Strategic Attack of National Electrical Systems: Generation, Transmission, Distribution, Past Attacks in World War II Germany and Japan, U.S. Strategic Bombing Survey, Korea, Vietnam, Desert Storm

This important report has been professionally converted for accurate flowing-text e-book format reproduction. The United States Air Force has long favored attacking electrical power systems. Electric power has been considered a critical target in every war since World War II, and will likely be nominated in the future. Despite the frequency of attacks on this target system there has also been recurring failure in understanding how power is used in a nation. In addition, air planners tend to become enamored with the vulnerability of electric power to air strikes, but analysis of the cause and effect relationships indicates that attacking electrical power does not achieve the stated objectives in terms of winning the war. Historically, there have been four basic strategies behind attacks on national electrical systems: to cause a decline in civilian morale; to inflict costs on the political leaders to induce a change; to hamper military operations; and to hinder war production. The evidence shows that the only sound reason for attacking electrical power is to effect the production of war material in a war of attrition against a self-supporting nation-state without outside assistance. The implication for future strategic air operations is important. Because attacks on electric power cause indirect collateral damage which can be politically counterproductive, and the military benefit is minimal, the United States should reject attacks on national electrical power systems in the near future.
CHAPTER 1 - INTRODUCTION * Notes * CHAPTER 2 - NATIONAL ELECTRICAL POWER SYSTEMS * Generation * Transmission * Distribution * Control * Effects * Notes * CHAPTER 3 - ELECTRICAL POWER TARGETING IN THE PAST: ATTACKS IN TOTAL WAR * World War II: Germany * World War II: Japan * United States Strategic Bombing Survey * Notes * CHAPTER 4 - ELECTRICAL POWER TARGETING IN THE PAST: ATTACKS IN LIMITED WAR * Korean War * Vietnam War * Desert Storm * Notes * CHAPTER 5 - TARGETING ELECTRICAL POWER SYSTEMS * Failures * When to Target Electric Power * Conclusions and Implications * Notes