General Matthew B. Ridgway: A Commander's Maturation of Operational Art
Abstract
General Matthew B. Ridgway's astonishing ability to visualize a military campaign matured because of leadership development, lessons learned from failure, and personal mastery of operational art. During World War II, Ridgway commanded the 82nd Airborne Division in Operations HUSKY and NEPTUNE, and then the XVIII Airborne Corps in Operation MARKET, the Battle of the Bulge, and Operation VARSITY. This monograph, based on an investigation of available primary sources (i.e., field orders, after action reports, and personal accounts) reinforced with secondary source analysis, demonstrates that Ridgway overcame his own inadequacies. Although he completed all the military education available in his era, it was only after the intense crucible of three combat operations that he eventually applied operational art successfully. Evidence shows that Ridgway achieved tactical success but did not adequately apply operational art in Operations HUSKY, NEPTUNE, and MARKET. However, he learned from his failures and progressively improved his application of operational art during the Battle of the Bulge and Operation VARSITY. It wasn't until his fifth experience, Operation VARSITY, that he mastered operational art. Within U.S. Army Mission Command, the most important subcomponent of visualization depends on 11 elements of operational art. These elements form the template used in this monograph to study the factors involved in Ridgway's maturation of operational art over five combat operations.
Document Details
- Document Type
- Technical Report
- Publication Date
- May 19, 2011
- Accession Number
- ADA546322
Entities
People
- Joseph R. Kurz
Organizations
- United States Army Command and General Staff College