Episode 28 - Army University Press and the newest book in the LSCO Series
May 1, 2022
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In this episode, Lieutenant Colonel Nikki Dean discusses Army University Press and their LSCO Book Series with guests Don Wright, Eric Burke, and Rich Creed. They explore topics such as incorporating virtual terrain in historical films, the impact of films on understanding World War II, multi-domain operations, the importance of consolidating gains, civil affairs units in Market Garden, preparation challenges, and the influence of Colonel Erwin Hunt's study.
Consolidating gains involves connecting tactical actions to political and strategic objectives, as explored in the book 'Enduring Success'
Consolidating gains can occur throughout the battlefield, not just in the rear areas, and requires considering broader objectives
The book 'Enduring Success' provides historical case studies that highlight effective consolidation of gains and the importance of aligning actions with desired outcomes
Deep dives
Consolidation of Gains and the Role of Army University Press
Army University Press (AUP) is a 21st-century publishing organization that meets soldiers where they are and provides information and insights to military professionals. AUP publishes a variety of formats, including books, journals, and films, all aimed at helping military professionals do their job. One of their recent publications is 'Enduring Success: Consolidation of Gains and Large-Scale Combat Operations,' which explores the concept of consolidation of gains and its importance in military campaigns. The book includes historical case studies from different conflicts, highlighting the need to connect tactical actions to political and strategic objectives. AUP's collaboration with the Combined Arms Doctrine Directorate and their effort to produce this book demonstrates their commitment to providing valuable insights and resources to the Army.
The Concept of Consolidating Gains in Warfare
Consolidating gains is a fundamental aspect of every conflict and campaign. It involves actions and objectives that go beyond seizing objectives and focus on connecting tactics and operations to strategy and political ends. Consolidating gains can occur throughout the battlefield, not just in the rear areas. It requires considering the broader political and strategic objectives while conducting tactical operations. The book 'Enduring Success' provides historical case studies that illustrate the importance of consolidation of gains and how it has been applied in various conflicts throughout history.
Geographical and Temporal Aspects of Consolidating Gains
Consolidating gains can take place in different geographical locations and at various points in time during a campaign. While some consolidation activities tend to happen behind the forward lines, it is essential to understand that consolidation involves actions and decisions that should be aligned with the overall strategic and political objectives. Temporally, consolidation tasks can be ongoing throughout the campaign, ensuring that tactical actions contribute to the desired end state. The book 'Enduring Success' explores examples where consolidation of gains occurred at different stages and locations, emphasizing the need for a comprehensive understanding of these tasks in a military campaign.
Learning from Successes and Failures of Consolidating Gains
The book 'Enduring Success' presents both successful and unsuccessful examples of consolidating gains in military history. By studying these cases, military professionals can learn valuable lessons about the challenges, strategies, and factors that contribute to effective consolidation of gains. The book highlights the importance of considering the larger strategic and political objectives while conducting tactical operations, ensuring that all actions and decisions align with the desired end state. By providing insights from historical case studies, 'Enduring Success' serves as a valuable resource for understanding and implementing the concept of consolidation of gains.
Importance of Initial Planning and Preparation
The podcast highlights the significance of thorough planning and preparation in the initial stages of a campaign. The planners at CENTCOM and CFLIC had almost a decade to get ready for the war in Iraq, but there were mixed results in consolidating gains. While there was success in seizing key infrastructure like oil fields and hydrological nodes, there was a lack of fundamental planning for basic stability actions. The failure to plan for governance, local police forces, and essential services led to disorder and a loss of goodwill from the Iraqi population. This emphasizes the importance of considering long-term stability actions and being prepared for post-combat operations.
Risk of Neglecting Action in Favor of Access
The podcast discusses the risk of focusing excessively on achieving access and neglecting necessary actions for consolidation of gains. It uses the example of Russia's actions in Ukraine to illustrate this point. By primarily focusing on gaining access and not adequately preparing for the actions required to maintain stability, such as refurbishing the economy and rebuilding infrastructure, the occupying force risks destroying the very foundations needed for long-term success. The failure to balance access and action can lead to negative perceptions and hamper the achievement of desired political and strategic objectives.
In this episode of Breaking Doctrine, our host, Lieutenant Colonel Nikki Dean discusses the Army University Press and their Large Scale Combat Operations (LSCO) Book Series and their recent publication Enduring Success, Consolidation of Gains in Large Scale Combat Operations. Joined by Don Wright and Eric Burke, co-author editors for Enduring Success and two key members of the history writing staff for AUP. We also have one of your contributing authors for the book, Mr. Rich Creed, Director of the Combined Arms Doctrine Directorate.
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