The History of Marines Around the World

The History of Marines Around the World — page 3
INTRODUCTIO he first organized military forces were understandably armies as the earliest civilizations did not have the technology to fight on surfaces other than the land they occupied making land based warfare their only option With the development of specialized warships war fare moved to the seas with the advent of navies The two forces met in a way with the establishment of marines who first began service as naval infantries ready to attack the opposition residing either on enemy ships or ashore from sea vessels The fol lowing pages will examine the development of marine corps around the world their role in major military engagements and the indi viduals who have helped make them into the extraordinary forces they are today The earliest marine corps were slight variations on naval battalions with marines serving as infantry while in battle but as oars men or in other roles on a ship's crew while at sea Modern marine corps came into being in the 17th century and rose to prominence during the major global conflicts of the 20th century when amphibious warfare became The U S Marine Corps War Memorial in Arlington Va at night The memorial designed after a famous photograph depicts members of the United States Marines and Navy raising an American flag on the island of Iwo Jima after their success in this notable battle of World War II Samuel Antonio Flickr Vision Getty Images