Cold-weather warfare

Cold-weather warfare, also known as arctic warfare or winter warfare, encompasses military operations affected by snow, ice, thawing conditions, or cold, both on land and at sea, as well as the strategies and tactics used by military forces in these situations and environments.

"Arctic warfare" redirects here. For the sniper rifle, see Accuracy International Arctic Warfare.

Cold-weather conditions occur year-round at high elevation or latitudes, and elsewhere materialize seasonally during the winter period. Mountain warfare often takes place in cold weather or on terrain that is affected by ice and snow, such as the Alps and the Himalayas. Historically, most such operations have been during winter in the Northern Hemisphere. Some have occurred above the Arctic Circle where snow, ice, and cold may occur throughout the year.

At times, cold—or its aftermath, thaw—has been a decisive factor in the failure of a campaign, as with the French invasion of Russia in 1812, the Soviet invasion of Finland in 1939,^[1]^[2] and the German invasion of the Soviet Union during World War II.

A bivouac of Napoleon's army during retreat from Russia in 1812

Japanese troops during the 1895 Battle of Weihaiwei

Severely cold – Where mean annual air temperatures stay below freezing, maximum snow depths exceed 60 centimetres (24 in), and ice covers lakes and rivers for more than 180 days each year.

Moderately cold – Where the mean temperatures during the coldest month are below freezing.

Canada – In 2008, the established the Nanisivik Naval Facility, a winter warfare training center above the arctic circle in Resolute, Nunavut^[62] for annual exercises.^[63]

Canadian Forces

China – The trains annually in regions subject to harsh winter conditions. Lightly armed border patrol units are mounted on horseback or snowmobiles and are expected to provide early detection of incursion.^[64]

People's Liberation Army

Finland – The train every conscript for skiing and Arctic warfare regardless of the branch, approximately 25,000 soldiers per year.^[65] Finland also trains U.S. Army students in Arctic warfare.^[66]

Finnish Defence Forces

The following nations report regular training programs in cold-weather warfare:

Increases

ship displacement

Decreases

freeboard

Impairs operation of deck machinery

Impedes personnel movement on deck

Restricts operations

helicopter

Disrupts operation of radio and radars

Govan, Thomas P. (1946). . The Army Ground Forces. Historical Section- Army Ground Forces.

Training for Mountain and Winter Warfare, Study No. 23

Armstrong, Richard N.; Joseph G., Welsh (2014), , Cass series on Soviet military theory and practice, Routledge, p. 208, ISBN 9781135211547, retrieved 12 December 2016

Winter Warfare: Red Army Orders and Experiences

– 1959 German Army training film, "Individual protection in deep winter" – German narration