Wehrmacht Lessons Learned
Regarding the discussions of institutional learning…
What was of key importance in [the process of bringing German reserve units up to the standards of the regular army] was that the German army in its ‘lessons learned analysis’ did not use its studies to support existing doctrine. Rather it used its after-action reports to improve doctrine and military standards throughout the army.
The critical element in the German evaluation process was the system of after-action reports. Nearly all military organizations use similar systems, but German reporting methods were unique because they worked. Unlike many armies where the reporting system is disorted by what commanders wish to hear, the German system was both highly critical and honest within tactical and operational spheres. The higher the headquarters, the more demanding and dissatisfied were commanders with operational performances… This willingness to criticize itself was to be a major factor in the German army’s high level of competence throughout the Second World War.
Williamson Murray. The Change in the European Balance of Power, 1938-1939: The Path to Ruin. Princeton, New Jersey: Princeton University Press, 1984, 338-9.
This is quote of the week material. Powerful, relevant — a tip from an A-team of the best of the past!
Comment by Fabius Maximus — February 20, 2008 @ 11:04 pm