Operation Weseruebung: Operational Art in Joint Warfare
Abstract
Within military history the German invasion of Norway is a classic textbook case to study the tenet's of operational art in joint warfare. Although not planned with today's doctrine, many of the principles applied by Hitler and the German high command in Operation Weseruebung parallel U.S. Doctrine. The Germans successfully related their limited tactical forces to a strategic objective. Through planning a series of tactical operations based on a combination of speed, maneuver, deception and surprise, they were able to execute a distant strike through a superior naval force and seize Norway. Inadvertently planned by a Joint Staff and constrained to a limited force; the Germans developed a joint Military Capability which could not be matched by the single service concept of the allies. Their command structure, while not unified because of service rivalry, followed through and executed a joint operation due to the coordination and cooperation of the officers involved. Through the principles of war we can examine the campaign and evaluate the German application of operational art.
Document Details
- Document Type
- Technical Report
- Publication Date
- Feb 08, 1994
- Accession Number
- ADA279419
Entities
People
- Len Jasczak
Organizations
- Naval War College