Army University Press Products of Relevance to EUCOM
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The emergence of a new twenty-first-century coalition of anti-Western/anti-U.S. states comprised mainly of Russia, its defacto satellite states, China, Iran, and North Korea, has produced a global situation in which the sudden outbreak of a conflict in any region with forces from the United States or its allied regional partners could produce a confrontation that rapidly expands into a global conflagration involving large-scale combat forces across many continents and their surrounding waters. Not surprisingly, geography, old ethnic divides, and unfortunate historical precedents make Europe among the most likely theaters for being swept up in such a global conflict against Russia and its Eastern European/Central Asian allies. In an effort to provide readers some relevant and useful historical background from previous conflicts in Europe, the Army University Press invites readers to examine online the repository of resources it has that may provide valuable lessons learned and insights from previous European conflicts. The repository includesbooks, films, staff rides, and journal articles.
Army University Press Films
The AUP Films Team produces documentary films designed to teach current U.S. Army doctrine using historical case studies. It works in conjuncton with the Combined Arms Center, the Combined Arms Doctrine Directorate, researchers and faculty from the Army University, subject-matter experts from the Army centers of excellence, and with colleagues from other military education programs to select relevant doctrinal and historical topics as the basis for its documentary films.
The Big Picture—European Topics
111.TV.220 Invasion of Southern France
In this episode of The Big Picture, audiences learn about the U.S. 7th Army’s August 1944 invasion of Southern France, a feat that “broke the back” of the Axis powers. The episode opens by providing context on Operation Dragoon. It then depicts the formation of a marshaling area at the Bay of Naples, from which men and materiel traveled toward Southern France. A brief summary of the preliminary landings at Levant and Port Cros follows, as well as footage of Allied air support and the descent of the 509th Parachute Infantry Battalion into the French countryside. Next, the episode features large-scale amphibious landings along the coast and the Allies subsequent push inland. Scenes include the capture of German prisoners, the roundup of suspected Axis spies, and the capture of important locales such as Marseilles and Montelimar. Civilians and soldiers alike are shown celebrating the Allied victory. The program concludes with an interview of war correspondents Doug Larson and Sgt. Francis Porter discussing the positive impact of press coverage on combat units in the Korean Conflict.
111.TV.238 Soldier in Europe
This episode of The Big Picture takes audiences to Europe to discuss the important and complex role U.S. soldiers served in the defense of Western nations during the Cold War. After World War II, U.S. soldiers occupied abroad to aid in the reconstruction of countries torn apart by the destruction of the war. Remaining in Europe, units continued their training as “guardians of our perimeter of peace” to protect against the perceived worldwide threat of communism. This episode shows the lives of the deployed soldiers and how they stayed ready and alert during peacetime.
111.TV.267 NATO: Partners in Peace
“NATO: Partners in Peace” follows the creation and impact of the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO). Created in April 1949 with twelve founding members, this organization’s goal was to protect the inherent rights of individual states through collective defense. In this episode from The Big Picture series, Gen. Dwight D. Eisenhower offers a speech before he deploys to Europe to become the first supreme allied commander Europe. This is followed with footage of the buildup and training of European forces. Once Eisenhower leaves NATO to campaign for the presidency, Gen. Matthew Ridgway replaces him as NATO commander. One significant problem NATO forces faced was the fact that each nation had its own weapon systems and ammunition, an issue the U.S. wanted to address with the standardization of the 7.62 mm cartridge. Perhaps as a deterrent to the Soviet Union, “NATO: Partners in Peace” depicts new weapons that could be used against a large enemy force such as remote-controlled missiles, napalm bombs, and the massive atomic cannon.
Staff Rides
The Combat Studies Institute Staff Ride Team develops and conducts two types of staff rides as educational tools for the U.S. Army: live and virtual. Both focus on the timeless and universal aspects of warfighting that provide important insights into the factors affecting military operations including terrain analysis and concepts of leadership. Presentations employ vignettes and open discussion among participants. The live staff ride takes place at the site of actual battlefields. The virtual staff ride (VSR) consists of simulated terrain built in a 3D virtual environment produced largely from satellite imagery, digital terrain elevation data, photographs, video, and firsthand accounts. The team has developed multiple VSRs to replicate terrain that Army organizations cannot readily access from the continental United States. Additionally, the CSI Staff Ride Team publishes handbooks for units that wish to conduct their own staff rides.
