea control facilitates the free use of the sea lines of communication to the disadvantage of the enemy. Indeed, lack of sea control would lead to military risk, delayed transportation of troops and supplies, as well as increased shipping costs, thus jeopardising amphibious operations. Additionally, sea control ensures maximum use of force mobility, reinforces participation in tactical operations, and prevents the enemy from designing small-scale surprise attacks. RESPONSE 4 The particular value of amphibious raids and assaults includes prosecuting further combat operations, barring the enemy from using an area or facilities, and obtaining a site for an advanced amphibious operation. Indeed, the raids and assaults help in establishing a naval force on a seemingly hostile shore.13 Moreover, the raid derives the value of securing information, gathering intelligence, installing communication radars, creating a diversion or damaging a hostile shore.14 At the same time, amphibious raids are valuable to politicians as they alert them on the signals to an adversary. They also help the military commanders in exploiting an open sea flank to attack the enemy's will. Ideally, amphibious raids and assaults have a particular value of enabling the naval force to prepare and coordinate an advanced amphibious operation. RESPONSE 5 Indeed, there were numerous amphibious warfare developments during this period and they included innovation in technology that boosted the strategic utility of amphibious operations.15 Additionally, there was an advent of large sail and naval vessels that enabled power projection on a global scale.16 Indeed, the building of ships that could carry guns facilitated the transport of all weapons, thus developing amphibious warfare. More so, the improvements in the foundries and the emergence of ports manifest development in amphibious warfare. Additionally, the development of gunpowder, which supported reliable and slow burning, was very significant in this period. Indeed, even the development of planning processes and the design of proper breaches and firing mechanisms to support war ships manifest progress in amphibious warfare.17 Ultimately, there has been growth and development of marine landing. References Mackesy, P, ‘Problems of an Amphibious Power: Britain against France, 1793–1815’, Naval War College Review, 30, spring, 1978. Speelman, JL, ‘The Command of the Ocean: A Naval History of Britain, 1649–1815 (review),’The Journal of Military History, vol. 70, no. 3, 2006, pp. 824–825. Syrett, D, ‘The Methodology of British Amphibious Operations during the Seven Years and American Wars’, Mariner’s Mirror, vol. 58, no. 3, 1972, pp. 269–280. Wernham, R, ‘Amphibious Operations and the Elizabethan Assault on the Spanish Atlantic Economy 1585-1598’ in MC Fissel and D Trim (eds), Amphibious Warfare 1000-1700 (Leiden, 2005), pp.181–215. Read More