Plan 1919 facts for kids
Plan 1919 was a clever military idea created by J.F.C. Fuller in 1918, near the end of World War I. Instead of just trying to destroy the enemy's soldiers directly, his plan suggested using tanks to quickly rush behind enemy lines. The goal was to destroy their supply bases and communication lines. Airplanes would also bomb these important areas.
Fuller thought that if the German Army's main control center was hit, the whole army would become confused and unable to fight well. He said that an army's power comes from its leaders. If you "cut that will off," the army would be paralyzed. He wanted to use special tanks called "Medium D tanks" to cause chaos behind the enemy's main defenses.
Towards the end of 1918, the Allied forces were pushing the Germans back across France and Belgium. This fighting started to show how important fast, machine-based warfare would become. British tanks played a bigger role, and the Germans focused on stopping them. Even though Plan 1919 was never used, it showed what future wars might look like.
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Why Plan 1919 Was Created
By 1918, the British, French, and German armies had been fighting for years in trench warfare. Everyone was tired, and both sides knew they needed a new way to win the war. Tanks had been used before, like at the Battle of the Somme and Battle of Passchendaele, but they weren't very successful. However, at the Battle of Cambrai, tanks showed they could be very useful. Even though the main goal wasn't fully met, and German artillery quickly destroyed many tanks, military thinkers realized tanks had a lot of potential.
In the spring of 1918, J.F.C. Fuller presented his new idea. It was called "The tactics of the attack as affected by the speed and circuit of the Medium D tank." This bold plan involved tanks and air support. Instead of fighting the main enemy forces head-on, it aimed to attack the German leaders and their supply routes.
Fuller's plan had three main parts:
- First, fast medium tanks and airplanes would attack the German headquarters. This would stop them from controlling their forces.
- Second, a bigger attack with heavy tanks, foot soldiers (infantry), and artillery would break through the German lines.
- Finally, cavalry (soldiers on horseback), light tanks, and infantry on trucks would chase the retreating Germans. This would stop them from regrouping or fighting back.
This plan was meant to be the blueprint for a big attack in the spring of 1919. However, the war ended in November 1918 with the German armistice, so the plan was never put into action. Despite this, the Germans studied it closely. They even used it as a model for their "Blitzkrieg" (lightning war) attacks in the next war. Plan 1919 helped lay the groundwork for many improvements in military equipment, technology, and how wars are fought today.
Other tank experts, like Capper and Elles, also had similar ideas. They wrote a paper called "The future of tank operations and production requirements." They imagined huge tank forces with thousands of light, medium, and heavy tanks. They also thought about how long it would take to build and use them.
How Plan 1919 Would Work
Fuller explained his idea by saying there are two ways to defeat an enemy. One way is to slowly wear them down by killing or capturing soldiers. This is like "body warfare." The second way is to make their command system useless. This is like "brain warfare." He compared it to a person: you can give them many small wounds, or you can hit their brain directly.
To achieve this "shot through the brain," Fuller's plan required generals to use tanks to break through enemy defenses. They would target the enemy's supply lines. This would cause confusion, allowing them to defeat the enemy leaders. The main goal was to "destroy the enemy's policy." Armored units would go behind enemy lines, causing chaos and aiming to take out the enemy's leadership. The plan also stressed using airplanes to help. Motorized infantry (soldiers moved by vehicles) would operate in areas where tanks couldn't go. This mobile way of fighting, using tanks and aircraft, was very different from the usual infantry tactics of the time.
Some people pointed out problems with Fuller's plan. For example, the powerful tanks needed for the plan hadn't even been built yet. Also, Britain was tired from the war and might not have had enough people or materials to carry out such a big plan. And, as seen at Cambrai, German artillery was very effective against British tanks if they didn't have enough artillery support themselves.
A new 40-ton tank, the Mark VIII tank, was being designed in late 1918. There were plans to build up to 4,500 of them. Hundreds would lead the attack. Once they broke through German lines, faster medium tanks would "race through" to disrupt the enemy's rear. Airplanes would resupply the tanks and keep the attack moving forward.
The British also had a special "trench fighter" airplane called the Sopwith Salamander. It was armored to protect it while it attacked enemy trenches and artillery from the air.
The Ideas Behind the Plan
Fuller believed that a mobile battlefield, as described in Plan 1919, would protect friendly forces better. If fewer soldiers were at risk, it would be easier for commanders to lead them. This would lead to more effective battles with fewer casualties (deaths or injuries). Warfare could become more organized. Stronger firepower and air power would make attacks on command and communication centers more effective.
Fuller hoped that Plan 1919 would be the start of many new ideas for armies around the world. He believed that future armies would have highly trained and professional soldiers. He also thought that military technology would become more advanced and effective over time. This meant that weapons would become more deadly and precise, allowing for targeted strikes and less accidental damage.
How Plan 1919 Influenced Future Wars
Even though Plan 1919 was never used, it set the stage for many improvements in military tactics, technology, and equipment. The Americans designed a new tank based on Fuller's ideas for mobile warfare. The German "Blitzkrieg" style of warfare was very similar to Fuller's Plan 1919. This style used armored units and close air support (airplanes helping ground troops) to make quick attacks. These attacks were designed to break through enemy lines and cause confusion. This type of warfare is still used today, like when American forces entered Iraq in Operation Iraqi Freedom.
Another Plan: Chemical Warfare
Fuller's plan wasn't the only idea for 1919. Albert Palazzo, a historian, pointed out that chemical warfare planners also had big ideas for the next year's attack. They were developing a new gas called DM that could get through German gas masks. This new gas technology was much closer to being ready than the tanks Fuller needed. Also, Winston Churchill, who was in charge of munitions (military supplies), had already asked for five times more gas agents to be produced.
The people who supported chemical warfare didn't have to worry about new technology. They were using a proven method of fighting. Their plan simply called for using chemical warfare on a much larger scale. Palazzo also noted that they planned to use airplanes to drop the chemical agents. They even imagined using gas to target enemy command centers.
In many ways, the chemical warfare plan seemed to offer similar chances of success, but with fewer difficulties than Fuller's plan. However, the end of the war made both plans unnecessary. Today, the chemical plan is less known because of how much people dislike chemical weapons.
