Bombardment: Difference between revisions
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{{Short description|Military attack by artillery fire}} |
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{{Other uses}} |
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{{One source|date=March 2020}} |
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{{history of war}} |
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[[File:Algiers-bombing.jpg|thumb|right|200px|An illustration of the unsuccessful [[Bombardment of Algiers (1783)|Bombardment of Algiers]] by the [[History of Spain (1700–1810)|Spanish]] admiral [[Antonio Barceló|Antonio Barceló y Pont de la Terra]].]] |
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A '''bombardment''' is an attack by [[artillery]] fire or by [[aerial bomb|dropping bombs]] from [[Military aircraft|aircraft]] on [[fortifications]], [[combatants]], or [[City|cities]] and [[buildings]]. |
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Prior to [[World War I]], the term was only applied to the bombardment of defenseless or undefended objects, houses, public buildings, etc. It was only loosely employed to describe artillery attacks upon forts or fortified positions in preparation for assaults by [[infantry]].<ref name=EB1911>{{EB1911|inline=1 |wstitle=Bombardment |volume=4 |page=182}}</ref> Since then, it has come to mean any mass attack delivered by artillery or short-range tactical [[missiles]], and later, [[Strategic bombing|aerial bombardment]] delivered by aircraft or long-range missiles. |
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<ref name=EB1911>{{EB1911|inline=1 |wstitle=Bombardment |volume=4 |page=182}}</ref> |
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==History== |
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In its old strict sense, the term was only applied to the bombardment of defenseless or undefended objects, houses, public buildings, etc., by an assailant with the object of disheartening his opponent, and specially to force the [[civilian]] [[population]] and authorities of a be[[siege]]d place to persuade their military commander to [[Capitulation (surrender)|capitulate]] before the actual defenses of the place have been reduced to impotence.<ref name=EB1911/> The practice of employing artillery to achieve these ends was especially common up until World War I; since then long-range artillery bombardment has been joined by aerial bombardment delivered by aircraft or missiles. |
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[[File:Zamek w Malborku - bombarda.jpg|thumb|A [[Bombard (weapon)|bombard]], [[Malbork Castle]]]] |
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Bombardment can only achieve its objective when the amount of suffering inflicted upon [[non-combatants]] is sufficient to break down their resolution, and when the commander permits himself to be influenced or coerced by the sufferers. A threat of bombardment will sometimes induce the target to [[surrender (military)|surrender]], but instances of its fulfillment being followed by success are rare; in general, with a determined commander, bombardments fail in their objective. Further, intentionally intense fire at a large target, unlike the slow, steady and minutely accurate artillery attacks directed upon the fortifications, requires the expenditure of large quantities of [[ammunition]] and wears out the guns of the attack. Bombardments are, however, frequently resorted to in order to test the temper of the garrison and the civilian population, a notable instance being the [[Siege of Strasbourg]] in 1870.<ref name=EB1911/> |
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[[File:Pommitustuhoja Helsingissä JSdia270.jpg|thumb|Bombing destruction in [[Helsinki]], [[Finland]], the night of February 6–7, 1944 (during the [[Continuation War]]).]] |
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The term has evolved during the twentieth century to incorporate broader massed artillery attacks by one army against another, for example the front wide bombardment prior to the 1916 attack on the Somme or the massed bombardments preceding [[Operation Uranus]] during [[World War II]].{{citation needed|date=November 2011}} |
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== References == |
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{{Reflist}} |
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{{Authority control}} |
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[[Category:Artillery operation]] |
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[[Category:Explosive weapons]] |
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Latest revision as of 16:57, 6 December 2023
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A bombardment is an attack by artillery fire or by dropping bombs from aircraft on fortifications, combatants, or cities and buildings.
Prior to World War I, the term was only applied to the bombardment of defenseless or undefended objects, houses, public buildings, etc. It was only loosely employed to describe artillery attacks upon forts or fortified positions in preparation for assaults by infantry.[1] Since then, it has come to mean any mass attack delivered by artillery or short-range tactical missiles, and later, aerial bombardment delivered by aircraft or long-range missiles.
History
[edit]In its old strict sense, the term was only applied to the bombardment of defenseless or undefended objects, houses, public buildings, etc., by an assailant with the object of disheartening his opponent, and specially to force the civilian population and authorities of a besieged place to persuade their military commander to capitulate before the actual defenses of the place have been reduced to impotence.[1] The practice of employing artillery to achieve these ends was especially common up until World War I; since then long-range artillery bombardment has been joined by aerial bombardment delivered by aircraft or missiles.
Bombardment can only achieve its objective when the amount of suffering inflicted upon non-combatants is sufficient to break down their resolution, and when the commander permits himself to be influenced or coerced by the sufferers. A threat of bombardment will sometimes induce the target to surrender, but instances of its fulfillment being followed by success are rare; in general, with a determined commander, bombardments fail in their objective. Further, intentionally intense fire at a large target, unlike the slow, steady and minutely accurate artillery attacks directed upon the fortifications, requires the expenditure of large quantities of ammunition and wears out the guns of the attack. Bombardments are, however, frequently resorted to in order to test the temper of the garrison and the civilian population, a notable instance being the Siege of Strasbourg in 1870.[1]
The term has evolved during the twentieth century to incorporate broader massed artillery attacks by one army against another, for example the front wide bombardment prior to the 1916 attack on the Somme or the massed bombardments preceding Operation Uranus during World War II.[citation needed]
References
[edit]- ^ a b c One or more of the preceding sentences incorporates text from a publication now in the public domain: Chisholm, Hugh, ed. (1911). "Bombardment". Encyclopædia Britannica. Vol. 4 (11th ed.). Cambridge University Press. p. 182.
