A Survey of 'Quick Wins' in Modern War
Abstract
It may be safely assumed that offensive operations are always launched with the hope of achieving a victory in as short a time as possible. It would be hard to find an instance in history when the attacker deliberately sought a protracted campaign, whether he measured length in modern terms of days or weeks or whether he measured in months or years, like the Mongols sweeping west into Europe. What factors, then, result in quick success to some, and cause others to stop short of success, or end in a stalemate, with neither side making appreciable advances. In an attempt to identify the factors which seem to have contributed to or militated against, rapid and decisive victory, seven examples of quick wins in modern war, three examples of almost quick wins and three examples that ended in stalemate were studied. The examples studied are: Quick wins--British Megiddo Campaign in Palestine and Syria, 1918; German invasion of the Low Countries and France, 1940; Japanese invasion of Malaya, 1941-1942; Soviet invasion of Manchuria, 1945; Third Arab-Israeli War, 1967. Almost quick wins--German invasion of Russia (Operation Barbarossa), 1941; Allied breakout from Normandy (Operation Cobra), 1944; North Korean invasion of South Korea, 1950. Stalemates--Sinai Desert Front, 1915-1917; Winter and Gustav Lines, Italy, 1943-1944; Korea, 1951-1953.
Document Details
- Document Type
- Technical Report
- Publication Date
- Oct 01, 1975
- Accession Number
- ADA025893