Operation Husky Case Study
Operation Husky suffered from command and control problems affecting all aspects of joint function from its planning to its conclusion. Operation Husky was the most complex joint undertaking the Allied forces executed up until that point in WWII. While Allied forces fought together in North Africa, Operation Husky involved the largest amphibious operation to date. Complicating this were opposing viewpoints of American and British leadership, with American leaders advocating for an early cross-channel invasion and British leaders in favor of striking softer targets in order to force Italy out of the war. Eventually, Prime Minister Churchill triumphed and planning for the invasion of Sicily began in earnest. This essay examines three aspects …show more content…
A lack of trust by General Alexander hindered command and control of Operation Husky during the planning and execution of Operation Husky due to his bias towards British forces. General Alexander lacked confidence in the ability of the American ground forces due to their inexperience and performance in North Africa. When General Eisenhower bowed to political pressure to speed the planning for Operation Husky and agreed to a plan put forth by General Montgomery that gave the U.S. 7th Army a supporting role to the British 8th Army, it magnified the lack of trust the British had for American forces. The result was a plan for Allied ground operations that favored the British ground forces, and which hampered the ability of the Allies to defeat decisively the Axis Forces in …show more content…
Beyond Command and Control, the joint functions include intelligence, fires, movement and maneuver, protection, sustainment, and information. As the largest operation in WWII up until that time, Operation Husky was a proving ground for integration of joint function. Given the command and control struggles, it follows that joint integration in Operation Husky was less than optimal, especially because “joint force components have different function-oriented approaches, procedures, and perspectives.” Presented below are examples of how shortcomings in intelligence and movement and maneuver resulted in lost momentum or lost opportunity for the
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