Midterm Essay

Paul Karsten

HIUS 380

April 13, 2015

Strategies and Tactics Utilized in World War II By the middle of the 1900’s, America was again involved with wars ravaging a majority of the world. The scale of the battlefield would cause the United States to face enemies with completely different combat styles, technologies, and motivations to go to war. Throughout the late 1800’s and early 1900’s the United States would be tested repeatedly. The experiences learned in the Spanish-American War and World War I would changes the way the United States would conduct combat operations. The complacency of the United States in its victories would lead to a lack of preparation for the tenacity and intensity that would be unleashed against this country by her would be enemies. Strategies and tactics of combat were rapidly evolving during the post-World War I period as new technologies and motivations to go to war evolved. The German government, led by Adolph Hitler began to re-arm itself, in direct opposition to the Treaty of Versailles, in order to take back the territory it lost to Poland (American History 2008). The immediate response of Europe was one of capitulation and promise that the Germans would not pursue additional acts of aggression. Within six months the German war machine was marching on Czechoslovakia. On September 3, 1939, the countries of France and England formally declared war on Germany. The largest war in history was underway. The United States, looking to avoid another “great war” announced its neutrality. A national policy of “cash and carry” for weapons lead to an arms embargo to all hostile nations, or belligerents (Hill 2007). The German strategy for World War II was based on the assumption that Hitler believed a war against France would be short and he could force England into one sided negotiations (Kamenetsky 1961).