A return attack.
intr. & tr.v., -tacked, -tack·ing, -tacks. (koun'tər-ə-tăk')To deliver a return attack or make a return attack against.
|
Results for counterattack
|
On this page:
|
A return attack.
intr. & tr.v., -tacked, -tack·ing, -tacks. (koun'tər-ə-tăk')To deliver a return attack or make a return attack against.
Attacking an attacker. Even though a criminal hacker or other agent is attempting to penetrate a security perimeter or damage systems, the counterattack must not violate applicable laws.
noun
n.an attack by part or all of a defending force against an enemy attacking force, for such specific purposes as regaining lost ground or cutting off or destroying enemy advance units, and with the general objective of denying to the enemy the attainment of their purpose in attacking.
See the Introduction, Abbreviations and Pronunciation for further details.
(DOD) Attack by part or all of a defending force against an enemy attacking force, for such specific purposes as regaining ground lost or cutting off or destroying enemy advance units, and with the general objective of denying to the enemy the attainment of the enemy's purpose in attacking. In sustained defensive operations, it is undertaken to restore the battle position and is directed at limited objectives. See also countermove; counteroffensive.
Because of the strength of the attack, they knew that their counterattack had to be swift and strong.
A counterattack is a military tactic used by defending forces when under attack by an enemy force. During their assault, the attackers may have become vulnerable through exhaustion, complacency, or placing themselves in unfavorable conditions. At the right moment, the defenders aggressively charge out of their fortifications, meeting and stunning their attackers directly, and gain the initiative. This can break a siege or change the tide of a battle. However, if the wrong moment is chosen, or a counterattack is poorly executed, a military disaster could result for the defending side, since the defenders are no longer protected by their fortifications.
In the history of warfare, the counterattack has been both used effectively and ineffectively.
During the Sicilian expedition from 415 to 413 BC, the Athenians were about to be victorious. However, one Syracusan line held, and pressed the attack, scattering and defeating the invading forces of the Athenian Empire.
At the Battle of Hefei in 217 AD, a defending force of less than 1000 men, led by the Cao Wei officer, Zhang Liao, successfully defeated the invading Sun Wu army of around 80,000 troops through a daring ambush and counterattack which cut the enemy army in half.
Colonel Joshua Chamberlain commanded the Twentieth Maine Regiment on Little Round Top on the second day of the Battle of Gettysburg. The elite Rebel troops of John Bell Hood charged, but Chamberlain refused his lines, and then ordered a right wheel across the hill, with the result of a large destruction of the Confederate lines.
At the Battle of Kursk in July 1943, German Panther tanks exhausted themselves against Soviet anti-tank artillery. As soon as the Germans ended their advance, Soviet T-34 tanks flooded down a nearby ridge, "like rats" according to General Heinz Guderian. The Wehrmacht was scattered in the battle, with much of their lines destroyed. The Germans would never again launch an assault of that scale against the Soviets, and were on the defensive against the Soviet Union from then on.
The consequence of the counterattack has been decisive throughout history. If the Athenians had won at Syracuse, the Greeks, not the Romans, might have dominated the ancient Mediterranean basin. Had the Soviets not won the Battle of Kursk, the Nazis would have dominated the Eastern Front for probably at least a year longer, delaying pressure on the Third Reich and most likely having a substantial effect on the war, if not its eventual outcome. Other decisive battles, as well, have been won or lost by counterattacks.
This entry is from Wikipedia, the leading user-contributed encyclopedia. It may not have been reviewed by professional editors (see full disclaimer)
Dansk (Danish)
n. - modangreb
v. tr., -
v. intr. - gå til modangreb
Nederlands (Dutch)
tegenaanval, counter, tot de tegenaanval overgaan, counteren
Français (French)
n. - contre-attaque (sur)
v. tr. - contre-attaquer
v. intr. - contre-attaquer
Deutsch (German)
v. - kontern, zurückschlagen
n. - Gegenangriff
Ελληνική (Greek)
v. - αντεπιτίθεμαι
n. - αντεπίθεση
Italiano (Italian)
contrattaccare, contrattacco
Português (Portuguese)
n. - contra-ataque (m)
v. - contra-atacar
Español (Spanish)
n. - contraataque, contragolpe
v. tr. - contraatacar, contragolpear
v. intr. - hacer un contraataque o contragolpe
Svenska (Swedish)
v. - göra motanfall mot, göra motanfall
n. - motanfall, motstöt
中文(简体) (Chinese (Simplified))
反攻, 反击
中文(繁體) (Chinese (Traditional))
n. - 反攻, 反擊
v. tr. - 反攻, 反擊
v. intr. - 反攻, 反擊
한국어 (Korean)
n. - 역습, 반격
v. tr. - 역습하다, 반격하다
v. intr. - 역습하다, 반격하다
日本語 (Japanese)
n. - 反撃, 逆襲
v. - 反撃する, 逆襲する
العربيه (Arabic)
(فعل) قام بهجوم معاكس (الاسم) هجوم مضاد
עברית (Hebrew)
n. - התקפת-נגד
v. tr. - ערך התקפת-נגד
v. intr. - ערך התקפת-נגד
If you are unable to view some languages clearly, click here.
To select your translation preferences click here.
Join the WikiAnswers Q&A community. Post a question or answer questions about "counterattack" at WikiAnswers.
Copyrights:
![]() | Dictionary. The American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, Fourth Edition Copyright © 2007, 2000 by Houghton Mifflin Company. Updated in 2007. Published by Houghton Mifflin Company. All rights reserved. Read more | |
![]() | Computer Desktop Encyclopedia. THIS COPYRIGHTED DEFINITION IS FOR PERSONAL USE ONLY. All other reproduction is strictly prohibited without permission from the publisher. © 1981-2008 Computer Language Company Inc. All rights reserved. Read more | |
![]() | Thesaurus. Roget's II: The New Thesaurus, Third Edition by the Editors of the American Heritage® Dictionary Copyright © 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Company. All rights reserved. Read more | |
![]() | US Military Dictionary. The Oxford Essential Dictionary of the U.S. Military. Copyright © 2001, 2002 by Oxford University Press, Inc. All rights reserved. Read more | |
![]() | Military Dictionary. US Department of Defense Dictionary of Military and Associated Words, 2003. Read more | |
![]() | Word Tutor. Copyright © 2004-present by eSpindle Learning, a 501(c) nonprofit organization. All rights reserved. eSpindle provides personalized spelling and vocabulary tutoring online; free trial. Read more | |
![]() | Wikipedia. This article is licensed under the GNU Free Documentation License. It uses material from the Wikipedia article "Counterattack". Read more | |
![]() | Translations. Copyright © 2007, WizCom Technologies Ltd. All rights reserved. Read more |
Mentioned In: