Download or read book The Practice Of Operational Art In Operation Weser bung The German Invasion Of Norway 1940 written by Lieutenant Mark A. Rice and published by Pickle Partners Publishing. This book was released on 2014-08-15 with total page 36 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: The planning and execution of Operation Weserübung was the first major joint operation of its kind in history utilizing naval, ground, air, and airborne forces. Its conduct proves to be one of the most noteworthy applications of operational art and the principles of war during all of World War II. The principles of surprise and security were the most critical in the German success. The German planning taking into account and exploiting the operational factors of time, space and force are another key element in why this operation is worthy of further analysis and study. Additionally, the operational lessons learned that could be applied from the belligerents’ experiences further illustrate several important lessons that can apply today. From the Germans we saw the importance of planning around apparent disadvantages, command and control as it relates to operational objectives and commanders intent, and the importance of initiative in military operations. From the British, the pitfalls of mirror imaging and a lack of decisiveness can prove fatal in military operations. Lastly, from the Norwegian side we see the importance of national defense for maintaining a nations’ own self-determination against outside belligerents.
Download or read book The Practice of Operational Art in Operation Weserubung The German Invasion of Norway 1940 written by and published by . This book was released on 2007 with total page 19 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: In April of 1940, the peaceful and neutral country of Norway became a battleground between Germany, France, and England in their desire to control it for their own war objectives. The Battle of Norway and as the Germans called it, Operation Weseruebung, was the first major military operation in history to utilize naval, ground, air, and airborne forces in the assault phase of the attack. The German success in this operation provides an outstanding example of the application of operational art and the principles of war by Germany in the early stages of World War II. The principles of surprise and security were the most critical in this German military success. Operation Weseruebung included both the invasion of Denmark and the invasion of Norway. The first phase of the operation was the invasion of Denmark; its air bases were needed for the invasion of Norway, and it fell in a single day. The focus of this paper will be on the Norwegian portion of Weseruebung. German military planning took into account and exploited the operational factors of time, space and force, another key element in why this operation is worthy of further analysis and study. The operational lessons learned that could be applied from the belligerents' experiences further illustrate several important lessons that are applicable today. From the Germans one learns the importance of planning around apparent disadvantages, command and control as it relates to operational objectives and commander's intent, and the importance of initiative in military operations. From the British one learns the pitfalls of mirror imaging and that a lack of decisiveness can prove fatal in military operations. Lastly, from the Norwegians, one can see the importance of national defense for maintaining a nation's self-determination against outside belligerents.
Download or read book Joint Operations Case Study Weser bung Nord Germany s Invasion Of Norway 1940 written by Major Timothy F. Lindemann and published by Pickle Partners Publishing. This book was released on 2014-08-15 with total page 76 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: In the history of modern warfare, Weserübung Nord, the German invasion of Norway in 1940, occupies a distinguished station as the first campaign “jointly” planned and executed by ground, sea, and air forces. This paper examines the origins, concept, and planning of Weserübung Nord, as well as the execution of the landings. Brief attention is given to the defense of the landings against Allied counterstrokes and to issues associated with unified planning and direction. The origins of the campaign are found in the German naval experience in the First World War, interwar naval strategy debates, and the persona of Grand Admiral Erich Raeder, who was determined to secure a decisive role for the German Navy in the Second World War. Raeder capitalized on the fortuitous opportunities the Russo-Finnish War and the Norwegian traitor Vidkun Quisling presented to win Hitler over to his naval plans. Raeder and the Navy heavily influenced the concept development and planning of the campaign in concert with the High Command of the (German) Armed Forces, which also had a vested organizational interest in a military solution of the Norwegian issue. In executing Weserübung Nord, the German Armed Forces encountered major problems only at Oslo and Narvik. However, the operational-level success of the campaign tends to draw attention away from fundamental problems regarding unified planning and direction which emerged during the preparation and execution of the campaign. “When the first [German] mountain troops in parachutes were dropped behind Narvik, it occurred that one fell directly in the water. The General [Dietl] came up to him as a petty officer was pulling him out of the water.” “So soldier, how do you end up here?” “With the help of the three branches of the Armed Forces, Herr General,” shouted the man quick-wittedly, “the Army sent me up here, the Air Force transported me, and the Navy pulled me out of the water.”-General Dietl: das Leben eines Soldaten
Download or read book Hitler Strikes North written by Jack Greene and published by Grub Street Publishers. This book was released on 2013-03-19 with total page 441 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: A detailed account of Germany’s groundbreaking Operation Weserübung, the first three dimensional—land, sea, air—strategic invasion in history. The German invasion of Denmark and Norway in April 1940 brought a sudden and shocking end to the “Phoney War” in the West. In a single day, multiple seaborne and airborne landings established German forces ashore in Norway, overwhelming the unprepared Norwegian forces and catching the Allied Powers completely by surprise. Their belated response was ill-thought-out and badly organized, and by June 9 all resistance had formally ended. The strategic importance of Scandinavian iron ore, shipped through the port of Narvik to Germany, was the main cause of the campaign. The authors show how Allied attempts to interdict these supplies provoked German plans to secure them, and also how political developments in the inter-war years resulted in both Denmark and Norway being unable to deter threats to their neutrality despite having done so successfully in the First World War. The German attack was their first “joint” air, sea, and land operation, making large-scale use of air-landing and parachute forces, and the Luftwaffe’s control of the air throughout the campaign would prove decisive. Although costly, particularly for the Kriegsmarine, it was a triumph of good planning, improvisation and aggressive, determined action by the troops on the ground. Making full use of Norwegian, Danish, and German sources, this book is a full and fascinating account of this highly significant campaign and its aftermath both for the course of the Second World War and the post-war history of the two countries conquered with such unprecedented speed.
Download or read book Forcible Entry And The German Invasion Of Norway 1940 written by Major Michael W. Richardson and published by Pickle Partners Publishing. This book was released on 2015-11-06 with total page 152 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: The air-sea-land forcible entry of Norway in 1940 utilized German operational innovation and boldness to secure victory. The Germans clearly met, and understood, the conditions that were necessary to achieve victory. The central research question of this thesis is: What lessons concerning setting the conditions for present day forcible entry operations can be gleaned from the successful German invasion of Norway in 1940? Forcible entry is the introduction of an aggregation of military personnel, weapons systems, vehicles, and necessary support, or a combination thereof, embarked for the purpose of gaining access through land, air, or amphibious operations into an objective area against resistance. This aggregation of military force attempts to set conditions that cripple the enemy’s ability to react decisively to, or interfere with, the forcible entry operation. The German emphasis on surprise and speed, an effective psychological campaign, and combined operations under a unified command in the invasion of Norway rendered the Norwegian and Allied intervention forces (including the Royal Navy which dominated the seas in the area) incapable of seriously interfering with the German forcible entry.
Download or read book 9 April 1940 German Invasion Of Norway The Dawn Of Decisive Airpower During Joint Military Operations written by Major Brian T. Baxley and published by Pickle Partners Publishing. This book was released on 2014-08-15 with total page 53 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Operation Weserübung, the German invasion of Norway during the Second World War, is considered by many military historians to be the first joint military operation involving the combined planning and execution of air, land, and sea forces. After a brief introduction and an explanation of the significance of Norway, Chapter Three will analyze the planning process and strategy used by the Germans in late 1939 and early 1940 for devising this joint operation. Chapter Four examines, primarily from an airpower perspective, the plan itself and its execution during the first day of the operation by the Germans, and the British response. Chapter Five determines how German airpower was used, and in particular, what effect the Luftwaffe attack on 9 April against the British Home Fleet had against Britain’s campaign strategy to control the North Sea. The final chapter examines three important lessons United States military planners should extract from Operation Weserübung and apply to operations in the 21st century. They are: 1) the joint operation of air, land, and sea assets produce a synergetic effect greater than the sum of their parts; 2) a difficult part of joint operations is the air command and control; and 3) airpower can decisively deny the enemy use of the land or the sea.
Download or read book Operation Weseruebung written by Len Jascazak and published by . This book was released on 1994 with total page 26 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt:
Download or read book Operation Weseruebung A Necessary Evil An Operational Art Analysis written by and published by . This book was released on 1998 with total page 0 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Military historians have hailed the German conquest of Norway as a masterful exercise of German military efficiency and have given the operation a special place in the annals of war. The German Military's conducted of Operation Weseruebung is heralded as the first successful major joint operation which incorporated air, land, and sea forces. The occupation of Norway brought Germany several strategic and operational advantages. However, some advantages appeared better on paper than in reality. The necessity to conduct Operation Weseruebung and occupy Norway is critically examined from an operational art perspective, with particular emphasis on operational factors. After a review of the strategic setting, the paper provides a review of the conduct of Operation Weseruebung. Examination of the operation demonstrates that the level of consideration regarding the operational factors diminished after the invasion of Norway. An analysis will be presented of the post invasion actions of the German military relating to operational factors. Alternative courses of action are presented as options for attaining the same objectives.
Download or read book Operation Weserubung and the Origins of Joint Warfare written by and published by . This book was released on 1993 with total page 13 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: The German military genius for maneuver warfare is well illustrated by an often overlooked operation of World War II, the invasion of Scandinavia in 1940. Operation Weserubung also warrants examination because it was joint in execution and demonstrates that the German army, navy, and air force--Wehrmacht, Kriegsmarine, and Luftwaffe--could fight as a team even if rivalry among the headquarters of the services made Hitler the operation's unified commander by fault. A combination of speed, surprise, and daring enabled the German armed forces to defy the Royal Navy by transporting troops directly to their objectives along the Norwegian coast. Furthermore, quickness and dash baffled the hapless Norwegians and beleaguered Allied forces. The lessons of this operation were not lost on the British for the balance of the war and remain relevant today as a case study in joint warfare and the operational art.
