Changing the Campaign Plan in Midstream: Deciding Whether to Cancel an Operation
Abstract
This monograph examines whether a planned operation in a campaign should be executed unchanged, modified, or canceled. A campaign is a progression of sequential or simultaneous operations designed to accomplish a strategic objective. A campaign plan organizes these operations, but it is not a rigid document. Instead, campaign planning should be flexible, and allow for changes during the execution of the campaign. Modern warfare is complex, and careless changes to the campaign plan can unravel the detailed planning that synchronizes the campaign. A commander considering modifying or canceling an operation must balance the benefits of a change with harmful consequences. The monograph investigates these issues using the historical experience of Operation STALEMATE in the Pacific in World War II. This American operation seized Peleliu and Angaur Islands in the Palau Island Chain from the Japanese in September 1944. The operation is especially appropriate for this study because senior commanders considered modifying or canceling it before it began. World War II, Pacific, Campaign planning, Palau Islands, Operation planning, Peleliu, Operation STALEMATE, Campaign execution, Angaur.
Document Details
- Document Type
- Technical Report
- Publication Date
- May 17, 1994
- Accession Number
- ADA284719
Entities
People
- Grant D. Steffan
Organizations
- United States Army Command and General Staff College