Term Paper on "US Military Bay of Pigs"

Term Paper 10 pages (3159 words) Sources: 1+

[EXCERPT] . . . .

U.S. Military Bay of Pigs

War has basic principles by which it is conducted and it is important to abide by these. There are nine core principles of war which are objective, offensive, mass, economy of force, maneuver, unity of command, security, surprise, and simplicity. There have been many wars fought by different nations including the United States of America. A similar operation was conducted in Cuba by the counter revolutionary Cuban exile forces. These exile forces were supported by the CIA and the operation was to be carried out from the Bay of Pigs. President Kennedy's approval was received but the operation turned out to be a complete failure. It is the thesis of this paper that an analysis of the principles of war will be conducted. Further the understanding of the principles of war will be applied to the "Bay of Pigs" to see what went wrong. Did the CIA, the Cuban exile forces or Castro's army apply these principles of war? Why did it turn out to be such a failure for the United States?

THE APPLICABLE PRINCIPLES OF WAR

The theory of war aims to assess and analyze how superiority and material advantages would be achieved. To devise a plan it is highly essential to analyze the weaknesses of the enemy forces. Decisions should be made and executed on strong reasons so that no one can claim the war to be baseless. The basic applicable principles of war need to be considered and any plan devised should be in light of these principles which are as follows:

Objective: It is essential that an operation conducted by the military must be targeted and defined clearly. The goals should be realistic and achievable and all efforts sh

Continue scrolling to

download full paper ⤓

ould be made in the direction of achieving the goal of the operation regardless any difficulty or diversions caused by the enemy forces or for some other reason. Moreover it should be kept in mind that an objective should be defined and chosen after an analysis of the resources, the enemy, and the area of operations. Any war has only one ultimate goal which is the annihilation of the enemy forces to such an extent that no further resistance comes from them. Any sub-mission or sub-operation should be planned and have such goals so that the ultimate goal can be achieved. Ignoring this principle can have immense diverse effects on the war and a side can receive destructive blows from the enemy which may even cause them to lose the war in totality. During the Battle of Britain, in World War II, Adolf Hitler's Luftwaffe has an objective to cripple the British Air Force. They were very close to achieving this goal when the bombing of a city in Germany distracted Hitler's attention from the annihilation of the British Air Force, and he instead ordered the Luftwaffe to bomb London instead. This shift from the original objective proved to be beneficial for Britain and it bought them enough time to recuperate from the German attacks on its Air Force. Eventually this led to the victory of Britain in that war and the expulsion of the Luftwaffe. This example shows us the importance of the principle of "objective" and the negative effects it can have if it is omitted.

Offensive: Sometimes the best defense is strong offense and the importance of offensive action must not be under estimated at any cost. A military commander and his team must always be on guard and willing to go on the offense rather waiting for a defensive action. This can also at times give shape to the war just the way the military wants and can force the opposition to shift its course of action. Although good defense has its own beneficiary results, it should still be a temporary action till the time that one can see an opening for and offensive attack on the enemy forces. A competent military commander would always seek an opportunity to go on the offensive and thus push the war and the soldiers where they want them to be.

Mass: An elemental principle of war is to have superior power concentrated in a targeted attack which is of significant importance at a vital time. This concentration of the forces and their fire should be aimed to achieve such a target whose outcome would prove to be decisive in nature. Hence a correct evaluation for the importance of achieving that target should be made and then all efforts should be made to achieve it. The basic idea for this concentrated effort is to completely overpower the enemy forces, misbalancing them so as to fulfill the goal and ride the way to victory. The wolf pack submarine tactic put into action by the Germans in World War II, was in light of this principle where the orders were simply that the fleet should not be divided and a concentrated attack should be carried out.

Economy of Force: Forces should be used efficiently with delicacy and skill. Every single man charging at the enemies and forced not to retreat regardless of it being the right way to fight war or not cause adverse effects rather than desired ones. There should be sufficient fighting power at the point of decision even if retrograde action is to be taken. Forces should not be unnecessarily wasted and the best effort rather than a maximum effort should be made. A calculated deployment and allocation of forces should be made.

Maneuver: Maneuvering is generally a way to acquire local superiority which is essential to gain victory. Keeping in mind this principle, the forces are to be deployed in such a manner that their deployment puts the enemy forces at a disadvantageous position. It implies the complete evasion of otherwise pigeonholed patterns of operation.

Unity of Command: An army consists of an Air Force, Ground forces, and a Navy. Moreover, in an allied war, armies of other nations would also be present in the battlefield. A complete unity and coordination of all the armies including the different branches is basically labeled as Unity of Command. The commanders of these branches and divisions should receive their command from a supreme commander who should be reported to by all the different forces and their branches. Every unit has a different perspective and view of the situation at hand and coordination amongst them, where data is shared, would reveal to be of elemental importance. With such coordination and command being given by a single authority, a particular goal can be achieved which can be a key to victory. This method further ensures that no units or branches are carrying out any contradictory objectives which would be disastrous in nature.

