A brief analysis of the characteristics of foreign military expeditionary operations

The armed forces of western developed countries attach great importance to expeditionary operations, believing that expeditionary operations are operations carried out by specially drawn armed forces to achieve specific military objectives through long-distance delivery or long-distance marches into the territory of other countries. Although the expeditionary operations of foreign armies in different historical periods are very different, there are some common characteristics in detail.

There is a clear purpose. War is a continuation of politics, and expeditions to other countries must inevitably lead to famous divisions and clear objectives. Historically, foreign military expeditions have been in the name of revenge and religion, and in modern times, there have also been humanitarian and counter-terrorism, but in the final analysis, economic interests are still at play. The banners of modern expeditionary operations are more numerous, but through the phenomenon of the essence, it is still economic interests at play. During the Gulf War, the United States sent troops ostensibly because Iraq annexed the sovereign state of Kuwait, but in fact the United States wanted to control the oil in the Middle East.

Implemented abroad. Implementation outside the country is one of the essential characteristics of foreign military expeditionary operations. Of course, a war is an expeditionary operation against one side, and it may be a home-based operation against the other side of the enemy; the fighting party may initially fight on its own and then may be transferred to expeditionary operations; expeditionary operations may not necessarily need to land on the territory of other countries, but it can also strike enemy targets, such as strikes from the air and sea. In World War II, the Japanese combined fleet attacked the United States Pearl Harbor, and the Rapid Expedition of the United States to attack Tokyo, Japan, both of which directed the flames of war to the enemy countries in order to maintain the ability of the country to continue to support the war.

Strategic safeguards are required. Fighting far from home is one of the fundamental characteristics of expeditionary operations. Historically, foreign armies have expeditions of tens of thousands of kilometers, and there have also been operations of several hundred kilometers. It is obvious that the expeditionary force is not enough to support continuous operations by relying on its own operational materials, and it is necessary to establish a logistical support system abroad. This overseas support system can be established by relying on the extension of the domestic support system, and can also be established on the spot based on the war resources of other countries. At present, the reason why the US military "arrives globally and fights globally" is that its overseas support bases are all over the world.

Mostly offensive combat. Although foreign expeditionary operations include a series of offensive and defensive campaigns and battles, their preparations for early operations, the choice of the timing of the war, and the choice of the main direction of attack are generally proactive and offensive in nature. There are many forms of combat, ranging from military deterrence of military oppression to blockade operations of strategic containment, as well as long-range strikes such as air strikes. Of course, expeditionary operations are not all offensive, and defense is to ensure the stability and reliability of the offensive. For example, the "desert shield" phase of the multinational force in the Gulf War was defensive.

Emphasis is placed on crack combat. Foreign expeditionary operations are far from home support, so there are special requirements for the formation of troops. In terms of quantity and scale, we should try to be as lean as possible, and the less combat force we should put in, the better. Strive to synthesize the structure of forces to prevent the lack of certain forces from producing a short-board effect. In the use of strength, emphasis is placed on the concentrated use of elites, and in many cases it is necessary to strive to win more with less. The armies of western developed countries are mostly composed of marine corps, and their positioning is that of an elite expeditionary combat force.

Strive for a quick decision. Expeditionary operations are a huge drain on national strength, and we must strive for a quick decision. When summing up the lessons of the Vietnam War, the US military deeply felt that the long-term quagmire of overseas wars was an important reason for its defeat. Since then, the US military has placed special emphasis on the use of high-tech weapons and equipment to make a quick decision in expeditionary operations, and the war time has become shorter and shorter, and the Gulf War, known as the "2.5th World War," has only been carried out for a total of 42 days, and the ground war has only been a few days.

Source: People's Liberation Army Daily