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The Air Campaign: Planning For Combat (Afa - Future Warfare Ser.)
By John A Warden. 2014
In the short history of air warfare, no nation with superior air forces has ever lost a war to the…
force of enemy arms. Air superiority by itself, however, no longer guarantees victory. This book, one of the first analyses of the pure art of planning the aerial dimension of war, explores the complicated connection between air superiority and victory in war.In The Air Campaign, Colonel John A. Warden III focuses on the use of air forces at the operational level in a theater of war. The most compelling task for the theater commander, he argues, is translating national war objectives into tactical plans at operational levels. He presents his case by drawing on fascinating historical examples, stressing that the mastery of operational-level strategy can be the key to winning future wars. Colonel Warden shows us how to use air power more effectively-through rough mass, concentration, and economy of forces-because, he warns, the United States no longer holds an edge in manpower, production capacity, and technology.Simply put, an air force inferior in numbers must fight better and smarter to win. This book offers planners greater understanding of how to use air power for future air campaigns against a wide variety of enemy capabilities in a wide variety of air operations. As the reader will see, the classic principles of war also apply to air combat. One of the author's important contributions is to demonstrate that perception to those whose grave responsibility one day may be to plan and carry through a victorious air campaign.To Hanoi And Back: The United States Air Force And North Vietnam 1966-1973 [Illustrated Edition]
By Wayne Thompson. 2014
Includes 3 maps and 40 photographsNo experience etched itself more deeply into Air Force thinking than the air campaigns over…
North Vietnam. Two decades later in the deserts of Southwest Asia, American airmen were able to avoid the gradualism that cost so many lives and planes in the jungles of Southeast Asia. Readers should come away from this book with a sympathetic understanding of the men who bombed North Vietnam. Those airmen handled tough problems in ways that ultimately reshaped the Air Force into the effective instrument on display in the Gulf War.This book is a sequel to Jacob Van Staaveren's Gradual Failure: The Air War over North Vietnam, 1965-1966, which we have also declassified and are publishing. Wayne Thompson tells how the Air Force used that failure to build a more capable service-a service which got a better opportunity to demonstrate the potential of air power in 1972.Dr. Thompson began to learn about his subject when he was an Army draftee assigned to an Air Force intelligence station in Taiwan during the Vietnam War. He took time out from writing To Hanoi and Back to serve in the Checkmate group that helped plan the Operation Desert Storm air campaign against Iraq. Later he visited Air Force pilots and commanders in Italy immediately after the Operation Deliberate Force air strikes in Bosnia. During Operation Allied Force over Serbia and its Kosovo province, he returned to Checkmate. Consequently, he is keenly aware of how much the Air Force has changed in some respects-how little in others. Although he pays ample attention to context, his book is about the Air Force. He has written a well-informed account that is both lively and thoughtful.First In The Air: The Eagle Squadrons Of World War II [Illustrated Edition]
By Kenneth C Kan. 2014
Includes 14 illustrations of the units, planes and personnel of the Eagle SquadronsDuring the perilous years of 1940-1941, a small…
band of Americans joined the Royal Air Force to help England resist Nazi Germany. They did so while the United States remained a neutral power and overcame significant obstacles to accomplish their objective. Over time, the RAF formed three fighter units, known collectively as the Eagle Squadrons, around these volunteer pilots. These Americans flew alongside their British comrades in fighter and bomber escort missions until 1942, when they transferred into the United States Army Air Forces. The Eagle Squadron pilots made noteworthy contributions to the RAF, assisting them in their transition from fighting a defensive war to waging an offensive campaign against the German Luftwaffe and helping pave the way to an eventual Allied victory.A Lieutenant Of Cavalry In Lee’s Army
By G. W. Beale. 2014
George William Beale was born into the Virginia nobility, son of Richard Lee Beale, who served in the House of…
Representatives and Congress for that state before the Civil War. It is small wonder that he followed his father into the Confederate cavalry, 9th Virginia when the tocsin of Civil War was sounded.His well-written and compelling memoirs document his time with JEB Stuart and Hampton across most of the Eastern Theater of the war between the States. He rode with his men in engagements during the 'Ride around McClellan', Fredericksburg, Chancellorsville, Brandy Station, JEB Stuart's Gettysburg ride, The Kilpatrick-Dahlgren raid, Spotsylvania. His active career was cut short in February 1865 when he was badly wounded.Second Bull Run Staff Ride: Briefing Book [Illustrated Edition]