Security: This principle teaches that sectors of importance should not be left unguarded and unprotected. Combat power should be preserved and the principle of security if obeyed decreases the chances for the element of surprise. Concentrating all the forces at one point would lead to be troublesome if the enemy forces attack elsewhere or if they gain control of a strategic sector. It will also be problematic if they are able to extract information of critical importance which can be used against the friendly forces. Hence security is a very important principle to act by when in a state of war.

Surprise: The element of surprise is what we often see being mentioned in movies where either party talks about the chances of being successful because they have the element of surprise with them. Indeed the element of surprise is of fundamental importance and can help shift the balance of the war. It is to be carried out in such a way that the enemy forces are unable to expeditiously resist the attack. The basic idea is to put use speed, secrecy, intelligence and counterintelligences along with deception in such a way that the enemy is completely bedazzled and the time it requires to understand and comprehend what just happened is far greater than the time to achieve the objective.

Simplicity: Complicated and extensive orders are hard for the military forces to understand and this could lead to a complete catastrophe. Keeping it simple with clear, concise and easy to execute orders should be the aim so as to minimize any possible confusion. Unless obviously necessary, a battle must be kept as simple as possible. Interestingly, this principle holds true for the weapons system. Complicated weapons are harder to use and are not as efficient in the battleground as simple weapons prove to be.

THE BAY OF PIGS

It had been only three months that Kennedy had taken hold of the presidential office of the United States when he gave clearance for the invasion of Cuba. Previously the government of the Cuban dictator Fulgencio Batista was overthrown by rebel forces under the command of Fidel Castro in 1959. The growing guerrilla forces of Fidel Castro had already caused alarm bells ringing in the United States which in turn curbed its delivery of weapons… READ MORE

Download Full Paper

Write a New Paper for Me

Quoted Instructions for "US Military Bay of Pigs" Assignment:

“

RESEARCH PAPER GUIDE

United States Military History

l. Requirement: Write a term (research) paper following the instructions explained below.

2. Purpose: To reinforce knowledge of the Principles of War, gain experience in historical research, practice analyzing and interpreting material, learn how to prepare a senior-level paper, and write about a subject that interests you.

3. Assignment: Examine The Bay of Pigs research it thoroughly, determine how the Principles of War applied by developing an outline then develop your thesis by formulating an opinion about some aspect of the battle. Then write a term paper discussing your analysis and presenting your position. NOTE: Your thesis must somehow address the applicable—but not necessarily all of the Principles of War.

4. Paper's Introduction: The first paragraph of your paper must accomplish the following:

a. Let your readers know what your paper is about, arouse their interest, and put your topic into historical context. (Not necessarily in that order.)

b. Clearly state your thesis. (Your thesis is your conclusions about your topic). This must be accomplished by using the following exact words to begin your thesis statement, which can be put anywhere, in the first paragraph: “It is the thesis of this paper that…” The applicable Principles of War must also be somewhere in the first paragraph.

5. Body of the Paper: This must be devoted entirely to explaining and proving your thesis. Ideally, your explanation will include the six interrogatives: who, what, when, where, how, and why.

6. Paper's Summary: The last paragraph of your paper must briefly restate the main points of your thesis. Note: Your summary must not contain new information not covered in the body of your paper.

7. Title Page: Select an appropriate title for your paper and put it on your cover page following the format in your selected *****'s handbook.

8. Length: The text of your paper, excluding the title page, outline and “Work Cited” list must be 10 pages.

9. Format: Your paper must be typed or computer-printed using standard formatting Use the guidance and documentation models in the *****'s Guide or handbook of your choice. Recommended *****'s guides and handbooks are Dodd’s The Ready Reference Handbook; Rampolla, A Pocket Guide to Writing History; Turabian, A Manual for *****s of Term Papers, Theses, and Dissertation; and University of Chicago Press, The Chicago Manual of Style.

10. References: You must consult, incorporate in your text, and acknowledge a minimum of eight sources. You must use one Internet source. No more then one Internet source can be used. Encyclopedia articles (both electronic and paper), dictionary entries, the course textbooks, and classroom notes may be cited, but cannot be counted as part of the eight required sources.

a. Sources used must be cited using your choice of the following methods:

(1) Standard footnotes or endnotes.

(2) Parenthetical documentation-either Modern Language Association (MLA) Or American Psychological Association (APA).

b. Sources cited in your text must be listed in a bibliography at the end of your paper. You may use the format specified in your selected *****'s manual, with the Following exceptions:

(1) The title must be "Works Cited" rather than "Bibliography."

(2) Sources must not be separated by subheading, e.g., "Primary Sources," "Books and Articles," etc.

(3) Only works actually cited in the text can be included in the "Works Cited" listing.

(4) All sources cited in text and notes must be included in the --Works Cited" listing.

