LESSON 22: WORLD WAR II: TOTAL WAR AND THE VICTORY PLAN
Fri 21 September 2001 (0830-1130)
Dr. Boone Bartholomees 245-3257
1. Introduction. The idea that a national strategy or a military strategy is a blueprint to be scrupulously followed in war is attractive it is also mistaken. In the course of World War II, national preferences were set aside as survival became the issue; plans had to be adjusted to military circumstances; initiative shifted from the enemy to the Allies; the relative power among the Allies shifted; a wartime coalition required compromises; there was a constant adjustment of ends and means; and forces in the theaters of war generated their own strategies. In brief, no fully developed politico-military strategy directed allied actions in the sense that a blueprint directs the construction of a building. Only by immersion in the times and events do the strategic options of our nation engaged in total war become understandable.
2. Learning Objectives.
a. Analyze the strategic environment facing the United States as it entered World War II and why the United States responded with certain key national policies and strategies.
b. Assess the relationship between national strategy and military strategy in World War II from the American perspective.
c. Assess how effectively the Victory Plan of 1941 integrated U.S. strategic "ends" with available "ways" and "means."
d. Assess the main strategic concept(s). Relate the concept(s) to decisions in the two primary theaters (European and Pacific). Recognize the main features inherent in coalition strategy and the roles of land, sea, and air power in their execution.
e. Understand the historical basis for the current U.S. defense establishment; its structure, policies, and strategies.
3. Student Requirements.
a. Tasks. As you read consider the following questions:
(1) What was the strategic environment facing the United States before and during the war? Did our allies and adversaries face the same environment?
(2) What were the key political assumptions that shaped strategy? Did our allies share all those assumptions?
(3) What about ends, ways, and means? Is this a formula for strategic thought, and if so must these be considered sequentially? How does the Victory Plan of 1941 relate to the ends of Roosevelt's strategy, or the means of U.S. military strategy as it evolved?
(4) What sort of pressures or opportunities caused change in U.S. military strategy throughout the war? Were the changes consistent with the alliance goals and policies?
(5) What basic assumptions guided our strategic thinkers during World War II? Would these be at all similar to our assumptions today?
(6) What lessons can we learn, or better yet, what insights can we gain from studying U.S. national and military strategy during World War II?
(7) Major Wedemeyer was not quite 44 when he was assigned to work in the War Plans Division of the War Department General Staff in the spring of 1942. How well do you think you would have done, at this stage in your career, in formulating a similar 'Victory Plan'? What additional preparations or experience do you think you would need in order to fulfill the mission? Relate this to the experience at the U.S. Army War College.
 Major Albert Coady Wedemeyer grew up in Nebraska,
1918 - West Point, gratuating in April 1919 - student in Infantry School 1920 - assigned to the 29th Infantry Regiment at Fort Benning in June .He began his military service as an instructor. 1922 - court-martial in the minor drinking incident 1922 - Aide-de-camp to BG Paul Maloane - graduation from the Artillery Battery Officers' Course - Commander, headquarters battery, 2d Field Artillery Brigade, 2d Infantry Division - Ft. Sam Houston 1923 - moved to the Philippine Islands - Scout infantry companies 1927 - Aide-de-camp to BG Herbert Williams, CO Miltary District of Washington. 1930 - went to China - staff officer in 15th Infantry at Tiensin 1931 - Aide-de-camp to MG Charles E. Kilbourne in Philippine and to MG Stanley D. Embick in Philippine 1934 - attend the CGSC - honor graduate of 2 year course - Ft. Leavenworth 1936 - German Staff college Kriegsakademie 1938 - returned to the US and presentd his report on the Kriegsakademie to Gen Malin Craig, the Army Chief of staff 1940 - XO, 94th Antitank Battalion at Fort Benning 1940 - wrote the Antiarmor doctrine in Washington in September. 1941 - Major - May, was reassigned to the plans group of the War Plans Division of the War Department General Staff 1943 - General officer |
 Major Albert Coady Wedemeyer |
b. Required Readings.
