U.S. Marines Stationed in Australia Again Take Lead as Symbol of U.S.’ Strength

Recently, U.S. President Obama announced the long term plan of having U.S. troops stationed in Australia. Starting in the middle of next year, U.S. Marines stationed in Australia will increase from 200 to 250; within five years, the number will increase to 2,500. The U.S. and Australia will also be expanding military activities by carrying out joint training and military exercises.

Obama expressed that the decision to have U.S. troops stationed in Australia shows that “the United States is stepping up its commitment to the entire Asia-Pacific region.” The last time Australia played a major role in U.S. military deployment was at the beginning of World War II. At that time ,General MacArthur made Darwin, Australia, a military base to fight the Japanese army and reclaim the Pacific military bases. What is evident, following the U.S.’s fast paced return to the Asia-Pacific region, is that the role of the Marines as the “front line” military unit will be increasingly prominent.

The Marine Corps has existed since the American Revolution, originally as the “Continental Marines,” an independent military service during the war.

From a global perspective, the Marine Corps is generally considered part of the navy, carrying out combat missions on land as well as on sea. It has the characteristics of a navy while also maintaining the traditional features of an army.

However, during U.S. military battles, the Marine Corps was not part of the Navy, but is equal with the Army, Navy and Air Force. At the same time, to adjust to the needs of global military strategy, the Marine Corps has continually changed its equipment and adjusted its organizational structure. It has comprehensively improved its pre-deployment, rapid assault, mobility and overall combat capabilities.

The U.S. Marine Corps is the only armed forces that does not require congressional approval for the president to send them out. So from the U.S.’ perspective, once there is trouble in any part of the world, the first group to be deployed is the Marines, who specialize in amphibious warfare. As long as there are conflicts threatening U.S. interests, people will see the anchor, globe and bald eagle, the emblem of the Marine Corps. They have already become a symbol of America’s strength.

The establishment of the Marine Corps can be traced back to the Revolutionary War; it was originally set up as Philadelphia’s “Continental Marines.” On Nov. 10, 1775, the Continental Congress issued a decree formally creating the Marine Corps and integrating it into the armed forces. With over 200 years of war experience, the U.S. Marine Corps has participated in all of America’s wars and expeditions, and has long been a role model for America’s military elite.

During World War II, the U.S. Marines were the vanguard force in the Asia-Pacific region; everyone became more familiar with them. After the Battles of Iwo Jima and Okinawa, the number of Marines expanded to approximately 500,000. Since 1945, the U.S. Marines have been an amphibious force that can be rapidly mobilized at a moment’s notice.

After World War II, Marines were stationed in every U.S. embassy around the world to provide protection. In 1954, as a response to the U.S. State Department’s request, a U.S. Marine Corps school was formally established. Active duty Marines voluntarily receive six weeks of diplomat protection training to become official Marine Corps guards, which are tasked with defending the embassy for 30 months. This makes the U.S. the only country in the world that sends its troops to protect its embassies.

Also, the U.S. Marine Corps has separate command, operations, equipment and logistics systems and recruitment criteria from other U.S. military services. The Marine Corps, like other U.S. military forces, enlist recruits. However, training and equipment are different from ordinary army and navy training. It can be said that the training is tougher and the equipment is better. Therefore, most people believe that the U.S. Marine Corps’ fighting abilities have to be stronger and better than the regular army.

And for this reason, regardless of whether it’s Lebanon crisis in 1958 or the occupation of the Dominican Republic in 1965, the U.S. Marine Corps has been involved. During the Korean War, the Marines were the first troops sent to Korea. In 1965, the Marines were the first to be sent to Vietnam. In 1968, during the North Vietnamese spring campaign, the U.S. Marines successfully defended Hue City and Khe Sanh. This battle made the Marines even more legendary.