Mobilizing the Coast Guard for War: An Analysis of the U.S. Coast Guard's Wartime Preparation Activities from 1918-1941

Abstract

The U.S. Coast Guard has a unique role as a military armed force with extensive peacetime missions. In nearly every U.S. Conflict, the service has been a part of wartime naval operations. The most notable occurrences were during World War I and World War II, where the entire service integrated into the Department of the Navy. Beginning with World War I, this thesis traces the Coast Guard's development and expansion throughout the interwar period up until World War II. It examines the hearings and proceedings of the General Board of the Navy to show how Coast Guard cutters were prepared for combat. It also analyzes strategic war planning documents to show the Navy's intent to mobilize, organize and employ the Coast Guard during war. The findings of these studies are then applied to challenges facing the modern-day Coast Guard.

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Document Details

Document Type
Technical Report
Publication Date
Jun 12, 2020
Accession Number
AD1124582

Entities

People

  • Nolan V. Cain

Organizations

  • United States Army Command and General Staff College

Tags

Communities of Interest

  • Ground and Sea Platforms
  • Human Systems
  • Space
  • Weapons Technologies

DTIC Thesaurus Topics

  • Aircrafts
  • Boats
  • Coast Guard
  • Congress
  • Contingency Operations (Military)
  • Department Of Defense
  • Employment
  • Fire Control Systems
  • Fixed Wing Aircraft
  • Geography
  • Law
  • Marine Transportation
  • Military History
  • Military Organizations
  • National Security
  • Naval Operations
  • Naval Warfare
  • Navigation
  • Navy
  • Second World War
  • Shipbuilding
  • Warfare

Fields of Study

  • History

Readers

  • Maritime Security/Maritime Homeland Security
  • Military History / Militaries and War Studies
  • Strategic Security Studies