What is Blockade runner?
[[File:CSS Nashville2 blockade-runner.jpg|thumb|right|250px|{{Center|[[Confederate States of America|Confederate]] blockade runner CSS Nashville}}]] A '''blockade runner''' is usually a lighter-weight [[ship]] used for slipping past a [[naval]] [[blockade]] of a port or strait. This is not the same as ships used to [[wikt:challenge|challenge]] the blocking ships to break the blockade. Very often blockade running is done in order to bring [[food]] or [[Weapon|arms]] to a blockaded city. In other cases the blockade runners would carry [[mail]] in an attempt to [[communicate]] with the outside world. Carrying trade goods from blockaded ports is another function.<ref>Mark Thornton; Robert Burton Ekelund, ''Tariffs, Blockades, and Inflation: The Economics of the Civil War'' (Wilmington, DE: SR Books, 2004), p. 53</ref> == Operations == Blockade runners are often the [[Speed|fastest]] ships available. They are usually lightly armed and [[armored]]. Their [[wikt:operation|operation]]s are quite [[risk]]y since blockading fleets would not hesitate to fire on them. However, the potential [[profit]]s (economically or militarily) from a successful blockade run are tremendous. Blockade-runners typically had excellent [[crew]]s. Although similar to [[smuggler]]s, blockade-runners are often operated by state's [[Navy|navies]] as part of the regular [[naval fleet]]. Notable users of blockade runners include the [[Confederate States of America]] during the [[American Civil War]] and [[Germany]] during both [[World War One]] and [[World War Two]]. == In history == * [[Peloponnesian War]]: there were numerous blockades. [[Leon of Salamis]] sent blockade runners to get reinforcements from [[Athens]]. * [[Punic Wars]]: the [[Carthaginian Empire]] attempted to get around [[Roman Empire|Roman]] blockades of its ports. Blockade runners brought in supplies, but eventually the Romans won out.<ref>Michael Pitassi, ''The Navies of Rome'' (Woodbridge: Boydell Press, 2009), pp. 114–115</ref> * [[American Civil War]]: during the early war