Peaceful Penetration

Peaceful Penetration was an Australian infantry tactic used during the First World War (though also used by the New Zealanders), which was a cross between trench raiding and patrolling. The aim was similar to trench raiding (namely, to gather prisoners, conduct reconnaissance, and to dominate no man's land), with the additional purpose to occupy the enemy's outpost line (and so capture ground). The term came most directly from the pre-war British press's description of the advancing penetration of German trade into British territories, and that the Germans had no need to fight, as they were gaining the British Empire through "Peaceful Penetration". However, this was a translation from the French of a term describing their colonialist methods for taking over countries in France's own sphere of interest, e.g. Morocco or Tunisia, which was not at the expense of other colonialists.