5 - Operational Doctrine
from Part II
Published online by Cambridge University Press: 05 August 2013
Summary
The operational doctrine of the British Marine Corps would not only influence Marine identity, but would also be influenced by that identity. It would take 47 years to codify this doctrine, but when it was complete it dramatically shaped the Marines for the rest of their history. This operational doctrine's primary responsibility was to prepare marines, through constant training, for operations in an amphibious environment. The Marines would succeed in this dual world of sea and land operations to the point they were officially recognised with the bestowment of the title of ‘Royal’ in 1802. Before discussing the training and implementation for sea and land operations, terms that will be used throughout this chapter need to be defined.
Operational doctrine is a term that is composed of various elements. ‘Operational’ comprises the second part of the battle-space triumvirate of military theory (i.e. strategic, operational and tactical). The military study of the operational perspective of warfare is classified as operational art. Operational art theory was first formulated by Soviet military planners in the 1920s and 1930s. Krause and Phillips, in their work on this subject, define operational art as ‘the middle ground that linked national strategic goals with tactical objectives’. They go on: ‘It is more than large-scale tactics, but it is not small-scale strategy either. It has both a tactical and a strategic dimension, because it must create a vision of unity of action of the battlefield that ultimately achieves a strategic objective.’
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- Information
- The Birth of the Royal Marines, 1664-1802 , pp. 163 - 205Publisher: Boydell & BrewerPrint publication year: 2013