Institutionalizing the New Maritime Strategy: The Forrestal Lessons, 1945-47. An Annotated Briefing

Abstract

This briefing concerns institutionalizing strategic change in the Navy. It focuses on the lessons of the 1945-47 era under Secretary of the Navy James Forrestal. The Forrestal era (1945-47) was analogous to today in several aspects. The United States had won a great war, and, for several years at least, the prospect of peace dominated military planning. It was a time of declining force levels and defense budgets, and a time of strategic shift. Fierce Congressional battles and interservice rivalries over defense dollars and missions characterized the period. Secretary of the Navy James Forrestal is credited with having delivered the best possible outcome for the Navy, in terms of budget and Navy prerogatives, under very difficult circumstances.

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Document Details

Document Type
Technical Report
Publication Date
Apr 01, 1993
Accession Number
ADA593837

Entities

People

  • Scott Atkinson

Tags

Communities of Interest

  • Energy and Power Technologies
  • Human Systems

DTIC Thesaurus Topics

  • Air Force
  • Alliances
  • Budgets
  • Commerce
  • Congress
  • Department Of Defense
  • Executives
  • Intelligence Collection
  • International Organizations
  • Military Budgets
  • Military Planning
  • National Security
  • Naval Aviation
  • Navy
  • Public Relations
  • Security
  • War

Readers

  • Defense Acquisition Program Management
  • Military History of the United States in the 20th Century.
  • Public Financial Management and Budgeting