Page 122 - MDSL Final
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MARITIME DOCTRINE OF SRI LANKA
The principle of Flexibility was present throughout the
planning and execution at both the strategic and tactical
levels of war.
Effective manoeuvre keeps the enemy off balance and thus
also protects the friendly force. It contributes materially
to exploiting successes, preserving freedom of action and
reducing vulnerability by continually posing new problems
for the enemy. Strategically manoeuvre was present in
the sense of the stratagem considered: the operation
was synchronized with an offensive on the Soviet front;
deception was used to tie forces in the Pas-de Calais area,
positioning credible forces in the Mediterranean area at
the time of commencement of OVERLORD; and finally, by
launching Operation ANVIL to open additional ports and tie
down more forces – this all caused enemy concentrations
away from the main effort.
Flexibility was demonstrated at the operational and
tactical level when an airborne division was dropped in
the rear to divert enemy forces, which allowed the VII
Corps to virtually walk ashore at Utah Beach (when the
German forces were tied down in the Caen area) giving the
necessary freedom of action to US forces to pursue seizing
the port of Cherbourg and the rest of Cotentin Peninsula.
104 To Nurture a Stable Environment at Sea
