Planning For The Peace: Operation Eclipse And The Occupation Of Germany
Case Study NWC 3037 “Planning for the Peace: Operation Eclipse and the Occupation of Germany” (same as I studied) reflects and provides a good explanation of stability operations enforced by the Allied Forces and how properly applied Operational Art was valuable during the planning process. In 1942, the US military had begun planning the occupation of Germany by planning for post-conflict operations although the war didn’t end until 1945. Once Allied Forces entered Germany, US troops began administering German towns in rear areas. Under General Lucius Clay, the US launched a comprehensive program of disarmament, demilitarization, denazification, democratization, and economic and financial reform within the American zone of western Germany.
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The planning staff anticipated and considered post-conflict problems and put in place organizational and procedural solutions to meet the initial challenges of peace. This post-conflict planning effort required a significant commitment in staff resources by Commanders, diverting attention and effort from more pressing immediate needs arising from military operations. The process of formulating the plan served another valuable purpose: it raised questions for Commanders about the end-state which shaped the guidance they sought and received from the political leadership. Because of the process, the end-state was subjected to the constant review. Arguably, if the Allies had failed to prepare adequately for post-conflict operations, it would not have been able to avert a humanitarian disaster in Germany, which would have had severe repercussions in the rest of Europe. This, in turn, might have created political unrest and turmoil that would have blocked conception and implementation of the Marshall Plan and without a stable Germany in the heart of Europe. Instead, the requirement of planning peace during war, Allies formulated timely contingency plans for occupation, created organizations to plan and conduct post-conflict operations, and thought about the peace and the military's role in it. It was a
The planning staff anticipated and considered post-conflict problems and put in place organizational and procedural solutions to meet the initial challenges of peace. This post-conflict planning effort required a significant commitment in staff resources by Commanders, diverting attention and effort from more pressing immediate needs arising from military operations. The process of formulating the plan served another valuable purpose: it raised questions for Commanders about the end-state which shaped the guidance they sought and received from the political leadership. Because of the process, the end-state was subjected to the constant review. Arguably, if the Allies had failed to prepare adequately for post-conflict operations, it would not have been able to avert a humanitarian disaster in Germany, which would have had severe repercussions in the rest of Europe. This, in turn, might have created political unrest and turmoil that would have blocked conception and implementation of the Marshall Plan and without a stable Germany in the heart of Europe. Instead, the requirement of planning peace during war, Allies formulated timely contingency plans for occupation, created organizations to plan and conduct post-conflict operations, and thought about the peace and the military's role in it. It was a