By Ted Ballard. 2014
Contains more than 20 maps, diagrams and illustrationsJackson's march into the rear of Pope's army opened the Battle of Second…
Manassas. a battle which has many lessons worthy of study; the deep strike, unity of command, intelligence, logistics and importance of terrain, just to name a few.Accordingly, the purpose of the Manassas staff ride is to learn lessons of the past by analyzing this battle through the eyes of the men who were there, both leaders and rank and file soldiers. Hopefully, the actions or inactions of certain Civil War commanders and the reactions of their troops will allow us to gain insights into decision-making and the human condition during battle.A veteran of the 52nd Virginia Regiment recounts his experiences under the great Stonewall Jackson in his Valley campaign and…
up until he lost his leg for the Southern cause at the battle of Cedar Creek.Three Years In The Confederate Horse Artillery: A Gunner In Chew's Battery, Stuart's Horse Artillery, Army Of Northern Virginia
By Lt George Michael Neese. 2014
The diarists and memorialists of the Civil War from both sides give copious information on their branches of service; infantry,…
foot artillery, cavalry, however, few who served in the horse artillery wrote of their experiences. Thankfully George Neese of the Confederate Horse Artillery left his diary entries to posterity affording the reader an intimate, honest look into this neglected arm.Neese enlisted in Chew's battery in 1861, and would fight in that unit until his capture in 1864. He and his comrades fought under Jackson in the famed Valley campaign at Kernstown and Cedar Mountain; under Stuart he was engaged heavily at the Battle of Brandy Station. Later in the war under Imboden he saw action at the retreat from Gettysburg, the Wilderness and Spotslvania and the 'Crater'. His capture and imprisonment at the notorious Point Lookout prison are particularly poignant reminders of the brutality of war.Highly recommended.The Artillery Of Nathan Bedford Forrest’s Cavalry, “The Wizard Of The Saddle,” [Illustrated Edition]
By John Watson Morton. 2014
Includes Civil War Map and Illustrations Pack - 224 battle plans, campaign maps and detailed analyses of actions spanning the…
entire period of hostilities.One of the shining lights of the Confederate war effort Nathan Bedford Forrest, was an iconoclast; militarily untrained at the outbreak of the Civil War he was to wield his cavalry command with innovative doctrines, effective strategies that confounded many Union commanders. Central to his success was his hard riding mounted artillery which provided him with a heavy punch to add to his mobility.Captain John Morton rose to the post of Forrest's chief of artillery in 1864 after much service since joining the grey ranks in 1861. Many years after the end of his military service he set out to write a history of the unit he commanded, this volume is comprehensive, readable and very well-written. He charts all of the engagements and actions in which he and his men fought with detail and verve; however, the greatest insights are into the daily life of the Confederate raiders, their morale and anecdotes of his leader and his style of command.A Classic Confederate history.Gettysburg Staff Ride: Briefing Book [Illustrated Edition]
By Billy Arthur, Ted Ballard. 2014
Contains more than 20 maps, diagrams and illustrationsIf neither General Meade nor General Lee planned to fight at Gettysburg, how…
did it happen that the first three days of July 1863 were to become arguably the most important span in the Civil War? That question cannot be fully answered without viewing McPherson's Ridge or Oak Hill, nor can one really understand the urgency of Chamberlain's bayonet charge nor the audacity of Pickett's division at the Angle without visiting those places.Accordingly, the purpose of a Gettysburg staff ride is to visit these and other locations on the battlefield and analyze the battle through the eyes of the men who were there, both leaders and rank and file soldiers. Hopefully, by understanding the actions, inactions and reactions of commanders and their troops in real situations we may gain insights into the human condition under stress and decision making during combat.St Vith: 106th Infantry Division in World War II [Illustrated Edition]
By Colonel Ernest Dupuy. 2014
Includes more than 25 maps, diagrams and photosThe 106th was the last of 66 US Infantry Divisions to be activated…
