Two Dangerous Assumptions in U.S. Defense Planning and How to Fix Them
Decades of dominance can shape the beliefs and behaviors of a nation and its military.
In the decades leading up to World War II, the U.S. Naval War College held a series of wargames exploring potential war with Japan, contributing to the evolution of War Plan Orange. This plan laid the foundation for the coming war in the Pacific, with a major focus on protecting U.S. assets in the Philippines.
- Rush the fleet to defend the Philippines, benefiting from speed.
- Take an incremental stepping stone approach across the Pacific, providing time to build capacity and challenge the adversary.
Author's summary: U.S. defense planning is influenced by past dominance.