D-Day and the Future of Amphibious Operations

The commemorations of the 80th anniversary of D-Day serve to remind us what an extraordinary operation it was, not only in its planning and execution but also in the good luck which accompanied it. Such conditions are not easily reproducible, certainly not at scale. The technologies of modern anti-access/area denial operations make an amphibious operation of the size of Operation Overlord, particularly if launched over much greater distances than those of the English Channel, unlikely to succeed, argues Hew Strachan. Contemporary amphibious warfare and its related doctrine are therefore focused on raiding, not amphibious assault. ◼