Download or read book Fall Gelb And The German Blitzkrieg Of 1940 Operational Art written by Major Rick S. Richardson and published by Pickle Partners Publishing. This book was released on 2015-11-06 with total page 69 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: The objective of this study is to determine if the German “blitzkrieg” and Fall Gelb of 1940 were an expression of operational art. Despite the mythology surrounding Fall Gelb, the campaign does not constitute a major breakthrough in operational art by the Germans. Fall Gelb was not an expression of operational art. This conclusion is based upon an analysis using the approaches posed by U.S. Army and joint doctrine, Dr. James Schneider and Dr. Shimon Naveh. The purpose of this study is to examine more closely what is meant by “operational art” and to use those contemporary insights to re-examine German military operations in France in May 1940, Fall Gelb. Fall Gelb was chosen because it is a campaign that is frequently studied and often used and abused to illustrate various points relating to military operations. The study of the Fall Gelb campaign offers a glimpse of past operations through the lens of contemporary thought. That study provides the contemporary military professional an opportunity to improve his understanding of operational art through the study of a historical campaign.
Download or read book Naval Operational Art in the Battle for Norway written by Michael A. Brown and published by . This book was released on 1995 with total page 0 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: The Germans achieved operational success in Operation WESEREUBUNG through detailed planning, joint operations and singular purpose. The German navy, numerically inferior and incapable of large fleet operations, succeeded in their overall operational plan. They were able to land troops in Norway by applying Corbett's theory of sea control. The British were unsuccessful against the Germans due to a lack of operational planning and effective leadership. The German success of 1940 is discussed in relationship to the United States of 1995. Two potential threats for the U.S. are examined.
Download or read book Forcible Entry and the German Invasion of Norway 1940 written by U. S. Army U.S. Army Command and Staff College and published by . This book was released on 2014-11-14 with total page 90 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: The air-sea-land forcible entry of Norway in 1940 utilized German operational innovation and boldness to secure victory. The Germans clearly met, and understood, the conditions that were necessary to achieve victory. The central research question of this thesis is: What lessons concerning setting the conditions for present day forcible entry operations can be gleaned from the successful German invasion of Norway in 1940? Forcible entry is the introduction of an aggregation of military personnel, weapons systems, vehicles, and necessary support, or a combination thereof, embarked for the purpose of gaining access through land, air, or amphibious operations into an objective area against resistance. This aggregation of military force attempts to set conditions that cripple the enemy's ability to react decisively to, or interfere with, the forcible entry operation. The German emphasis on surprise and speed, an effective psychological campaign, and combined operations under a unified command in the invasion of Norway rendered the Norwegian and Allied intervention forces (including the Royal Navy which dominated the seas in the area) incapable of seriously interfering with the German forcible entry.
Download or read book Naval Operational Art in the Battle for Norway written by Michael A. Brown and published by . This book was released on 1995 with total page 17 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt:
Download or read book Operation Weser bung written by Military Library Research Service (Firm) and published by . This book was released on 2006 with total page 112 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt:
Download or read book The German Northern Theater of Operations 1940 1945 written by Earl F. Ziemke and published by . This book was released on 1989 with total page 388 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt:
Download or read book The German Northern Theater of Operations 1940 1945 written by F. Ziemke and published by Brill Archive. This book was released on 1959 with total page 384 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt:
Download or read book 9 April 1940 German Invasion of Norway The Dawn of Decisive Airpower During Joint Military Operations written by and published by . This book was released on 1997 with total page 45 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Operation Weseruebung, the German invasion of Norway during the Second World War, is considered by many military historians to be the first joint military operation involving the combined planning and execution of air, land, and sea forces. After a brief introduction and an explanation of the significance of Norway, Chapter Three will analyze the planning process and strategy used by the Germans in late 1939 and early 1940 for devising this joint operation. Chapter Four examines, primarily from an air power perspective, the plan itself and its execution during the first day of the operation by the Germans, and the British response. Chapter Five determines how German airpower was used, and in particular, what effect the Luftwaffe attack on 9 April against the British Home Fleet had against Britain's campaign strategy to control the North Sea. The final chapter examines three important lessons United States military planners should extract from Operation Weseruebung and apply to operations in the 21st century. They are: 1) the joint operation of afr, land, and sea assets produce a synergetic effect greater than the sum of their parts; 2) a difficult part of joint operations is the air command and control; and 3) airpower can decisively deny the enemy use of the land or the sea.
