Operational Level Logistics: An Examination of U.S. Army Logistical Doctrine for the Operational Level War

Abstract

This monograph examines three World War II campaigns. The 1941 German Operation Barbarossa (Central Army Group), Soviet Belorussian Campaign of 1944, and Soviet invasion of Manchuria in 1945 are used to illustrate five operational logistics tenets: line of support, staging, altering lines of communication, sustainment priorities, and force expansion. The doctrinal analysis compares current U.S. logistics doctrine adequately addresses the operational level of logistics. Conclusions derived from this study include: the five tenets are valid, but a sixth, logistical preparation, is needed. U.S. Army doctrine needs to address operational level logistics more completely. This monograph concludes that greater understanding of operational level logistics is required. Understanding can be increased by teaching operational level logistics in the logistical schools and expanding logistical field manuals to include application and planning of logistics at the operational level of war.

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Document Details

Document Type
Technical Report
Publication Date
May 16, 1986
Accession Number
ADA174097

Entities

People

  • Howard V. Nichols

Organizations

  • United States Army Command and General Staff College

Tags

Communities of Interest

  • C4I
  • Energy and Power Technologies
  • Human Systems
  • Weapons Technologies

DTIC Thesaurus Topics

  • Combat Operations
  • Contingency Operations (Military)
  • Doctrine
  • Logistics
  • Military History
  • Military Operations
  • Schools
  • Second World War
  • Students
  • Supply Depots
  • Training
  • Transportation
  • United States
  • Ussr
  • War
  • War Colleges
  • Word Processors

Readers

  • Military History / Militaries and War Studies