December 8, 2004

Prior to World War II and the RAINBOW series of War Plans, the U.S. maintained several color-coded war plans in case hostilities broke out with different countries. The US still maintains various war plans for Korea, Iran, and other contingencies, but we thought to modernize the different war plans for the present day, not including the Cold War.

(Note: The author has no knowledge of current war plans of the United States, beyond which can be gleaned from internet sites such as www.Globalsecurity.org)

• War Plan Black
  • Then: A Naval war against Germany in case the French were knocked out of World War I with the Germans trying to take over the French Colonies in the Caribbean.
  • Now: A plan to evacuate US troops and dependents from Germany in the face of rising European Union hostility against the US.
  • Wargames:
    • War Plan Black, Avalanche Press
  • Books:
    • The Ten Thousand, Harold Coyle
  
  
  
• War Plan Brown
  • Then: A contingency plan against an uprising in the Philippines.
  • Now: A plan to counter an Islamic rebellion in the Philippines, provide military support to the Philippines in the War on Terror, or a counter to Chinese expansion in the Pacific.
  • Wargames:
    • 7th Fleet, Victory Games
    • 3rd Fleet, Victory Games
  • Books: None
  
  
  
• War Plan Crimson:
  • Then: War with Canada in conjunction with War Plan Red
  • Now: Altercation of fishing or water rights, lumbar trade, agricultural trade, difference in security/immigration policy.
  • Wargames:
    • Canadian Civil War, SPI
    • War Plan Crimson, Microgame Design Group.
  • Books: None
  • Special Note: The US invaded Canada during both the Revolution and the War of 1812 and was defeated twice.
  
  
  
• War Plan Gray
  • Then: Naval war against Caribbean nations
  • Now: A Plan to invade Cuba or Anti-Drug Wars in the Caribbean
  • Wargames:
    • War Plan Black, Avalanche Press
    • Central America, Victory Games
    • Cuban Missile Crisis, Microgame Design Group
  • Books:
    • Clear and Present Danger, Tom Clancy
  
  
  
• War Plan Green
  • Then: War with Mexico.
  • Now: Imposition of a security belt 40 80 kilometers into Mexico to secure the US Southern Border against illegal immigration, terrorist infiltration, or the drug trade.
  • Wargames:
    • 3rd Fleet, Victory Games
    • Invasion America, SPI
  • Books:
    • Trial By Fire, Harold Coyle
    • The Next War, Part Three, Casper Weinberger
  
  
  
• War Plan Gold
  • Then: War with France.
  • Now: Why bother?
  • Wargames: None
  • Books: None
  
  
  
• War Plan Orange:
  • Then: War with Japan
  • Now: War with Japan (but also applicable to a naval war with China)
  • Wargames:
    • 7th Fleet, Victory Games
    • Red Sky Morning, XTR Games
    • War Plan Orange, Avalanche Press
    • Great Pacific War,(Scenario based on Bywaters Book, below) Avalanche Press
    • Victory in the Pacific, Avalon Hill
  • Books:
    • The Great Pacific War, Hector C. Bywater
    • The Coming War with Japan, George Friedman and Meredith Lebard
    • War Plan Orange, Edward S. Miller
    • Debt of Honor, Tom Clancy
    • The Next War, Part Five, Casper Weinberger
  • Special Note: Also War Plan Red-Orange, a war against a UK-Japanese Alliance.
  
  
  
• War Plan Purple
  • Then: War with Russia or With a Latin American country
  • Now: Drug Wars in the Caribbean, Anti-WMD Proliferation in the former Soviet Union
  • Wargames:
    • Central America, Victory Games
    • 3rd Fleet, Victory Games
  • Books:
    • The Next War, Part Three, Casper Weinberger
    • The Ten Thousand, Harold Coyle
  
  
  
• War Plan Red
  • Then: War with the United Kingdom, predominantly considering a British Amphibious landing Near Washington, D.C.
  • Now: More or less unthinkable.
  • Wargames:
    • War Plan Red, Avalanche Press
  • Books: None
  • Special Note: Also War Plan Red-Orange, a war against a UK-Japanese Alliance.
  
  
  
• War Plan Scarlet
  • Then: War with Australia and New Zealand, in conjunction with War Plan Red.
  • Now: Retaliation against New Zealand Navy for attack on a US Navy ship carrying nuclear weapons.
  • Wargames: None
  • Books: None
  
  
  
• War Plan Yellow
  • Then: War with China centering on the defense of Peking and relief of Shanghai during the Sino-Japanese War.
  • Now: Contingency plan for aid to Philippines, Taiwan, Korea, or other Pacific Regions in the event of a Chinese invasion or aggressive territorial expansion.
  • Wargames:
    • 7th Fleet, Victory Games.
    • When Dragons Fight: China invades Taiwan, XTR Corp.
  • Books:
    • Dragon Strike: A Novel of the Coming War With China, Humphrey Hawksley, Simon Holberton
    • The Bear and The Dragon, Tom Clancy
    • Protect and Defend, Eric L. Harry
    • The Next War, Part One, Casper Weinberger
  
  
  
• War Plan White
  • Then: Domestic uprising
  • Now: Operation Garden Plot for military support to domestic law enforcement operations during periods of civil unrest. (This plan has generated many conspiracy web sites.)
  • Wargames:
    • Up Against the Wall Mother-fucker, SPI
    • Battle of Seattle, Brian Train (http://www.islandnet.com/~citizenx/lilwars.html#freegame)
    • LA Lawless, Decision Games
  • Books:
    • Seven Days in May, Fletcher Knebel
    • Against All Enemies, Harold Coyle