Describing an Action that is Hard to Put into Practice: Marquisof la Mina and the Operational and Tactical Concept of Amphibious Warfare Cover Image

Pintando una acción de difícil práctica: el Marqués de la Mina y táctica de la guerra anfibia
Describing an Action that is Hard to Put into Practice: Marquisof la Mina and the Operational and Tactical Concept of Amphibious Warfare

Author(s): Marcin Karkut
Subject(s): History, Modern Age, 17th Century, 18th Century
Published by: Towarzystwo Naukowe KUL & Katolicki Uniwersytet Lubelski Jana Pawła II
Keywords: Marquis of la Mina; military history; amphibious warfare; XVIIIth century; war treatise

Summary/Abstract: Jaime Miguel de Guzmán-Dávalos y Spínola (1690-1767) was one of the most prestigious soldiers of the Enlightenment. He wrote Máximas para la Guerra, a book of unquestionable value that was published upon his death. In this article, paraphrasing the words of the author mentioned in its title, we aim at studying the precepts of the renowned scientist on amphibious warfare to which he devoted a chapter of his work. Having in mind its unquestionable quality, and being far from the hagiographic idolatry, we are going to run its critical evaluation. Disembarking troops is one of the most complex military operations ever. Our study contains lessons that we consider to be most valuable as well as decisions that we view as not so beneficial. In addition to that we also tackle the aspects that in our opinion could have been presented and analysed by the author and were not included.

  • Issue Year: 67/2019
  • Issue No: 2
  • Page Range: 111-127
  • Page Count: 17
  • Language: Spanish