Blaine R. Pardoe. Never Wars: The US Plans to Invade the World. Fonthill: 2014. NB: 'Plans' is a noun, not a verb! This is a summary and analysis of various war plans made by the United States between the 1900s and the 1940s, from the Azores to Mexico. Two versions of War Plan Red, war with the British Empire, are presented, one from 1905 and one from 1935 (including the use of poison gas against Canada). Perhaps the most intriguing is War Plan Black from 1914 (not the better-known 1916 version): the German invasion of the United States following the defeat of the Allies in the war in Europe. It's not quite The War in the Air: the projected German forces include only a detachment of aircraft, and Pardoe suggests that German airpower may been decisive, given the American lack of it (which seems unlikely, given the actual capabilities of aviation in 1914). Sadly, the US Navy's 1908-9 plans for the invasion of Australia and New Zealand don't rate a chapter.
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Kym
I'd love to see a more general book of what-if analysis of 'war plans'. I know that pre WWI European countries regularly modeled invasion and defense plans involving each other, and I assume most military systems have done similar up to the present day.
I think there could be some fascinating scenarios lurking.
Brett Holman
Post authorYes, that would be a very interesting study. Certainly there have been bits and pieces here and there, but nothing to rival Edward Miller's War Plan Orange.