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''Seebataillon'' (plural ''Seebataillone''), literally "sea battalion", is a German term for certain troops of naval infantry or marines. It was used by the Prussian Navy, the ''Norddeutsche Bundesmarine'', the Imperial German Navy, the Austro-Hungarian Navy, the ''Kriegsmarine'', and briefly in the modern ''Bundesmarine''. ==Establishment and history== The first ''Seebataillon'' was organized on 13 May 1852 as the Royal Prussian ''Marinier-Korps'' at Stettin. This formation provided small contingents of marines to perform traditional functions such as protecting officers, general policing aboard warships and limited amphibious shore intrusions. The ''Seebataillon'' in 1870 had a strength of 22 officers and 680 non-commissioned officers and men. Battalion headquarters was then located at Kiel. After the establishment of the German Empire in 1871, Chancellor Otto von Bismarck more or less ignored the navy as it did “not fit his intentions.” Bismarck’s continental policies sought to avoid colonial or naval entanglements and he would oppose plans to further develop navy forces. With the creation of the Imperial Admiralty, Prussian army ''Generalleutnant'' Albrecht von Stosch was appointed chief. Stosch had no experience in naval matters, but “nevertheless, brought significant administrative talents to his new post.”〔Gottschall, ''By Order of the Kaiser'', p. 42〕 He also perceived military power to emanate “from the tip of an army bayonet.” Stosch ended the practice of placing marines aboard warships. Instead he adopted a concept that became known as ''Infanterieismus''.〔Gottschall, p. 43〕 He would train seamen as naval infantry, qualified in using small arms and competent in infantry tactics and amphibious operations. That approach would position the ''Seebataillon'' as a compact, self-contained organization, roughly equivalent to the British Royal Marine Light Infantry.〔Gottschall, p. 18〕 Enlargement of the battalion to six companies allowed a reorganization and the transfer of half of the battalion to Wilhelmshaven to form the ''II. Seebataillon''. Both battalions were then increased in size to four companies. Scheduled exchanges of officers from the Prussian army brought current tactical thinking to the sea battalions.〔Among others, 1st Lieutenant Erich Ludendorff served 1888–1891 as company commander; Lt.Col. Paul Emil von Lettow-Vorbeck was commanding officer from 1909 to 1913 of the 2nd Sea Battalion at Wilhelmshaven〕 After the successful occupation of Kiautschou in China on 14 November 1897 by the navy’s East Asia Cruiser Division in a flawless demonstration of ''Infanterieismus'', two companies from the first and two companies from the second battalion were combined to populate a third formation, the ''III. Seebataillon''. This new battalion arrived at Tsingtao on 26 January 1898 to garrison the East Asian Station of the imperial navy. It was and remained the only all-German unit with permanent status in an overseas protectorate. 抄文引用元・出典: フリー百科事典『 ウィキペディア（Wikipedia）』 ■ウィキペディアで「Seebataillon」の詳細全文を読む スポンサード リンク
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