Amphibious warfare - Definition and Overview

Amphibious warfare is the assault of an objective located on land by a force attacking from ships. It requires landing craft to transport troops to land from the ships which carry them to the area to be assaulted.

An amphibious assault is one of the most difficult military operations; requiring coordination of fires from ships and aircraft, with the perilous task of disembarking from landing craft onto a shore held by the enemy — who are often at a tremendous advantage due to the open spaces found on most beaches.

Famous American amphibious assaults include the Inchon Landing, D-Day, and the Battle of Iwo Jima. Although the United States Marine Corps are most commonly associated with amphibious assaults, during the Pacific Campaign of World War II, the U.S. Army also conducted many.