Salient (military)

For other uses, seeSalient.

German attack plan (blue arrows) to pinch out the Soviet-occupied Kursk salient, which resulted in theBattle of Kursk

German-occupied salient in the Ardennes on the eve of theBattle of the Bulgeon December 15, 1944

Asalient,also known as abulge,is abattlefieldfeature that projects into enemy territory. The salient is surrounded by the enemy on multiple sides, making the troops occupying the salient vulnerable. The opponent's front line that borders a salient is referred to as are-entrant– that is, an angle pointing inwards. A deep salient is vulnerable to being "pinched off" through the base, and this will result in apocketin which the forces in the salient become isolated and without asupply line.On the other hand, a breakout of the forces within the salient through its tip can threaten the rear areas of the opposing forces outside it, leaving them open to an attack from behind.

Implementation

Salients can be formed in a number of ways. An attacker can produce a salient in the defender's line by either intentionally making apincer movementaround themilitary flanksof astrongpoint,which becomes the tip of the salient, or by making a broad, frontal attack which is held up in the centre but advances on the flanks. An attacker would usually produce a salient in his own line by making a broad, frontal attack that is successful only in the center, which becomes the tip of the salient. A salient can also be formed if the attacking army feigns retreat, tricking the defending forces to chase them down, leading to the main army being on all sides in a pre-arranged ambush.

Intrench warfare,salients are distinctly defined by the opposing lines of trenches, and they were commonly formed by the failure of a broad frontal attack. The static nature of the trenches meant that forming a pocket was difficult, but the vulnerable nature of salients meant that they were often the focus ofattrition battles.

Map showing German forces pushing out through the tip of the salient in an attempt to penetrate into the rear of the Allied forces during theBattle of the Bulge,December 16–25, 1944.

Front line, 16 December

Front line, 20 December

Front line, 25 December

Examples

• American Civil War
  • On thesecond day of the Battle of Gettysburg,Union GeneralDaniel Sicklesmoved hisIII Corpsahead of the main line of theUnion Armywithout orders, causing him to be nearly cut off from the main army when theConfederate Armyattacked. Sickles had held a similar position at Catherine's Furnace in theBattle of Chancellorsvilletwo months earlier, and in both cases his corps was badly mauled and had to be rescued by other units.
  • At theBattle of Spotsylvania,the ConfederateArmy of Northern Virginiaarrived first at a strategic crossroads, and constructed a timber-reinforced line of trenches to stand against the numerically superior UnionArmy of the Potomac.The trench line bulged forward to protect a piece of high ground, in a curve that became known as the Mule Shoe Salient. Union troops concentrated their attack on this point, broke through, and 22 hours of brutal, hand-to-hand fighting ensued before the Confederates pulled back to a new position.
• World War I
  • TheBritishoccupied alarge salientatYpresfor most of the war. Formed as a result of theFirst Battle of Ypres,it became one of the most bloody sectors of theWestern Front.So enduring was the feature and so dreadful its reputation that when British infantry spoke of "The Salient", it was understood that they were referring to Ypres.
  • A similar salient existed around the French city ofVerdun;theBattle of Verdunaround it cost both sides heavy casualties.
  • TheGermansoccupied a small salient in front ofFromellescalled theSugarloafdue to its distinctive shape. Being small, it provided advantage to the occupiers by allowing them toenfiladethe stretches ofno man's landon either flank.
• World War II
  • TheSoviet Unionoccupied a massive, 150 km deep salient atKurskthat became the site of thelargest tank battlein history and a decisive battle on theEastern Front.
  • TheGerman Armylaunched a surprise attack against advancing Allied forces in theArdennes(a region of extensive forests primarily inBelgiumandLuxembourg) in December 1944. This battle created a large salient for several weeks, and is commonly known as theBattle of the Bulge(also known as the Ardennes Offensive and the Von Rundstedt Offensive).
• Turkish invasion of Cyprus
  • Turkish forces reached as far south as theTurkish Cypriotvillage ofLouroujina.The cease-fire line dividingCyprusinto Greek and Turkish-controlled sectors putLouroujina in a salient— accessible from the rest ofTurkish Cypriot-controlled Cyprusby a single road.
• Bangladesh Liberation War
  • TheBattle of Boyrawas fought by theIndian Armyand theMukti Bahiniagainst thePakistan Army,over the Boyra salient, overlooking an important supply route, the Jessore Road.

Pocket

Main article:Pocket (military)

In mobile warfare, such as the GermanBlitzkrieg,salients were more likely to be made into pockets which became the focus ofannihilation battles.

A pocket carries connotations that the encircled forces have not allowed themselves to be encircled intentionally, as they may when defending a fortified position, which is usually called a siege. This is a similar distinction to that made between askirmishandpitched battle.

See also

• Panhandle
• Spur (mountain)

External links

• The Great Kitilä Motti(Winter War history from a documentary film's website)