Doolittle Raid equivalents in history

The Doolittle raid did very little material damage to the Japanese.

 

Its aim was more about boosting home morale.

 

It could also be argued that one of its unintended consequences was in a change in Japanese strategy, to seek out America�s carriers and that resulted in the Battle of Midway and a greater US victory.

 

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Doolittle_Raid

 

So I was wondering, what other military operation in history had little or no direct military value but had either unplanned benefits or were solely morale boosters?

 

 

 

RAF Mosquito Squadron strikes into German controlled  area's such as Norway & Denmark.

The Entebbe raid may fit into this category.  Not only was the raid an incredible success, but it also helped create the myth of Israeli invincibility and that Israel could reach anywhere with lethal effeciency.  

Edited by Cryptic - 30-May-2007 at 22:06

Halpro and maybe Tidal Wave. Both against Ploiesti in WWII. The first was a surprise though it didn't do real damage. The second was a disaster (in short term) for the USAAF. The damage was minimal. Yet, since there was a threat, Hitler and Antonescu brought more fighters in Romania to protect Ploiesti. Therefore there were less to fight the Soviets. And, in 1944, when the USAAF (not the Mighty Eight it was the XV'th) really came, we really got into trouble. Though the americans didn't found it easy... but that's another story.

Originally posted by Cryptic The Entebbe raid may fit into this category.  Not only was the raid an incredible success, but it also helped create the myth of Israeli invincibility and that Israel could reach anywhere with lethal effeciency.     Once created, this myth lasted until the post occupation experience iSouth Lebanon and with the Infatilda during the 1990s.  Like all myths, the Israeli invincibility myth was based on fact.  The Israeli military was (and still is, to a degree) and a very lethal fighting force.  They are not, hoewver, invicible.

The Syrian campaign just after the death of the prophet Muhammad. Just before he died, the prophet sent an army against the Ghassanid in Jordan under the command of Osamah ibn Zaid, when he died the army stopped near Madina as all Arabia except the three cities, Makkah, Madinah and Taif. All the tribes around Madinah, Ghatafan, Abs etc were gathering to sack Madinah some of these tribes had over 5000 men under Arms, disregarding the unanimous call from the Sahabah to buy time, bribe the tribes and gather enough men including the army of Osamah,which had most of the war horses and was completely armed and had the best men in it, so it spearheads the effort of regaining authority on all Arabia, Abu Bakr sent it to Jordan and ordered it to take down any tribes that tries to undermine it. When Ghatafan heard of this news and the victories this army had against other tribes and ultimately against the Ghassanis near Balqa, they voluntarily broke their rebellion and effectively participated in the apostate wars where they lost most of their men. Leaders of Ghatafan said after that if that army did not go they would have definitely sacked Madinah because they said we never heard of a besieged City that has spare troops, as they thought, to send into a far away land because of a trivial incident so the were quickly to swear allegiance to Islam after small skirmishes.

Originally posted by Jonathan4290 I would also say what is now known as Black Hawk Down where 17 US rangers were killed at a cost of thousands of Somalians. The American casualties had little effect on their military situation but were forced to abandon their mission after the public was horrified to see  dead Americans being dragged around in Somalian streets.

Originally posted by pikeshot1600 Originally posted by Jonathan4290 I would also say what is now known as Black Hawk Down where 17 US rangers were killed at a cost of thousands of Somalians. The American casualties had little effect on their military situation but were forced to abandon their mission after the public was horrified to see  dead Americans being dragged around in Somalian streets.   The mission was abandoned due to the incompetence of the C-in-C, Mr. Clinton.  One of his several FUBARs.  Let's not look at this as a Doolittle, but as a DoNothing.  It had the opposite effect of Doolittle's raid.   Soldiers take the risks of war, regardless of the theater in which they are assumed.  Iranians did the same to dead Americans after Mr. Carter's 1980 FUBAR.  He was another incompetent as C-in-C.  But at least Carter had good intentions and did something that took courage.   Clinton is a gutless wimp whose policies vacillated daily based on what the polls looked like in the media.  Just like his wife will be.   Digression?  Well....yeah.