River operations range from a platoon wading across a stream to divisions using landing craft across hundreds of metres of water. A doctrinal distinction used here calls these shore-to-shore movements, while amphibious operations begin from ships aboard which the force has based and organized itself. Under that definition, D-Day can count as shore-to-shore because the assault force organized ashore and used vessels mainly for transit. The same technical argument is presented as a reason the U.S. Army gave for excluding Marine Corps participation. Coast Guard and Royal Navy landing craft and support still gave the operation a substantial maritime component. The classification depends on the definition being applied to how the force was organized.
Notable Point · 1:29:47-1:35:08
Shore-to-shore movement and the boundary of amphibious warfare
A doctrinal distinction between shore-to-shore and ship-to-shore movement produces a provocative classification of the D-Day landings.