The European Campaign: Its Origins and Conduct

Authored by Dr. Samuel J. Newland, Dr. Clayton K. S. Chun.

June 2011

469 Pages

Brief Synopsis

The authors begin with an examination of prewar planning for various contingencies, then move to the origins of “Germany first” in American war planning. They then focus on the concept, favored by both George C. Marshall and Dwight D. Eisenhower, that the United States and its Allies had to conduct a cross-channel attack and undertake an offensive aimed at the heartland of Germany. Following this background contained in the initial chapters, the remainder of the book provides a comprehensive discussion outlining how the European Campaign was was carried out. The authors conclude that American political leaders and war planners established logical and achievable objectives for the nation’s military forces. However during the campaign’s execution, American military leaders were slow to put into practice what would later be called operational level warfare. For comparison, the authors include an appendix covering German efforts at war planning in the tumultuous 1920s and 1930s.

Contents

Foreword

About the Authors

Introduction

Chapter 1. The European Campaign: Origins

Chapter 2. Was Europe First?

Chapter 3. 1943: Frustrations and Successes

Chapter 4. D-Day: Planning and Execution

Chapter 5. Toward the German Border: Operations COBRA, The Falaise Pocket, and Operation ANVIL

Chapter 6. Operation MARKET GARDEN

Chapter 7. The Hürtgen Campaign

Chapter 8. The Ardennes Offensive

Chapter 9. The Ruhr or Berlin

Chapter 10. Conclusions and Observations

Bibliography

Appendix I. Developing Strategy: A Look at the Other Side

Appendix II. To Supreme Commander Allied Expeditionary Force

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