during WWII. Before leaving for its first active service abroad in Europe it lost many of the most experienced men and officers to drafts to other divisions and units. Partly trained, inexperienced and green the 106th Division took over from the 2nd Division in the Schnee Eiffel, a rugged hilly, densely wooded area of the Ardennes. The line was over 26 miles long, five times the recommended length for a division, but the higher command were unconcerned as they believed that the German Army was a spent force.Five days after taking over the line the 106th Division found that they were directly in the line of advance for the last great German offensive of the war, their struggle had just begun in what was later known as the Battle of the Bulge. The 106th fought with great determination and courage, but faced overwhelming odds of heavily tank-supported Wehrmacht units, two of its regiments surrendered en masse having being surrounded. The remaining units of the 106th fought many numerous delaying engagements and at the vital crossroads of St. Vith were involved in the valiant stand that did much to unhinge the timetable of the entire German advance. Having done much to stop the German's last roll of the dice, they were pulled out of the line having suffered horrendous casualties.Colonel Dupuy writes with justified pride in the conduct of the 106th but unlike other writers is scrupulously honest and unbiased. Accounted by many veterans as the most accurate account of the Battle of the Bulge in this area, the 106th tale needs no exaggeration of their heroic actions during the Ardennes offensive.If You Don’t Like This, You May Resign And Go Home: Commanders’ Considerations In Assaulting A Fortified Position
By Captain Michael Woodgerd. 2014
The author studies the experiences of British, German, American and Soviet armies in assaults on fortified positions to find critical…
considerations for contemporary commanders. A fortified position is a series of mutually supporting areas comprising bunkers, pillboxes, weapons emplacements, entrenchments, wire, mines and other obstacles. Assaulting such a position held by determined defenders is a uniquely brutal and bloody event. The author systematically studies fighting at El Alamein, the Normandy Campaign, Okinawa, the Siegfried Line, Kursk, Manchuria and the Petsamo-Kirkenes area. Each battle is examined in terms of the use and importance of intelligence, smoke, armor, infantry, engineers, artillery, air support, C2 and special weapons. A portion of this study also examines current training at the U.S. Army's National Training Center to find if current training reflects battle proven techniques. The conclusion offers the author's recommendations to assist commanders and staffs in determining the organization, equipment, tactics, training and means of control of forces in the assault of a fortified position.Road To Huertgen: Forest In Hell [Illustrated Edition]
By Lt Paul Boesch. 2014
Includes 100 illus.Speak of the Huertgen Forest and you speak of hell.During a seemingly interminable three months, from mid-Sep. to…
mid-Dec. 1944, six American infantry divisions-the 1st, 4th, 8th, 9th, 28th, and 83d-and part of the 5th Armored fought at one time or another in the Huertgen Forest. These divisions incurred 28,000 casualties, including 8,000 due to combat exhaustion and rain, mud, sleet, and cold. One division lost more than 6,000, a figure exceeded for a single World War II engagement-if indeed it was exceeded-only by the bloody Marine battle on Tarawa.The name Huertgen Forest is one the American soldier applied to some 1,300 square miles of densely-wooded, roller-coaster real estate along the German-Belgian border south and southeast of Aachen....The forest lay athwart the path which the First U.S. Army had to take to reach the Rhine River, and thus American commanders considered it essential to conquer it. By the time both American and German artillery had done with it, the setting would look like a battlefield designed by the Archfiend himself.The Huertgen was the Argonne of World War II.One day not long ago another personal manuscript, much of it about the Huertgen fighting, crossed my desk. This one, I soon discovered, was different.This was a lengthy narrative written by a former lieutenant, Paul Boesch. It was obviously too long for publication, yet the combat sections of it revealed a genuine, first-hand grasp of what war is like at the shooting level and what it does to the men involved. It was too human a document to be ignored. It too faithfully mirrored the experiences, not of one man alone, but of millions, to go unnoticed. It too sharply underscored the innate faith, humor, devotion, and even the weaknesses of the American soldier to be forgotten.With Paul Boesch's permission I went to work with him to prepare this combat portion of his manuscript for publication. The result is The Road to Huertgen.Testing And Fielding Of The Panther Tank And Lessons For Force XXI
By Major John H. Womack. 2014
There are several historical instances of the problems caused when equipment is rushed in production and fielded too soon. A…
great example of this was the German rush to field the new Panther tank before the Battle of Kursk during the Second World War. Unlike the U. S. Army today, the Germans were trying to develop, test and field a major weapon system while fighting a war. It can be argued that the Panther tank was the finest tank built during the Second World War, but it certainly did not make its appearance on the battlefield with great distinction. The study of the Panther tank shows the dangers the U. S. Army faces today as the Army tests equipment that will digitize the battlefield. The Panther clearly shows three potential pitfalls of new equipment. These pitfalls are:*the user of the equipment must have input to the design and development,*new tactics were not formulated to capture the advantage of the new equipment,*logistics