AGF Study, NO. 3: Ground Forces In The War Army A Statistical Table

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EXPLANATION OF THE TABLE

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Under “Action”, at the left of the table, are listed in chronological order successive estimates, recommendations, and comments with respect to the troop basis, together with successive versions of the troop basis itself as authorized by the War Department, the whole revealing the views of Headquarters, Army Ground Forces, and of the War Department General Staff on mobilization. Reading a given line horizontally show how the “action” of that date (estimate, recommendation, comment, or authorized troop basis) proposed to distribute total strength of the Army among various elements, such as types of divisions and nondivisional units, combat and service units, air and ground forces, etc. Reading a given column vertically shows successive views as to requirements for forces of the specified type. For these estimates and recommendations figures are given where possible; where figures cannot be given, it is indicated whether the Army Ground Forces desired to raise or to reduce the strength of certain types of forces.

Figures in the table, if neither underlined nor enclosed in parentheses, represent figures used in discussions, estimates, and recommendations.

Underlined figures represent figures officially accepted and promulgated by the War Department as mobilization objectives.

Figures in parentheses, occurring at six-month intervals, refer not to anticipated strengths (as do all other figures) but to the number of units active and the table of organization strength of active units on the dates concerned. Comparison of figures in parentheses with appropriate underlined figures will show the amount of further activation (or in some cases inactivation) made necessary by troop basis planning. It is to be noted that no actual strengths are given and that the table therefore offers no information on overstrengths and shortages.

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