Line after line of landing craft reaches the beach. Soon there are thousands of soldiers. Tanks and heavy guns are landed. The noise is terrific.
Line after line of landing
craft reaches the beach. Soon there are thousands of soldiers. Tanks
and heavy guns are landed. The noise is terrific. Rifles crack,
cannons boom, tanks rumble, and planes zoom overhead. The invaders
slowly advance up the beach. Sometimes the soldiers wriggle forward
on their stomachs.
Sometimes they run for
short distances in a zigzag line to avoid being hit. Sometimes the
enemy fire is too strong and the soldiers have to dig trenches in the
sand. The wounded are carried back to the landing boats, and the
boats head back to the transports or to hospital ships. There the
wounded are taken care of by army and navy doctors. The enemy is
driven still farther back. The beach is won. It is now safe to bring
in supplies. Up to now, the navy has been in charge of the amphibious
operation. The army generals have been taking orders from the navy
admirals.
The enemy is driven back
mile after mile. More and more attacking soldiers are landed. More
and more equipment is piled up on the beach. Usually after two or
three days the attacking forces have established themselves strongly
in enemy territory. The beach is now safe and peaceful. The
amphibious part of the warfare has come to an end. The army generals
take over command and the navy steams off, leaving only enough ships
to continue bringing supplies in for the soldiers. The warfare in the
Pacific was often entirely amphibious. This was so when a small
island was invaded. The naval ships remained until the entire island
was occupied.
