Structuring U.S. Ground Forces to Meet All Threats
Abstract
Potential adversaries of the United States have learned that they cannot compete with this country in a conventional war, but that America is vulnerable to asymmetric or insurgent threats. It is clear that the United States must find a way to transform its ground forces to meet these threats without losing the ability to deter any conventional threats. To this end, some leaders and analysts are calling for the U.S. Military to break its ground forces in two: one focusing primarily on major combat operations and one focusing on stability and counterinsurgency operations. This study shows that two forces are not necessary. Instead, the military must develop tactical and operational commanders with the mental flexibility to adapt to any situation they face. This study analyzes three cases in which ground forces had to transition between these two forms of warfare. The first case study is the U.S. Army, which conducted stability and counterinsurgency operations from 1865 to 1891, immediately after fighting major combat operations in the Civil War. The second case study is the British Army, which fought in World War I, a conventional war, after 58 years of stability and counterinsurgency operations since the end of the Crimean War in 1856. In the final case study, the Malayan Emergency, British commanders with experience primarily in major combat operations in World War I quickly adapted to counterinsurgency. Although the British Army had a long history of counterinsurgency and stability operations, the majority of the officers who were fighting the Malayan Emergency were initially unprepared for that type of operation. In all three case studies, the commanders were able to change their thinking, transform their forces, and make the critical decisions that led to victory. Their mental flexibility to transition between these forms of warfare was decisive for success.
Document Details
- Document Type
- Technical Report
- Publication Date
- Apr 30, 2008
- Accession Number
- ADA485515
Entities
People
- Jason A. Curl
Organizations
- United States Army Command and General Staff College