Cover, Mobilization of the Ground Army - Study No. 4


THE MOBILIZATION OF THE GROUND ARMY


The Army Ground Forces

Study No. 4


by

Dr. Robert R. Palmer

Historical Section--Army Ground Forces

1946


 
HEADQUARTERS ARMY GROUND FORCES
WASHINGTON 25, D.C.

 

       

314.7 (1 Sept 1946) GNHIS

  1 September 1945
       
SUBJECT: Studies in the History of Army Ground Forces    
TO:  All Interested Agencies    
       
1. The history of the Army Ground Forces as a command was prepared during the course of the war and completed immediately thereafter. The studies prepared in Headquarters Army Ground Forces, were written by professional historians, three of whom served as commissioned officers, and one as a civilian. The histories of the subordinate commands were prepared by historical officers, who except in Second Army, acted as such in addition to other duties.

2. From the first, the history was designed primarily for the Army. Its object is to give an account of what was done from the point of view of the command preparing the history, including a candid, and factual account of difficulties, mistakes recognized as such, the means by which, in the opinion of those concerned, they might have been avoided, the measures used to overcome them, and the effectiveness of such measures. The history is not intended to be laudatory.

3. The history of the Army Ground Forces is composed of monographs on the subjects selected, and of two volumes in which an overall history is presented. A separate volume is devoted to the activities of each of the major subordinate commands.

4. In order that the studies may be made available to interested agencies at the earliest possible date, they are being reproduced and distributed in manuscript form. As such they must be regarded as drafts subject to final editing and revision. Persons finding errors of fact or important omissions are encouraged to communicate with the Commanding General, Army Ground Forces, Attention: Historical Section, in order that corrections may be made prior to publication in printed form by the War Department.

BY COMMAND OF GENERAL DEVERS:

 

 

     

1 Incl:
   Historical Study

/S/
J.L. TARR
Colonel, AGD
Acting Ground Adj General

 


PREFATORY NOTE

This study was prepared with the advice and collaboration of officers in the Mobilization Division of the G-3 Section, Headquarters Army Ground Forces. It presents the problems incident to mobilizing the Army Ground Forces from the point of view of General Headquarters, U. S. Army, and its successor, Headquarters Army Ground Forces.


Contents

Section
..
Page
1.

GENERAL SURVEY

1
2.

GENERAL PROBLEMS OF MOBILIZATION; ROLE OF THE ARMY GROUND FORCES

2
3.

EARLY ANTICIPATIONS -- A 200-DIVISION ARMY

4
4

THE FIRST TROOP BASIS OF 1942

4
5.

STRESSES AMD STRAINS OF EXPANSION IN 1942

4
6.

OPERATIONAL NEEDS IN 1942; EFFECTS ON THE ARMY GROUND FORCES

5
7.

THE MANPOWER CRISIS OF THE SUMMER OF 1942

7
8.

CHANGE OF WAR PLANS: DECELERATION OF MOBILIZATION OF THE ARMY GROUND FORCES

8
9.

SUMMARY OF MOBILIZATION IN 1942

8
10.

INITIAL PLANNING OF THE 1943 TROOP BASIS

9
11.

THE NEED OF ECONOMY -- 1942-43

10
12.

REDUCTION OF THE AGF PROGRAM - THE 100-DIVISION ARMY

11
13.

REDUCTION OF T/O & E'S: THE CAMPAIGN AGAINST OVERHEAD

12
14.

FURTHER DECELERATION OF THE AGF PROGRAM: THE AGF POOL PLAN OF APRIL 1943

13
15.

REVISION OF THE MILITARY PROGRAM -- THE 90-DIVISION ARMY

15
16.

END OF EXPANSION OF GROUND FORCES

17
17.

THE 1944 TROOP BASIS -- FINALITY OF THE 90-DIVISION ARMY

18
18.

IMPLEMENTATION OF THE 1944 TROOP BASIS

19
19.

ECONOMIES AND CONVERSIONS IN 1944

21
20.

THE STRUGGLE TO MAINTAIN THE 90-DIVISION ARMY: THE REPLACEMENTS PROBLEM

24
21.

SUMMARY MOBILIZATION

28
22.

LARGER QUESTIONS

31

NOTES

47
     
 
Tables
Page
1.

TABLE I: THE ARMY IN TWO WARS

35
 

Note to Table I

36

Annex to Table I

37
2.

TABLE II: DEPLOYMENT OF THE ARMY IN 1918 AND 1945

38
3.

TABLE III: GROWTH OF THE ARMY BY BRANCH

39
 

Annex to Table No. 3

40
 

Chart A: Growth of the Army by Branch

40
 

Chart B: Percentage of the total Army by Branch

40
 

Chart C: Rate of Growth of the Army by Branch

41
4.

TABLE IV: MOBILIZATION AFTER 1942

42
5.

TABLE V: GROUND COMBAT UNITS MOBILIZED AFTER 1942

43
6.

TABLE VI: GROUND COMBAT UNITS IN PLANNED TROOP BASIS
(nb - this table may have been planned, but was not included in the printed version)

N/A
     
     
 
Charts
Page
1.

CHART I: AUTHORIZED AND ACTUAL ENLISTED TROOP STRENGTH BY UNITS, ARMY GROUND FORCES, BY MONTH

44
2.

GROUND COMBAT UNITS IN THE ARMY

45
     


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