MASTER OF MILITARY STUDIESL: Operation Rosselsprung and the Elimination of Tito, 25 May 1944: A Failure in Planning and Intelligence Support
Abstract
Operation ROSSELSPRUNG was a Second World War German operation conducted in Bosnia, which aimed at eliminating the leadership of the Partisan movement, namely Marshal Josip-Broz Tito. It failed due to mediocre intelligence Support and inadequate tactical level planning. Intelligence shortfalls were rooted primarily in poor German inter-organization relations and cooperation, including the sharing of intelligence, which resulted in missed opportunities and a failure to pinpoint Tito's location with sufficient precision. Given the quality of intelligence provided, the plan for the airborne assault did not include sufficient flexibility for the execution of contingencies. There are three major conclusions that are applicable to contemporary operations. Firstly, the degree of intelligence certainty is critical in determining both the size of the force and the extent of the objective area in a direct action raid. Secondly, there is a requirement for contingency planning in these operations. Finally, it is vital that different intelligence Organizations that are pursuing a similar goal, especially in the sane theatre of operations, cooperate to the greatest extent possible.
Document Details
- Document Type
- Technical Report
- Publication Date
- Jan 01, 2002
- Accession Number
- ADA403840
Entities
People
- Wayne D. Eyre
Organizations
- Marine Corps University