In Ferris’ “Intelligence and Strategy: Selected Essays” he writes of the Axis nations’ lack of attention paid to economics and organization (which arguably played out in its inability to support its lofty war efforts in the war), he says “when assessing combat power, Germans, Italians and Japanese fetishized willpower and spirit, assuming their races had both, but generally not their opponents; they underrated the significance of economics and organization; they misunderstood the strength of American and Soviet strength.” I guess i’d like to posit this as a question – based hindsight, and certainly the results of the war, it would seem this a reasonable assertion. But, how much of this is true, and is it a hearkening to a feudalistic past, where warfare was about individual prowess in combat, and a failure to comprehend (what I think are obvious lessons of wwI) that victory in war had become inexorably driven by industrial and economic strength and the ability to manifest that strength in a sustainable combat effort? or do you think I am in the weeds here?
3 Likes