Sea lines of communication (abbreviated as SLOC) is a term describing the primary
maritime routes between
ports, used for
trade,
logistics and
naval forces.[1] It is generally used in reference to
naval operations to ensure that SLOCs are open, or in times of war, to close them.
The importance of SLOCs in geopolitics was described in
Nicholas J. Spykman'sAmerica's Strategy in World Politics published in 1942.
In the
American Revolutionary War and the
Napoleonic Wars, the SLOCs were, for the most part, in the control of the
British Navy. When the British lost control of them during the Revolution, the result was the fall of
Yorktown and its biggest army and, ultimately, the war. In the Napoleonic era, maintaining belligerence throughout, the British embargoed and
blockaded any country associated with Napoleon, which created large economic hardships and dislocations that played a part in people of France becoming disenchanted with Napoleon.
Had the
Cold War turned hot, Europe would have required resupply and reinforcement from North America. The
Soviet Navy could potentially threaten and contest Atlantic SLOCs to support ground offensives in Europe.