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Line of communication

Line of communication is a science topic covered in the lgStudy science library. This page brings together a partial reference excerpt, illustrations, worked examples, real-world applications and a short study plan, so you can understand Line of communication rather than just read about it. In short: A line of communication (or communications) is the route that connects an operating military unit with its supply base. Supplies and reinforcements are transported along the line of communication.

Line of communication — main illustration
Line of communication — illustration

Key takeaways

  • Line of communication belongs to science; place it in that map before memorising details.
  • Learn the definition first, then one example that makes the definition concrete.
  • Connect Line of communication to a quantity you can measure, compute or draw — that is where exam questions come from.
  • Reproduce the core statement of Line of communication from memory before moving on to harder problems.

Reference excerpt

A line of communication (or communications) is the route that connects an operating military unit with its supply base. Supplies and reinforcements are transported along the line of communication. Therefore, a secure and open line of communication is vital for any military force to continue to operate effectively. Prior to the advent of the use of the telegraph and radio in warfare, lines of communication were also the routes used by dispatch riders on horseback and runners to convey and deliver orders and battle updates to and from unit commanders and headquarters. Thus, a unit whose lines of communication were compromised was vulnerable to becoming isolated and destroyed, as the means for requesting reinforcements and resupply is lost. The standard military abbreviation is LOC. There is also SLOC for Sea Line of Communication, GLOC for Ground Line of Communication, or ALOC for Air Line of Communication. The interdiction of supplies and reinforcements to units closer to the front lines is therefore an important strategic goal for opposing forces. Some notable examples:

The siege of Vicksburg in the American Civil War, in which Ulysses S. Grant encircled the city, leading to its eventual surrender in July 1863 The Battle of France in World War II, in which the Germans cut off the French and British armies in Belgium (although the Dunkirk evacuation rescued over 330,000 of them) The encirclement of German 6th Army in the Battle of Stalingrad in World War II The United States' attacks on the Ho Chi Minh trail during the Vietnam War

See also

Logistics in general Aerial refueling Airlift Army engineering maintenance Expeditionary maneuver warfare Integrated logistics support Logistician Logistics Officer Main supply route Military logistics Military supply chain management NATO Stock Number Performance-based logistics Seabasing Sealift Train (military) Underway replenishment

Specific logistics operations Battle of Pusan Perimeter logistics British logistics in the Falklands War British logistics in the Second Boer War

References

Further reading The Oxford Essential Dictionary of the U.S. Military. Oxford University Press. 2002.

Illustrations

Line of communication: Convoy of ships supporting Allied forces in the invasion of Normandy in June 1944 during the Second World War.
Convoy of ships supporting Allied forces in the invasion of Normandy in June 1944 during the Second World War.

Worked examples

Example 1 — a first encounter with Line of communication

Start with the simplest possible case. Write down what Line of communication claims or describes in one sentence, then invent the smallest concrete situation in which that sentence is true. In science, the smallest case is usually a single object, a single equation or a single measurement. Check that every symbol or term in your sentence has a meaning in that case.

Example 2 — changing one variable

Take the situation from Example 1 and change exactly one quantity: double it, halve it, or set it to zero. Predict what should happen to Line of communication before you calculate. Comparing your prediction with the result is the fastest way to find out whether you understand the idea or only the words.

Example 3 — an exam-style question

Typical questions about Line of communication ask you to (a) state it precisely, (b) apply it to given data, and (c) explain a limitation. Practise writing all three answers in under five minutes; the third part is what separates a full-mark answer from an average one.

Applications of Line of communication

In research
Line of communication appears in science research whenever the underlying quantities have to be modelled precisely. Papers usually cite it as a starting assumption and then explore where it breaks down.
In technology and industry
Engineering practice reuses Line of communication in design rules, simulations and safety margins. Knowing the idea lets you read a specification sheet and understand why the numbers look the way they do.
In the classroom
Line of communication is common in secondary-school and first-year university syllabi. It links to neighbouring topics Military strategy, so understanding it makes those chapters shorter.
In everyday life
Look for Line of communication outside the textbook — in sport, cooking, traffic, electronics or the sky above you. An example you found yourself is remembered far longer than one you were given.

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How to study Line of communication in 20 minutes

  1. Read the reference excerpt below once, without taking notes.
  2. Close the page and write down what Line of communication means in your own words.
  3. Compare your version with the excerpt and mark what you missed.
  4. Work through the three examples above with pen and paper.
  5. Explain Line of communication out loud to somebody else — or to Teacher Smith in the lgStudy chat.

Frequently asked questions

What is Line of communication in simple terms?

A line of communication (or communications) is the route that connects an operating military unit with its supply base. Supplies and reinforcements are transported along the line of communication.

Why does Line of communication matter?

Because it connects several science ideas at once: it gives you a definition you can apply, a quantity you can calculate, and a way to check whether a result is plausible.

How should I study Line of communication?

Read the excerpt, restate it from memory, then work through the examples and applications listed on this page. The five-step study plan above takes about twenty minutes.

What does this page cover?

It gives you a compact reference excerpt plus original lgStudy explanations, examples, applications and study material on Line of communication.

Tags

  • Military strategy

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