Bocage: Difference between revisions - Wikipedia

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{{short description|Terrain of mixed woodland and pasture}}

{{other meanings}}

[[File:Bocage boulonnais.jpg|thumb|425px|Bocage of the [[Boulonnais (land area)|Boulonnais]],near [[Boulogne-sur-Mer]], France]]

'''Bocage''' ({{IPAc-en|UK|b|ə|ˈ|k|ɑː|ʒ}},<ref>{{Cite web|title=Bocage {{!}} Definition of Bocage by Oxford Dictionary on Lexico.com also meaning of Bocage|url=https://www.lexico.com/definition/bocage|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200725161254/https://www.lexico.com/definition/bocage|url-status=dead|archive-date=July 25, 2020|access-date=2020-07-25|website=Lexico Dictionaries {{!}} English|language=en}}</ref> {{IPAc-en|US|ˈ|b|oʊ|k|ɑː|ʒ}} {{respell|BOH|kahzh}}) is a terrain of mixed woodland and pasture characteristic of parts of northern France, southern England, Ireland, the [[Netherlands]], northern Spain and northern Germany, in regions where [[pastoral farming]] is the dominant land use.

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[[File:Mamtor-valley.jpg|thumb|upright=1.35|English bocage ([[Edale]] valley, [[Peak District]])]]

In southeast England, in spite of a [[sedimentary]] soil which would not fit this landscape, a bocage resulted from the movement ofto theenclose [[enclosure]]what ofwere theonce [[open-field system|open field]]s.

During the 17th century, England developed an ambitious sea policy. One of the effects of this was the importation of Russian wheat, which was cheaper than English wheat at that time.

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In [[Normandy]], the bocage acquired a particular significance in the [[Chouannerie]] during the French Revolution.<ref>Michel Moulin, ''Mémoires de Michelot Moulin sur la Chouannerie normande'', A. Picard, 1893, pp. 88–89</ref>

The bocage was also significant during the [[Invasion of Normandy|Battle of Normandy]] in World War II, as it made progress against the German defenders difficult.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://cgsc.cdmhost.com/cdm/ref/collection/p4013coll8/id/2707|title=Combined Arms Research Library (CARL) Digital Library}}</ref> Plots of land were divided by ancient rows of dirt alongside irrigation ditches; thick vegetation on these dirt mounds could create walls up to 16 feet/4.8 [[metre]]smetres high. A typical square mile on the battlefield might contain hundreds of irregular hedged enclosures.<ref>{{cite news |last1=Nye |first1=Logan |title=Why some of the Allies' toughest fighting in Normandy came after D-Day |url=https://www.businessinsider.com/why-allies-toughest-fighting-in-normandy-came-after-dday-2020-6 |access-date=16 April 2022 |work=Business Insider |date=2020}}</ref>

In response, "[[Rhino tank]]s" fitted with bocage-cutting modifications were developed. American personnel usually referred to bocages as [[hedge|hedgerows]]. The German army also used [[sunken lane]]s to implement strong points and defences to stop the American troops on the [[Cotentin Peninsula]] and around the town of [[Saint-Lô]].<ref>George Bernage, Objectif Saint-Lô : 7 juin-18 juillet 1944, Edition Heimdal, 2012, p.97</ref>