The Influence of British Operational Intelligence on the War at Sea in the Mediterranean June 1940 - November 1942

Abstract

Intelligence derived from a number of sources, primarily the decryption of high-level German and Italian communications, provided British forces in the Mediterranean with extraordinary insights into Axis naval operations. This level of intelligence was instrumental to the success of British forces during most of the decisive points during the naval war in the Mediterranean and indirectly had great influence on the ground war in North Africa. Many of the hallmarks of the nature in which operational intelligence was used retains relevance for today's operational commander. These include use of intelligence to identify and attack enemy centers of gravity, the importance of incorporating intelligence into the planning process, use of intelligence as a force multiplier but not as a force substitute, and the dissemination and handling of sensitive intelligence.

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Document Details

Document Type
Technical Report
Publication Date
Feb 08, 1994
Accession Number
ADA279583

Entities

People

  • Mark E. Stille

Organizations

  • Naval War College

Tags

Communities of Interest

  • Air Platforms
  • Ground and Sea Platforms

DTIC Thesaurus Topics

  • Air Force
  • Air Power
  • Aircraft Carriers
  • Boats
  • Center Of Gravity
  • Classification
  • Middle East
  • Military History
  • Naval Intelligence
  • Naval Operations
  • Navy
  • New York
  • Reconnaissance Aircraft
  • Second World War
  • Signals Intelligence
  • War
  • War Colleges

Readers

  • Cybersecurity.
  • Military History of the United States in the 20th Century.
  • Strategic Security Studies