This study focuses on the environmental factors of mine/countermine warfare, specifically terrain and weather factors (among others). .

June 1972. Robert E. Gensler, senior analyst.

Contents: I. Introduction; General, Environment in the Evolution of Ground Combat: Military Campaigns and Battles; Military Systems; Environment in the Evolution of Landmine Warfare; the Pre-Twentieth Century Years; The Interim Years; The Second World War Years; The Years After World War II; Scope of the Study; Source Materials; II. The Beachhead Environment: General; Coastal Vulnerability: Introduction; Coastal Environment Patterns; Coastal Defense Patterns; The Amphibious Beachhead: Amphibious Prologue; The Landing Zone Environment; Europe’s World War II Beachheads: Introduction; Sicily Beachhead; Salerno Beachhead; Anzio Beachhead; Normandy Beachhead; Southern France Beachhead; Walcheren Island Beachhead; III. The Battlefield Environment; General; Terrain: Introduction; Soils; Surface Configuration; Vegetation; Drainage Features Climate—Mine and Minefield Technique Under Conditions of Snow and Ice: General; Techniques; Test 1: Effects of Snow Cover on antipersonnel mines; Test 2: Critical Depths of Snow for Functioning of pressure-operated antipersonnel mine fuzes; Test 3: Detection ability of SCR-625 mine detector in snow; Test 5: M6 antitank-mine arming plugs; Test 6: Freezing of M1A1 and M4 antitank mines; Test 7: Weathering of US fuzes; Test 8: Functioning of US Fuzes at Freezing Temperatures; Test 9: Weathering of Fuzes in antitank mines Installed in Fields; Test 10: Weathering of Fuzes in Antitank Mines Installed in Roads; Test 11: Cushioning Effect of Snow on Antitank Mines. .