required for fielding the new equipment must be in place.Each of these pitfalls caused significant problems for the Panther tank. They can cause significantly more problems for the Army as the equipment being tested and fielded today will be used largely for command and control.Today's U.S. Army has the potential to experience the pitfalls of the Panther. As the Army moves to digitize the battlefield it will use information technologies that it hopes will produce disproportional lethality...If we do not pay attention to the lessons learned from past fielding of equipment, and more importantly, the possible consequences of introducing equipment not yet fully tested to the field, the Army will create more problems for itself with the new technologies used in Force XXI.Trial By Fire: Forging American Close Air Support Doctrine, World War I Through September 1944
By Major Philip W Wielhouwer. 2014
Proper doctrine for close support of American ground forces by airpower has been a tumultuous issue since the first days…
of combat aircraft. Air and ground leaders struggled with interservice rivalry, parochialism, employment paradigms, and technological roadblocks while seeking the optimum balance of missions given the unique speed, range, and flexibility of aircraft. Neither ground force concepts of airpower as self-defense and extended organic artillery, nor air force theories focused on command of the air and strategic attack fit the middle ground of close air support (CAS), leaving a doctrinal void prior to American combat in World War II. This thesis focuses on the critical period from September 1939 through the doctrinal and practical crucible of North Africa, which eventually produced a resoundingly successful system. Theoretical and practical changes in organization and command, airpower roles, and the tactical air control system are examined, with subarea focus on cooperation and communications technology. Upon examination, discerning leadership, able to transcend earlier compromises and failures, emerges as the essential element for CAS success during the war. While many airpower concepts proved valid, air-ground cooperation through liaison proved indispensable, a lesson repeated even today.The various airmen leading the air war had great differences of opinion regarding what to target in the European theater…
of operations in support of Operation Overlord. The central leadership figures were Lt. General Carl Spaatz, USSTAF commander, and Air Chief Marshal Trafford Leigh-Mallory, AEAF commander. Each of these military men obviously wanted to support the planned Allied invasion, but they held differing opinions in regard to how to best support the invasion troops. They were greatly influenced by both personal experience and the advice of their respective scientific advisors, Walt W. Rostow and Dr. Solly Zuckerman. Also, Air Marshal Tedder, Deputy Supreme Allied Commander, and Air Marshal Harris, Commander of the RAF Bomber Command, contributed to the decisions to carry out the transportation interdiction campaign.This research focuses on the period January 1944 through the end of June 1944. It includes a literature review of published memoirs and historic accounts of the individuals involved in the decision to implement the transportation plan. The archives of the Air Force Historical Research Agency were accessed to obtain actual accounts and directives implementing the pre-D-Day interdiction campaign. Numerous facts support a discussion of each of the airmen's interests and the controversy that surrounded the transportation campaign.The implementation of the transportation interdiction campaign resulted in the successful denial of German reinforcements to the Normandy beachhead.The Practice Of Operational Art In Operation Weserübung: The German Invasion Of Norway 1940
By Lieutenant Mark A Rice. 2014
The planning and execution of Operation Weserübung was the first major joint operation of its kind in history utilizing naval,…
ground, air, and airborne forces. Its conduct proves to be one of the most noteworthy applications of operational art and the principles of war during all of World War II. The principles of surprise and security were the most critical in the German success. The German planning taking into account and exploiting the operational factors of time, space and force are another key element in why this operation is worthy of further analysis and study. Additionally, the operational lessons learned that could be applied from the belligerents' experiences further illustrate several important lessons that can apply today. From the Germans we saw the importance of planning around apparent disadvantages, command and control as it relates to operational objectives and commanders intent, and the importance of initiative in military operations. From the British, the pitfalls of mirror imaging and a lack of decisiveness can prove fatal in military operations. Lastly, from the Norwegian side we see the importance of national defense for maintaining a nations' own self-determination against outside belligerents.Surprise And Deception In The Early War Years, 1940-1942
By Colonel Robert Reuss. 2014
