Anti-German insurgency and allied grand strategy

Mawdsley, E. (2008) Anti-German insurgency and allied grand strategy. Journal of Strategic Studies, 31(5), pp. 695-719. (doi: 10.1080/01402390802197811)

Abstract

There was not, except in the very broadest sense, a unified 'Allied' grand strategy regarding any aspect of World War II. British-American strategy and Soviet strategy were formed in isolation. This was certainly true of the strategy of anti-German insurgency. Aside from geographical and ideological factors a major source of difference was that Britain was at war with Germany from September 1939, while the USSR and the USA became involved two years later. There were major asymmetries: Moscow's insurgency strategy for most of the war was in practice applied to its own national territory, while British (and later American) insurgency strategy was applied to foreign countries occupied by Germany. It will be argued, however, that in different parts of the Grand Alliance the path of insurgency strategy followed a similar trajectory, even if this strategy was not synchronised in time or space. In London, Moscow, and Washington, high hopes were initially placed on popular rebellion in German-occupied territory. It was only months after the entry of their countries into the war that the high commands, both west and east of the Reich, came to the conclusion that insurgent forces could only be used as an auxiliary to huge conventional armies.

• Item Type: Articles
• Status: Published
• Refereed: Yes
• Glasgow Author(s) Enlighten ID: Mawdsley, Professor Evan
• Authors: Mawdsley, E.
• Subjects: U Military Science > U Military Science (General); D History General and Old World > D History (General) > D731 World War II
• College/School: College of Arts & Humanities > School of Humanities > History
• Journal Name: Journal of Strategic Studies
• Journal Abbr.: J. strateg. stud.
• ISSN: 0140-2390
• ISSN (Online): 1743-937X