American War Plans, 1890-1939 / Edition 1

by Steven T. Ross

Overview

By the close of the 19th century, the United States was no longer a continental power, but had become a nation with interests that spanned the globe from the Caribbean to China. Consequently, the country faced a new set of strategic concerns, ranging from enforcing the Monroe Doctrine to defending the Philippines.
As a result of the United States' new geostrategic environment, the armed services had to establish a system for the creation of war plans to defend the country's interests against possible foreign aggression. A Joint Army and Navy Board, established in 1903, ordered the creation of war plans to deal with real and potential threats to American security. Each major country was assigned a colour: Germany was Black, Great Britain Red, Japan Orange, Mexico Green and China Yellow. War plans were then devised in case Washington decided to use force against these or other powers.

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9780714653051
Publisher:	Taylor & Francis
Publication date:	09/29/2002
Pages:	228
Product dimensions:	5.44(w) x 8.50(h) x (d)

Table of Contents

The creation of empire; defining the threat; war plans, 1900-18; a new world order; war plans revisited; darkening horizons; conclusion.

Editorial Reviews

Ross (strategy, US Naval War College, Newport, RI), in a concise and knowledgeable narrative, describes the development in American war plans from the Spanish American War to WWII. It was during this period, we learn, that the US shifted its use of the military from a mainly internal use to the global applications we know today. In addition to international scope, war plans to control internal threat of revolution, and for strikebreaking are also described. Distributed in the US by ISBS. Annotation c. Book News, Inc., Portland, OR (booknews.com)

Booknews