Strategy of Unity: Eisenhower, the British, and Multinational Operations
Abstract
With the largest army a US general has ever commanded, General Dwight D. Eisenhower led the Allied forces from their first landings in North Africa to their ultimate victory in Europe. To do this, he had to build unity of effort, particularly with the British, toward a common purpose. This monograph explores Eisenhower's ability to conduct multinational ground operations with the British in the Mediterranean and European Theaters of Operations in World War II. Using the integrated multinational command structure and the tenets of multinational operations of rapport, trust and confidence, and mission focus, Eisenhower's performance in the Tunisian Campaign is compared to his performance in the European Theater of Operations, arguing that he learned from his mistakes and thus improved his abilities. From the defeat at Kasserine Pass in 1943 to the final attack to the Elbe River in 1945, Eisenhower used unity of effort as his guiding principle, basing almost all decisions on how they would impact the alliance. He further developed his integrated command structure based on subordinates', superiors', and his own abilities to employ the tenets of multinational operations. These lessons may prove insightful as the US Army shifts its focus to near-peer threats and large-scale combat operations.
Document Details
- Document Type
- Technical Report
- Publication Date
- May 23, 2019
- Accession Number
- AD1083558
Entities
People
- Jared R. Maxwell
Organizations
- United States Army Command and General Staff College