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Revisiting Campaign ...

IGNORED MISSION ANANLYSIS – OPERATION BARBAROSSA 1941
Hitler's strategic decision to invade Soviet emanated from his obstinate idea
"We have only to kick in the door and the whole rotten structure will come
crushing down". Hitler overlooked the operation level mission analysis.
German mounted on Soviet at a crucial time when they were engaged in
Eastern and Western Europe, Caucasus and North Africa. The mission was
not achievable with the forces deployed with so many objectives.
German Generals could not handle all the fronts; soldiers met frozen death.
Colonel Jablonsky further notes,‘Germany was defeated primarily because
Hitler's strategic objectives exceeded his military capabilities.

Campaign Plan and Operational Art

Operational Art. Operational art is defined as “the employment of
military forces to attain strategic and/or operational objectives through the
design, organization, integration, and conduct of war.” 8

Campaign Plan and Operational Art Relation. Operational art ties up
the operational actions. During WWII, General MacArthur faced difficulties to
establish foothold in Philippines only by land campaign. But he made it after
cutting of Japanese reinforcement by the naval operations. So, the synergy
between the land and naval campaign in the Pacific theatre was a successful
operational art. Again, in Grand Strategic level, the Pacific Campaign against the
Japanese was well synergized with the Atlantic Campaign against the Germans.
For a good operational synergy, a quick battle field analysis, fast decision
making and real time information sharing are crucial. Both for planning and
execution, synergy requires interconnected command hubs. In 2001, during a
NATO led security mission in Afghanistan International Security Assistance
Force (ISAF) operated 5 command hubs in Germany, Netherlands, Italy, Spain,
USA and Kabul and ensured the synergy in operations. Lest we forget that the
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inter services and multinational doctrinal alignment is also pertinent in this
respect.

8. The US Joint Services Publication 3-0.
9. Established by the UN Security Council in December 2001 by Resolution 1386, as envisaged by the Bonn Agreement.

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