Mountain warfare

Categories: Warfare | Ground warfare

Mountain warfare refers to warfare in the mountains. This type of warfare is also called Alpine warfare (from the Alps mountains) where this warfare was first noticed. This type of warfare is one of the most dangerous, as it involves fighting not only the enemy but also the extreme cold and inaccessible heights. The problems multiply due to avalanches of snow or rocks, either natural or induced by the enemy.

The long nights and great distances on huge, snow-covered peaks at sub-zero degree temperatures demands great endurance and patience. Winning the warfare essentially boils down to holding the high ground in the battle. Mountains, at any time of year, are dangerous -- lightning, high wind, rock fall, extreme cold, or falls into crevasses and cliffs all being able to cause death. In war, the dangers multiply exponentially. Movement, medical evacuation and resupply up steep slopes, often where even mules cannot go, involves enormous exertion of energy.

Probably the term mountain warfare came about in the medieval age, after the monarchies of Europe found it difficult to fight the Swiss armies in the Alps. This was because the Swiss were able to fight in smaller units and took vantage points against a huge unmanouverable army. Similar styles of attack and defence were later employed by guerillas, partisans and freedom fighters who hid in the mountains after an attack making it tough for the army to fight back.

It came to the fore once again during the Great War when the nations involved in the war had some mountain divisions that had hitherto not been tested. The Austro-Hungarian defence repelled Italians as they took advantage of the mostly mountainous terrain where more people succumbed to frostbite and avalanches than to bullets. Another offensive was launched by Turkish supreme commander Enver Pasha with 100,000 troops against the Russians in the Caucasus in December of 1914. Insisting on a frontal attack against Russian positions in the mountains in the heart of winter, Enver lost 86% of his force.

The most dangerous and volatile of all mountains conflicts involves the ongoing one between India and Pakistan over Kashmir. Since partition in 1947 both countries have been perennially locked in skirmishes and wars mainly revolving around this mountainous region. The first hostilities between the two nations in the Indo-Pakistani War of 1947 showed that both were ill-equipped to fight in biting cold let alone on the highest mountain region in the world, Himalayas. Later wars were mainly fought on the valleys than in the mountains. This changed in the Kargil War when Indian forces were faced with the huge task of flushing out the infiltrators. This proxy warfare became the only modern war that was fought exclusively on the mountains. Since Pakistan backed forces held the high ground and battles took place in peaks as high as 5,025 metres it proved an arduous task before the Indian Army backed by airpower managed to regain the heights and win the war. On a related note, the Siachen Glacier is called the highest battleground in the world with both the countries holding their respective positions at nearly 7 km. above sea level. More than 4000 people have died in this inhospitable terrain mostly due to weather extremities.

Many of the major armies of today have a specialized alpine division. Russia and USA are among the many countries with such divisions.

External links

• Mountain Combat WWII Militaria: Combat Lessons

References

• Frederick Engels, (January 27, 1857) "Mountain Warfare in the Past and Present" New York Daily Tribune MECW Volume 15, p 164
• Great War