This takes the form of 'contingency' and 'scenario' imagination being translated into the course of battle to achieve this objective or that, The 'nominal enemy' is identified; his strengths and weaknesses examined; the lay of the land (and sea and air) examined carefully; and an 'Order of Battle' (that is, the forces needed) determined.
Any prospective enemy will do, and all prospective enemies are considered. Even friends.
Most military folk will recall the Von Schliffen Plan which was 'written' in the late 19C and inadvertently set in motion an unstoppable World War, due to railway time-tables.
Operation names are given. In this instance it was 'RED'. And it harked back to Redcoats.
War Plan Red, one of a number of coloured names, was given to the planned attack by America against Britain.
This was in the late 1920's and early 1930's, not back in the 18th C.
America, not content with the Revolutionary War, remained quite envious of the British Empire and its might, which, had they not revolted, they would have inherited.
They turned their attention to Canada, part of that empire.
Many attacks had been made on Canada over the century since the establishment of an independant America, and all had come to naught.
But the scanario in War Plan Red was for a concerted attack on Canada and the prevention of Britain coming to its aid.
Who knows what Canada would be like today had they gone ahead with it. Justin Trudeau would probably be in Cuba.
Sit back and watch.
Some hidden history might be learned by Anglophile friends and cousins. Some shocks might be felt.
This old Knight is possibly far more aware of the history of the Revolutionary War (which many British people saw as a 'civil war' and regretted it happening). But then history is written by the victors, they say.
And mis-taught thereafter.
Drink up.
Pax.
Right, so I need to watch that. Interesting idea - the Commonwealth would come to aid Britain.
ReplyDeletePerhaps. But watch to see what mayhem was predicted. Which explains why it didn't eventuate.
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