Example of a Virtual Staff Ride
The encirclement of Nancy VSR examines the operations of the U.S. XII Corps during the Lorraine Campaign in 1944. The first part of the study focuses on the 80th and 35th Infantry Divisions’ operations to cross the Moselle River and their ensuing efforts to secure the bridgeheads. It continues with a study of the 4th Armored Division’s breakout and attack into the German rear area to encircle the city of Nancy.
The study culminates with the German counterattacks that make up the Battle of Arracourt. The VSR can be conducted as one large staff ride or as focused studies on wet-gap crossings or the attack of the 4th Armored Division and the Battle of Arracourt
This virtual staff ride is fully exportable to any organization that has access to the Army-authorized gaming software Virtual Battlespace 3. The exportable package includes full instructor support materials, participant readings, and instructions on how to use each part of the compilation.
Staff Rides: Other VSR Specifically Relevant to EUCOM
- Battle of the Bzura, Poland (1939)
- U.S. Invasion of Normandy (1944)—coming soon
- Battle of the Bulge: Losheim Gap and the Defense of Saint Vith (1944)—coming soon
Books
The AUP Books section at Fort Leavenworth, Kansas, publishes original, interpretive research on topics pertinent to current topics of immediate and enduring interest to the U.S. Army and sister services. To that purpose, AUP offers a variety of documents in monograph and article format that may be of use to those vested in defense planning within the European Command region. All AUP publications are released in digital format onto the Press’s website. Examples of such materials are noted below.
Combat Studies Institute Press
- The 4th Armored Division in the Encirclement of Nancy by Dr. Christopher R. Gabel (1986), https://www.armyupress.army.mil/Portals/7/combat-studies-institute/csi-books/gabel.pdf
- The 101st Airborne Division’s Defense of Bastogne by Col. Ralph M. Mitchell (1987), https://www.armyupress.army.mil/Portals/7/combat-studies-institute/csi-books/mitchell.pdf
- 16 Cases of Mission Command by general editor Donald. P. Wright, PhD (2013), https://www.armyupress.army.mil/Portals/7/Primer-on-Urban-Operation/Documents/Sixteen-Cases-of-Mission-Command.pdf
- Operation Joint Endeaver V Corps in Bosnia-Herzegovina 1995–1996: An Oral History by Dr. Harold E. Raugh Jr., command historian, V Corps editor (2010), https://www.armyupress.army.mil/Portals/7/combat-studies-institute/csi-books/OperationJointEndeavor.pdf
- From the Roer to the Elbe With the 1st Medical Group: Medical Support of the Deliberate River Crossing by Capt. Donald E. Hall (1992), https://www.armyupress.army.mil/Portals/7/combat-studies-institute/csi-books/FromtheRoerToTheElbe.pdf
- Breaking the Mold: Tanks in the Cities by Kendall D. Gott (2006), https://www.armyupress.army.mil/Portals/7/Primer-on-Urban-Operation/Documents/Breaking-the-Mold.pdf
- Scouts Out! The Development of Reconnaissance Units in Modern Armies by John J. McGrath (2010), https://www.armyupress.army.mil/Portals/7/combat-studies-institute/csi-books/scouts_out.pdf
- To the Last Man: A National Guard Regiment in the Great War, 1917–1919 by Jonathan D. Bratten (2020), https://www.armyupress.army.mil/Portals/7/combat-studies-institute/csi-books/to-the-last-man.pdf
- When Failure Thrives: Institutions and the Evolution of Postwar Airborne Forces by Marc R. Devore (2015), https://www.armyupress.army.mil/Portals/7/combat-studies-institute/csi-books/WhenFailureThrives.pdf
- Making the Difficult Routine: U.S. Army Task Organization at the Army and Corps Level in Europe, 1944 by Lt. Col. Brian C. North (2016), https://www.armyupress.army.mil/Portals/7/combat-studies-institute/csi-books/making-the-difficult-routine.pdf
Leavenworth Papers
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