Tabular Forms
Tabular Form of the Estimate of the Situation
| Section | Page | |
| I. ESTABLISHMENT OF THE BASIS FOR SOLUTION OF THE PROBLEM. | ||
| A. The Appropriate Effect Desired | 118 | |
| (1) Summary of the Situation | 119 | |
| (2) Recognition of the Incentive | 119 | |
| (3) Appreciation of the Assigned Objective | 119 | |
| (4) Formulation of the Mission | 121 | |
| B. Relative Fighting Strength | 121 | |
| (To include only such of the following factors as appear to be necessary background for the later reasoning in Sections II to IV.) | ||
| (1) Survey of the Means Available and Opposed | 123 | |
| *(a) General Factors | 124 | |
| (i) Political Factors | 124 | |
| (ii) Economics Factors | 125 | |
| (iii) Psychological Factors | 125 | |
| (iv) Information and Counter-Information Measures | 126 | |
| (b) Factors More Directly Applicable to the Armed Forces | 127 | |
| (i) Vessels, including Aircraft | 127 | |
| (ii) Land Forces, including land-based aviation | 127 | |
| (iii) Personnel | 127 | |
| (iv) Material | 128 | |
| (v) Logistics | 128 | |
| (2) Survey of the Characteristics of the Theater of Operations | 129 | |
| (a) Hydrography | 129 | |
| (b) Topography | 130 | |
| (c) Weather | 130 | |
| (d) Daylight and Dark Periods | 130 | |
| (e) Relative Location and Distance | 131 | |
| (f) Lines of Transportation and Supply | 131 | |
| (g) Facilities and Fortifications | 131 | |
| (h) Communications | 131 | |
| (3) Conclusions as to Relative Fighting Strength | 132 | |
| II. DETERMINATION OF SUITABLE, FEASIBLE, AND ACCEPTABLE COURSES OF ACTION. | ||
| A. Analysis of the Assigned Objective | 135 | |
| B. Survey of Courses of Action | 135 | |
| C. Application of Tests for Suitability, Feasibility, and Acceptability | 137 | |
| D. Listing Retained Courses of Action | 139 | |
| III. EXAMINATION INTO THE CAPABILITIES OF THE ENEMY | 139 | |
| A. Survey of the Enemy’s Problem | 141 | |
| (1) Summary of the Enemy’s Situation | 141 | |
| (2) Analysis of the Effect Desired by the Enemy | 141 | |
| B. Survey of Enemy Capabilities | 143 | |
| C. Application of Tests for Suitability, Feasibility, and Acceptability | 144 | |
| D. Listing Retained Enemy Courses of Action | 144 | |
| IV. SELECTION OF THE BEST COURSE OF ACTION. | ||
| A. Analysis and Comparison of Retained Courses of Action | 145 | |
| B. Determination of the Best Course of Action | 148 | |
| V. THE DECISION. | 151 | |
| * Usually included only in an estimate of broad scope. | 151 | |
On the reverse side, page 224, will be found a Tabular Form of the Resolution of the Required Action into Detailed Operations.
CAUTION. This folder is merely a guide, provided in order to facilitate reference to the subject matter of Chapters VI and VII. It is not possible to arrive at sound military decision by its use alone.
Tabular Form of the Resolution of the Required Action Into Detailed Operations
| Page | ||
| 1. | Assumptions | 155-156 |
| 2. | Alternative Plans | 156-157 |
| 3. | Application of the Essential Elements of a Favorable Military Operation | 157-164 |
| (a) Correct physical objectives | 157-158 | |
| (1) Effective action with relation to | 158 | |
| (b) Advantageous relative positions | 159 | |
| (c) Freedom of action | 159-162 | |
| (d) Proper apportionment of fighting strength | 162-164 | |
| 4. | Testing of Operations for Suitability, Feasibility and Acceptability | 164-165 |
| (a) Listing of retained operations | 165 | |
| 5. | The Formulation of Tasks | 165 |
| (a) Testing of tasks for suitability, feasibility and acceptability | 165 | |
| 6. | The Organization of Task Forces and Task Groups | 165-166 |
| (a) Grouping of tasks | 165-166 | |
| (b) Assignment of necessary strength | 166 | |
| (c) Completion of the organization | 166 | |
| 7. | Application of the Fundamental Military Principle to the Determination of Objectives Embodied in Tasks | 167 |
| 8. | The Assembly of Measures for Freedom of Action | 167-168 |
| 9. | The Assembly of Information | 168 |
| 10. | The Preparation of Subsidiary Plans | 168-179 |