Bridgehead
|
|
A bridgehead is literally a military fortification that protects the end of a bridge that is closest to the enemy. The term has been generalized to mean any kind of defended area that is extended into hostile territory, in particular the segment of coastline initially seized by an amphibious assault.
A bridgehead typically exists for only a few days, the invading forces being either thrown back or advancing inland, but in some cases, such as the World War II invasion of Anzio (Operation Shingle), the bridgehead may exist for months.
The term has also come to be used in a figurative sense, for instance in business, where a marketing "bridgehead" might be a specialized use of a new product in a particular market segment, in preparation for selling it against entrenched competitors across an entire market.