Scorched earth

From TheBestLinks.com

This article is about the military strategy. See Scorched Earth for the computer game.

Scorched earth is a military tactic which involves destroying anything that might be useful to the enemy whilst withdrawing from an area. The name refers to the practice of burning crops to deny the enemy food sources. The practice may be carried out by an army in enemy territory, or by an army in its own home territory. An example of the latter occurred in World War II when the Soviet Red Army salted their own lands as the Nazis forced them to retreat back through it, preventing the Nazis from growing crops on it. This example also illustrates another important aspect to consider about scorched earth tactics: when the Soviets reclaimed the territory, they were equally unable to use it.

The tactic can also be used aggressively to cripple an enemy's ability to operate and fight in their own territory. General Sherman's March to the Sea during the American Civil War is a well known example.

During the Napoleonic Wars, scorched earth policies were successfully employed in both Spain (see Peninsular War) and Russia (see Patriotic War). Contrary to popular opinion maintained mainly by the Tolstoy novel War and Peace, in Russia the tactic was first proposed not by Mikhail Illarionovich Kutuzov but Michael Andreas Barclay de Tolly.

Wars which have involved scorched earth tactics

The Napoleonic Wars in Russia and Spain.
The British used scorched earth techniques against the Afrikaners during the Boer Wars.
During the American Civil War, General Sherman burned and plundered the countryside on his way from Atlanta to the sea.
In skirmishes with Indian settlers in the Great Plains, American soldiers used scorched earth tactics to destroy Indian food supplies and territories.
During World War II, the Soviets employed a highly effective scorched earth policy to counter the Nazi invasion (see Great Patriotic War).
The Nazis used a scorched earth strategy against the Finns during the Lapland War, part of World War II.
the rebellion against Julius Caesar by Vercingetorix
The United States' policy during the Vietnam war, such as Operation Ranch Hand. (http://www.zmag.org/ZMag/articles/nov00leach.htm)

Future usage and modern alternatives

It remains to be seen whether nuclear, biological, and/or chemical weapons will be used as scorched earth weapons. Using land mines or semi-autonomous artillery units (such as the Metal Storm systems) to create denied areas may be an alternative to scorched earth tactics in some cases, and modern solutions of these types may offer friend-or-foe selectivity.

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Categories: Military terms