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Orbital Drop Shock Troopers: Difference between revisions
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{{Wikipedia|Shock_troops}} | {{Wikipedia|Shock_troops}} | ||
===Origins=== | ===Origins=== | ||
The idea of inserting highly trained troops behind enemy lines from high altitudes has its roots in the paratroopers of 20th and 21st century fame, who dropped frequently behind enemy lines to capture strategically important targets in anticipation for a larger advance by more conventional and numerous military forces. | |||
Such troops were first used prior to World War II by Italian and Soviet forces, but the first serious application of the doctrine was seen in 1940 by the German Air Force in [[World War II]] to overrun the Allied positions in [[wikipedia:Denmark|Denmark]], the [[wikipedia:Netherlands|Netherlands]] and the legendary [[wikipedia:Fort Eben-Emael|Eben Emael fortress]] in Belgium. Paratroops were also used to capture the entire island of [[Wikipedia:Crete|Crete]]. Later, during the Battle of Normandy known as Operation Overlord on June 6th 1944, when two [[United States|American]] Airborne Divisions and one [[United Kingdom|British]] Airborne Division landed behind enemy lines in Normandy, France on [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/D-Day D-Day] and again in [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Operation_Market_Garden Operation Market Garden]. Although they were only marginally successful, they proved the concept of paratroops as useful and effective in large scale warfare. | Such troops were first used prior to World War II by Italian and Soviet forces, but the first serious application of the doctrine was seen in 1940 by the German Air Force in [[World War II]] to overrun the Allied positions in [[wikipedia:Denmark|Denmark]], the [[wikipedia:Netherlands|Netherlands]] and the legendary [[wikipedia:Fort Eben-Emael|Eben Emael fortress]] in Belgium. Paratroops were also used to capture the entire island of [[Wikipedia:Crete|Crete]]. Later, during the Battle of Normandy known as Operation Overlord on June 6th 1944, when two [[United States|American]] Airborne Divisions and one [[United Kingdom|British]] Airborne Division landed behind enemy lines in Normandy, France on [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/D-Day D-Day] and again in [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Operation_Market_Garden Operation Market Garden]. Although they were only marginally successful, they proved the concept of paratroops as useful and effective in large scale warfare. | ||