Nine Principles of War

The nine principles are concisely stated as objective, offensive, mass, economy of force, maneuver, unity of command, security, surprise, and simplicity. They are set forth in Field Manual 100-5 as follows:

Objective. Every military operation must be directed toward a clearly defined, decisive, and attainable objective. The ultimate military objective of war is the destruction of the enemy's armed forces and his will to fight. The objective of each operation must contribute to this ultimate objective. Each intermediate objective must be such that its attainment will most directly, quickly, and economically contribute to the purpose of the operation. The selection of an objective is based upon consideration of the means available, the enemy, and the area of operations. Every commander must understand and clearly define his objective and consider each contemplated action in light thereof.

Offensive. Offensive action is necessary to achieve decisive results and to maintain freedom of action. It permits the commander to exercise initiative and impose his will upon the enemy; to set the pace and determine the course of battle; to exploit enemy weaknesses and rapidly changing situations, and to meet unexpected developments. The defensive may be forced on the commander, but it should be deliberately adopted only as a temporary expedient while awaiting an opportunity for offensive action or for the purpose of economiz¬ing forces on a front where a decision is not sought. Even on the defensive the commander seeks every opportunity to seize the initiative and achieve decisive results by offensive action.

Mass. Superior combat power must be concentrated at the critical time and place for a decisive purpose. Superiority results from the proper combination of the elements of combat power. Proper application of the principle of mass, in conjunction with the other principles of war, may permit numerically inferior forces to achieve decisive combat superiority.

Economy of Force. Skillful and prudent use of combat power will enable the com¬mander to accomplish the mission with minimum expenditure of resources. This principle is the corollary of the principle of mass. It does not imply husbanding but rather the measured allocation of available combat power tot the primary task as well as secondary tasks such as limited attacks, the defense, deception, or even retrograde action in order to insure sufficient combat power at the point of decision.

Maneuver. Maneuver is an - essential ingredient of combat power. It contributes materially in exploiting successes and in preserving freedom of action and reducing vulnerability. The object of maneuver is to dispose a force in such a manner as to place the enemy at a relative disadvantage and thus achieve results which would otherwise be more costly in men and materiel. Successful maneuver requires flexibility in organization, administrative support, and command and control. It is the antithesis of permanence of location and implies avoidance of stereotyped patterns of operation.

Unity of Command. The decisive application of full combat power requires unity of command. Unity of command obtains unity of effort by the coordinated action of all

forces toward a common goal. While coordination may be attained by cooperation, it is best achieved by vesting a single commander with the requisite authority.

Security. Security is essential to the preservation of combat power. Security is achieved by measures taken to prevent surprise, preserve freedom of action, and deny the enemy information of friendly forces. Since risk is inherent in war, application of the principle of security does not imply undue caution and the avoidance of calculated risk. Security frequently is enhanced by bold seizure and retention of the initiative, which denies the enemy the opportunity to interfere.

Surprise. Surprise can decisively shift the balance of combat power. By surprise, success out of proportion to the effort expended may be obtained. Surprise results from striking an enemy at a time, place, and in a manner for which he is not prepared. It is not essential that the enemy be taken unaware but only that he becomes aware too late to react effectively. Factors contributing to surprise include speed, deception, application of unexpected combat power, effective intelligence and counterintelligences, to include communication and electronic security, and variations in tactics and methods of operation.

Simplicity. Simplicity contributes to successful operations. Direct, simple plans and clear, concise orders minimize misunderstanding and confusion. If other factors are equal, the simplest plan is preferred.

How to Reference "US Military Bay of Pigs" Term Paper in a Bibliography

“US Military Bay of Pigs.” A1-TermPaper.com, 2005, https://www.a1-termpaper.com/topics/essay/us-military-bay-pigs/485540. Accessed 5 Oct 2024.

US Military Bay of Pigs (2005). Retrieved from https://www.a1-termpaper.com/topics/essay/us-military-bay-pigs/485540

A1-TermPaper.com. (2005). US Military Bay of Pigs. [online] Available at: https://www.a1-termpaper.com/topics/essay/us-military-bay-pigs/485540 [Accessed 5 Oct, 2024].

”US Military Bay of Pigs” 2005. A1-TermPaper.com. https://www.a1-termpaper.com/topics/essay/us-military-bay-pigs/485540.

”US Military Bay of Pigs” A1-TermPaper.com, Last modified 2024. https://www.a1-termpaper.com/topics/essay/us-military-bay-pigs/485540.

[1] ”US Military Bay of Pigs”, A1-TermPaper.com, 2005. [Online]. Available: https://www.a1-termpaper.com/topics/essay/us-military-bay-pigs/485540. [Accessed: 5-Oct-2024].

1. US Military Bay of Pigs [Internet]. A1-TermPaper.com. 2005 [cited 5 October 2024]. Available from: https://www.a1-termpaper.com/topics/essay/us-military-bay-pigs/485540

1. US Military Bay of Pigs. A1-TermPaper.com. https://www.a1-termpaper.com/topics/essay/us-military-bay-pigs/485540. Published 2005. Accessed October 5, 2024.

Related Term Papers: