General Walter Krueger: A Case Study in Operational Command
Abstract
During World War 11, American army officers who had spent their entire careers commanding at regimental level and below were suddenly called upon to lead armies and army groups against the foe in both Europe and the Pacific. Especially in the Pacific, this meant commanding large forces composed of air, land and sea elements. Although not 'without their share of problems these leaders were up to the challenge. How were they able to make the remarkable transition from commanding a brigade of 3000 soldiers to a field army of over 300,000 in a few brief years? What assignments, education, or training prepared them to fight in a joint and/or combined environment? What qualities and attributes made them effective operational commanders? The army officer of today faces much the same situation as his predecessor of the interwar period. Although there has been a flurry of interest in the operational level of war since 1982, the focus of the officer corps remains firmly fixed upon the tactical level, The vast bulk of an officer's career is spent in assignments at division and below.
Document Details
- Document Type
- Technical Report
- Publication Date
- May 05, 1989
- Accession Number
- ADA251782
Entities
People
- John H. Mcdonald Jr.
Organizations
- United States Army Command and General Staff College