Editing Searchlight (section)

=== First World War ===
[[File:American searchlight crew and equipment in action on Somme front, WWI (32689502005).jpg|right|thumb|American searchlight crew and equipment in France during WWI]]
Searchlights were first used in the [[World War I|First World War]] to create "artificial moonlight" to enhance opportunities for night attacks by reflecting searchlight beams off the bottoms of clouds, a practice which continued in the [[World War II|Second World War]]. The term "artificial moonlight" was used to distinguish illumination provided by searchlights from that provided by natural moonlight, which was referred to as "movement light" in night-time manoeuvers.<ref>{{cite journal | title = Artificial Moonlight | journal = Tactical and Technical Trends | issue = 57 | publisher = US Army Military Intelligence Corps | date = April 1945 }}</ref> Searchlights were also heavily used in the defense of the UK against [[German strategic bombing during World War I|German nighttime bombing raids]] using [[Zeppelins]].