 (2) Kirkpatrick, Charles E.
An Unknown Future and a Doubtful Present: Writing the Victory Plan of 1941. Washington, D.C.: Center of Military History, United States Army, 1990. Read Chapters 3 and 4. (Student Issue) |
The Victory Plan 1941
He established for himself a series of questions to answer in order to accomplish his task. 1) What is the national objective of the United States? 2) What military strategy will be devised to accomplish the national objective? 3) What military forces must be raised in order to execute that military strategy? 4) How will those military forces be constituted, equipped, and trained? |
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The Strategic Decisions of WW II Greenfield
1. " Total Victory " complete defeat of Axis Power (24 Dec 41 - 1 Jan 42) 2. Defeat German,Europe-first principal 3. Decision to invade North Africa 4. Combined bomber offensive, strategic bombing of Germany 5. Two pronged offensive in the Pacific to exploit Midway (Jun 42) 6. Strategy for Pacific Theater (First Quebec Conference, 17-24 Aug 43) Confirmed Central and SW Pacific offensives, established S.E. Asia Command) 7. Agreement on Overlord (28 Nov - 1 Dec 43) 8. Invasion of Japan leading to use of atomic bombs |
 (1) Greenfield, Kent R.
American Strategy in World War II: A Reconsideration. Baltimore, MD: Johns Hopkins University Press, 1982. “Introduction” and “Elements of Coalition Strategy.” (Student Issue) |
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(3) One of the following selections as assigned by your Faculty Instructor: |
c. Suggested Readings.
(1) Jablonsky, David. Churchill: The Making of a Grand Strategist. Carlisle Barracks, PA: US Army War College, Strategic Studies Institute, 1990. Read pp. 3-5, “The Building Blocks: The Vertical Dimension;” p. 25, “Force Multipliers;” pp. 37-40, “The Building Blocks: The Horizontal Dimension;” and pp. 69-78, “Epilogue - The Art of the Possible.” (Reserve Reading Shelf)
(2) Drew, Dennis M. and Donald M. Snow. The Eagle's Talons. Maxwell AFB, AL: Air University Press, 1988. Chapter 5, “World War II.” (Reserve Reading Shelf)
(3) Weigley, Russell F. The American Way of War. Bloomington, IN: Indiana University Press, 1977. Part IV, “American Strategy in Global Triumph, 1941-1945;” Chapter 13, “The Strategic Tradition of A.T. Mahan: Strategists of the Pacific War;” and Chapter 14, “The Strategic Tradition of U.S. Grant: Strategists of the European War.”(Student Issue)
(4) Lykke, Arthur F., Jr., ed. Military Strategists: Past and Present. Carlisle Barracks, PA: U.S. Army War College, 1994. See articles on Winston Churchill, Charles de Gaulle, Sergei Gorshkov, Heinz Guderian, Adolph Hitler, Curtis LeMay, Douglas MacArthur, Mao Zedong, George Marshall, Bernard Montgomery, William J. Slim, Joseph Stalin, and Georgi Zhukov. (Reserve Reading Shelf)
4. Points to Consider.
a. What were the key political and policy considerations that shaped strategy?
b. Which elements of American prewar planning were applied in the execution of strategy in World War II? To what effect?
c. Cite examples of how military plans, deployed forces, military successes and failures, or exigencies of one theater can alter national military strategy.
d. What was the impact of "unconditional surrender" on the strategy and the attainment of political objectives following the war?
e. Looking at the ends, ways, and means of each of the major belligerents, what lessons do you draw with respect to developing and executing military and grand strategy?
f. What insights do you draw from the Kirkpatrick reading on the relationship between national and military strategy?
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Army Transformation http://www.carlisle.army.mil/library/bibs/armytr01.htm
A Selected Bibliography http://www.carlisle.army.mil/library/bibliog.htm
http://carlisle-www.army.mil/usassi/ssipubs/pubs2001/gidstrat/gidstrat.pdf
Transformation http://carlisle-www.army.mil/usassi/ssipubs/pubs2001/armytran/armytran.pdf