# US Navy war Plans (ca 1939)-attack on England? **URL:** \ **Category:** Factual Questions\ **Created:** [May 5, 2008, 5:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/us-navy-war-plans-ca-1939-attack-on-england/448146 "2008-05-05T17:01:57Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 9\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![ralph124c](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/8797f3/32.png) [@ralph124c](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ralph124c)\ **Post date:** [May 5, 2008, 5:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/us-navy-war-plans-ca-1939-attack-on-england/448146/1 "2008-05-05T17:01:57Z")
I have read that in 1939, the Us Navie’s war plans included a study for a proposed attack upon the British Royal navy. Is this true? Why was such a conflict anticipated? And, in the US Navy’s assessment) would the US have been victorious in such a war? ---
**Author:** ![mlees](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/ba8739/32.png) [@mlees](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/mlees)\ **Post date:** [May 5, 2008, 5:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/us-navy-war-plans-ca-1939-attack-on-england/448146/2 "2008-05-05T17:11:04Z")
> **[War Plan Red](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/War_Plan_Red)** > > United States > British Empire > War Plan Red, also known as the Atlantic Strategic War Plan, was one of the color-coded war plans created by the United States Department of War during the interwar period of 1918–1939, covering scenarios related to a hypothetical war with the British Empire (the "Red" forces, likely in reference to the Red Ensign and red coat). Red is the colour traditionally used to denote British territory on most world maps. Many different war plans were prepared by mid-leve... > [@](#): > > War Plan Red is notably generalized and lacking in detail, indicating its low priority in the planners’ eyes. War really wasn’t “anticipated”. But it _did_ give those staffers sumthin to do… ---
**Author:** ![Peter\_Morris](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/peter_morris/32/359_2.png) [@Peter\_Morris](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Peter_Morris)\ **Post date:** [May 5, 2008, 6:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/us-navy-war-plans-ca-1939-attack-on-england/448146/3 "2008-05-05T18:07:13Z")
Staff report [http://www.straightdope.com/mailbag/mcanadawar.html](http://www.straightdope.com/mailbag/mcanadawar.html) ---
**Author:** ![Mk\_VII](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/5f9b8f/32.png) [@Mk\_VII](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mk_VII)\ **Post date:** [May 5, 2008, 10:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/us-navy-war-plans-ca-1939-attack-on-england/448146/4 "2008-05-05T22:41:07Z")
military planners have to provide for a wide range of contingencies. Some, like war with Iran, are highly possible and receive a good deal of effort. Others are deemed less likely, and some are very unlikely but are done (somewhat perfunctorily) anyway. ---
**Author:** ![RealityChuck](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/realitychuck/32/195_2.png) [@RealityChuck](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/RealityChuck)\ **Post date:** [May 5, 2008, 11:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/us-navy-war-plans-ca-1939-attack-on-england/448146/5 "2008-05-05T23:33:38Z")
I would expect that the military has plans to invade or attack every country in the world, and various combinations. It’s good practice, and when the president comes to you and says, “We have to invade Uruguay immediately,” you don’t end up saying, “Well, we need time to make up a plan.” ---
**Author:** ![detop](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/bcef8e/32.png) [@detop](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/detop)\ **Post date:** [May 6, 2008, 12:17am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/us-navy-war-plans-ca-1939-attack-on-england/448146/6 "2008-05-06T00:17:55Z")
[QUOTE=RealityChuck] I would expect that the military has plans to invade or attack every country in the world, and various combinations. It’s good practice, and when the president comes to you and says, “We have to invade Uruguay immediately,” you don’t end up saying, “Well, we need time to make up a plan.” [/QUOTE] I’d love to see Liechtenstein’s plans to invade Greenland 😛 ---
**Author:** ![ultrafilter](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/u/3d9bf3/32.png) [@ultrafilter](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ultrafilter)\ **Post date:** [May 6, 2008, 5:10am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/us-navy-war-plans-ca-1939-attack-on-england/448146/7 "2008-05-06T05:10:35Z")
[QUOTE=detop] I’d love to see Liechtenstein’s plans to invade Greenland 😛 [/QUOTE] [ol] [li]Steal underwear[/li][li]???[/li][li]Profit[/li][/ol] ---
**Author:** ![Declan](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/ecae2f/32.png) [@Declan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Declan)\ **Post date:** [May 6, 2008, 6:25am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/us-navy-war-plans-ca-1939-attack-on-england/448146/8 "2008-05-06T06:25:57Z")
[QUOTE=ralph124c] I have read that in 1939, the Us Navie’s war plans included a study for a proposed attack upon the British Royal navy. Is this true? Why was such a conflict anticipated? And, in the US Navy’s assessment) would the US have been victorious in such a war? [/QUOTE] Well there was the wiki article quoted , but since you mentioned 1939 I would have to guess that Britain would have fallen to Germany and that the US would have wanted to keep the British naval units in home waters , from becoming part of the extended kriegsmarine. Since the USA was not at war with anyone in 1939/40 this is kinda moot. Before commenting about an American naval victory over vichy (mosely) naval assets , I would probably look up any plans for a royal naval evacuation to Allied and Colonial nations. But I think it would probably look like the destruction of French Naval assets in North Africa. Declan ---
**Author:** ![Mangetout](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mangetout/32/19_2.png) [@Mangetout](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mangetout)\ **Post date:** [May 6, 2008, 7:12am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/us-navy-war-plans-ca-1939-attack-on-england/448146/9 "2008-05-06T07:12:07Z")
[QUOTE=RealityChuck] I would expect that the military has plans to invade or attack every country in the world, and various combinations. It’s good practice, and when the president comes to you and says, “We have to invade Uruguay immediately,” you don’t end up saying, “Well, we need time to make up a plan.” [/QUOTE] There’s also the possibility that country X will be invaded by some other nation and that you’ll be called upon (or take it upon yourselves) to intervene. Much of the same information will be useful in either case - whether it’s an attack against the native government of country X, or an invasion against hostile occupying forces.