This thesis is an historical analysis of deliberate river crossings performed by four U. S. Army divisions in February 1945: the Sixth Armored Division, the Eighth Infantry Division, the Eightieth Infantry Division, and the Eighty-Fourth Infantry Division. This analysis examines each division's performance, based on historical records. Conclusions are based on the techniques used by these divisions and on the reasons why these divisions were able to perform successful river crossings. This paper also describes and analyzes current river crossing doctrine, as contained in Field Circular 90-13, Counterobstacle and River Crossing Operations, March 1987. This study compares the reasons for success in the historical river crossing operations with the conceptual framework of current doctrine. This analysis concludes that current river crossing doctrine as set forth in Field Circular 90-13 is historically sound. However, there are omissions in the current doctrine that should be corrected prior to publication of Field Circular 90-13 as a field manual. | Deliberate River Crossings by David B Tarbox, Paperback | Indigo Chapters