Q&A ยท 2:12:10-2:12:57

Could D-Day be classified as a giant river crossing?

D-Day's launch from land permits a technical river-crossing analogy, while Normandy remains conventionally classified as an amphibious operation.

Question

Do large lake and river crossings count as amphibious operations, and could D-Day technically be treated as a river crossing?

Short answer

Convention calls D-Day amphibious, but because it launched from land and crossed water to another shore, it can technically be compared with a very large river crossing.

Notes

Large-lake operations complicate the usual distinction between amphibious assaults mounted from the sea and crossings launched from land. D-Day began on land and crossed water to another shore. On that narrowly technical basis, it can be compared with a very large river crossing. Normandy remains conventionally classified and studied as an amphibious operation.