All opening gambits in WWII were initiated by surprise (Denmark and Norway, France and the Low Countries, Russia and Pearl…
Harbor). The early war period provides an excellent laboratory for the study of the art of surprise and deception and offers many lessons for today's military planner. Surprise and, to a lesser degree, deception have long been recognized as elements of combat power. This study examines surprise and deception from the perspective of major military operations and campaigns with specific focus on the North Africa Campaign between 1940 and 1942. This was the first active theater of war for the Allies, and surprise and deception were frequently used by both sides. This study examines selected key battles of the North African Campaign, focusing on the achievement of surprise through deception. The scope of this effort includes the doctrinal thinking and development that occurred during the inter-war period and presents theories which show a relationship between that preparation and successes in the Campaign. The author suggests that the lessons learned from this critical period in history are relevant for contemporary military thinking.The Battle Of Britain Revisited
By Group Captain John H. Spencer. 2014
The North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) was formed as, and remains, a defensive alliance. It is axiomatic therefore, that in…
the event of a war in Europe, NATO forces would be initially on the defensive. It is also likely that the Warsaw Pact (WP) forces would use all the considerable means at their disposal to achieve their war aims, including air power, and in the past 50 years or so, air power has had a considerable, some would even say a decisive, role to play in the conduct of war. From the foregoing, it can be seen that NATO air defences would be a vital pillar in the overall defence of Western Europe and that should they fail, or be overcome, then the achievement of NATO war aims would be made very much more difficult. In this context, it would seem worthwhile to examine one of the very few air defence campaigns of the past that succeeded and to see what lessons can be learnt from it that have relevance for today.Arguably, the most notable example of a successful air defence campaign was the Battle of Britain, which took place in the summer and autumn of 1940. Many books articles, and reminiscences have been published about the struggle and this study does not intend to give a detailed blow-by-blow account but rather to analyse the campaign and highlight those aspects which seem of particular importance to the outcome of the battle. It may be that some of these illuminate the eternal verities of warfare and are therefore as important today as they ever were.The Ranger Force At The Battle Of Cisterna
By Jeff R. Stewart. 2014
The purpose of this research project is to determine what factors led to the operational failure and destruction of the…
1st and 3rd Ranger Battalions during the battle of Cisterna on 30 January 1944. Subordinate questions include: Why did experienced combat commanders, like General Truscott and Colonel Darby, utilize the lightly armed Ranger Force against a fortified town? Did the training level of the new ranger replacements compromise the infiltration and affect the outcome? Did the Germans detect the infiltration and emplace an ambush for the unsuspecting Ranger Force? What was the intelligence preparation of the battlefield, and how did it affect the plan? Did General Truscott's and Colonel Darby's previous experience lead to assumptions about effectiveness of the Ranger Force in such a mission?Beyond The Gap: A Historical Perspective On World War II River Crossings
By Major John Ordonio. 2014
Crossing a river against a defending enemy force is a difficult and complex task for any army. History has shown…
that preparation is necessary to avoid disasters during this type of operation. In 2003, the Third Infantry Division crossed the Euphrates River because it was prepared for this task and possessed the necessary equipment. Since then, no other divisions or corps has executed river crossing operations.While the United States Army focused on counterinsurgency operations during the last twelve years, it underwent significant changes to adapt to meet the adversities on the battlefield. It transformed its war-fighting organizations, trained its corps and divisions with computer simulations, and relegated field training to brigade and below units. In addition, its current doctrine now refers to river crossings as the deliberate wet gap crossing. Because of these changes, many questions arose as to the present corps and divisions' preparedness to do large-scale operations, to include its ability to plan, prepare, and execute the deliberate wet gap crossing. If called today, could these organizations conduct this complex operation? Examining river crossings in Europe during the Second World War was appropriate for insight into how the previous generation of corps and divisions prepared and executed such a complex task. After analyzing how these units were able to cross the numerous waterways in Europe, the present Army should consider reassessing its doctrine, training, and organization and equipment to prepare its units for future deliberate wet gap crossings.