Coup de main
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
A coup de main (plural: coups de main, French for blow with the hand[1][2]) is a swift attack that relies on speed and surprise to accomplish its objectives in a single blow. The United States Department of Defense defines it as:
| “ | An offensive operation that capitalizes on surprise and simultaneous execution of supporting operations to achieve success in one swift stroke. [3] | ” |
The term coup de main originally meant "by direct assault rather than by artillery".[4]
The first airborne assault in the World War II invasion of Normandy, on Pegasus Bridge, is an example of a "coup de main" operation, and is sometimes referred to as Operation Coup de Main though the actual code name for the British airborne attack was Operation Deadstick.
See also
- Battle of Fort Eben-Emael
- Tatsinskaya Raid
- Raid on Drvar
- Coup d'état
- Coup de grâce
- Siege
References
- ↑ coup de main on Dictionary.com
- ↑ In French, coup de main can also mean "a helping hand" (informal language), or "know-how".
- ↑ Coup de Main, DOD Dictionary of Military and Associated Terms
- ↑ Dictionnaire de l'Académie françoise (1765)
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