Turning Points in Warfare: Keegan

Combat warfare over time is re-invented and the '90s were a critical time that can be easily overlooked in the history of warfare since the period is relatively undistinguished as opposed to earlier crucial periods of world history. As expressed by the preeminent military historian, John Keegan, "There are certain dates in the history of warfare that mark real turning points. November 20, 1917, is one, when at Cambrai the tank showed that the traditional dominance of infantry, cavalry, and artillery on the battlefield had been overthrown. November 11, 1940, is another, when the sinking of the Italian fleet at Taranta demonstrated that the aircraft carrier and its aircraft had abolished the age-old supremacy of the battleship. Now there is a new turning point to fix on the calender, June 3, 1999, when the capitulation of President Milosevic proved that a war can be won by air power alone" (Keegan as quoted in War, Halberstam, p. 478).

20 November 1917 Battle of Cambrai, 2:06

The Battle of Cambrai (20 November - 3 December 1917) was a British campaign of World War I. Noted for the first successful use of tanks in a combined arms operation, the British attack demonstrated that the Hindenburg Line could be penetrated, while the German counter attack showed the value of new infantry tactics that would later be part of the Kaiserschlacht. Liddell Hart called the battle "one of the landmarks in the history of warfare, the dawn of a new epoch."[1]

Cambrai is a French town in the Nord département (Nord-Pas-de-Calais). In 1917 it was a key supply point for the German Siegfried Stellung (part of the Hindenburg Line) and the nearby Bourlon Ridge would be an excellent gain from which to threaten the German rear to the north.

NATO maintains extensive documentation on its activities.

3 June 1999, :07

A bird's eye view depicting attacks on mortar and artillery in the field.

NATO precision bombing

One of the most difficult bombings was thought to be nearly impossible because of its location in a busy urban area ("Novi Sad Bridge in downtown Belgrade," p. 459, Halberstam), :07. Doubts existed about one of the ten most expensive military planes and newer technology, such as the B-2 (Stealth) Bomber, until it was actually successfully deployed in warfare (Cf. Encyclopedia of Modern US Military Weapons by Timothy M. Laur, p. 23ff.

Novi Sad Highway Bridge bombed

Cf. Maps and Aerial Views of post- and pre-strikes used during the Press Conference by General Wesley K. Clark, 16 Sept. 1999, Source: NATO photos.