Salient (military)

A salient, also known as a bulge, is a battlefield feature that projects into enemy territory.

The opponent's front line that borders a salient is referred to as a re-entrant – that is, an angle pointing inwards.

An attacker can produce a salient in the defender's line by either intentionally making a pincer movement around the military flanks of a strongpoint, which becomes the tip of the salient, or by making a broad, frontal attack which is held up in the centre but advances on the flanks.

A salient can also be formed if the attacking army feigns retreat, tricking the defending forces to chase them down, leading to the main army being on all sides in a pre-arranged ambush.

In mobile warfare, such as the German Blitzkrieg, salients were more likely to be made into pockets which became the focus of annihilation battles.

German attack plan (blue arrows) to pinch out the Soviet-occupied Kursk salient, which resulted in the Battle of Kursk
German-occupied salient in the Ardennes on the eve of the Battle of the Bulge on December 15, 1944
Map showing German forces pushing out through the tip of the salient in an attempt to penetrate into the rear of the Allied forces during the Battle of the Bulge , December 16–25, 1944.
Front line, 16 December
Front line, 20 December
Front line, 25 December