Joint Military Operations Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2250 words

Joint Military Operations - Assignment Example It was for this reason that it became necessary to use joint military operations, which was largely led by The Union Army of the Tennessee’s Maj. Gen. Ulysses S. Grant. In this paper, there is further analysis of the entire joint military operations to understand the core elements that went into it, including its objectives, the fallouts from it, the centers of gravity, and major lines of operations used. One unique thing about almost all joint military operations is that fact that they are started with very specific strategic aims and objectives in mind. This was no different with the Vicksburg Campaign, which was undertaken with the prime aim of capturing Vicksburg, which was a fortress city that dominated the remaining Confederate-controlled section of the Mississippi River2. To achieve this aim, it was important to ensure that the whole Campaign was guided by specific objectives which defined the actions that needed to be taken. Two specific objectives stand out in the campaign. The first of this was to entrap the Confederate army which was under the control of Lt. Gen. John Pemberton. The second objective was to overwhelm the Confederates early enough so that they could not fully organize their defenses. By executing these two objectives successfully, the ultimate aim was expected to be attained. Primary evidence available shows that the objective of overwhelming the Confederates early enough so they could not fully organize their defenses was implemented by the use of immediate assault against Stockade Redan for May 19.3 This assault was later to go a long way to mark the desired end state. Regrettable for Grant however, the assault, which was the desired end state to bring about the achievement of the ultimate aim, did not succeed as expected. This made historian Shelby Foote record that Grant "did not regret having made the assaults; he only regretted that they had failed†4. The failed desired end state seemed to have been