War Plan Red was a classified U.S. military...

Editor's note: ...contingency plan developed in the late 1920s and early 1930s for a hypothetical war with the British Empire, at a time when Britain remained the world's dominant naval power and alliances were far less settled. The plan did not envision an immediate invasion of the British Isles, but instead focused on rapidly neutralizing Canada, seen as Britain's most vulnerable strategic asset (and still is under Carney), by seizing key ports, rail hubs, and cities to prevent Britain from using Canadian territory as a staging ground against America including the assassination of US presidents, while simultaneously waging naval and economic warfare to weaken British power. War Plan Red was a theoretical staff exercise illustrating how the US military planned for even unlikely adversaries; today it is best understood not as a blueprint for action, but as a historical example of how contingency planning reflects the geopolitical anxieties of its era. These "anxieties" have been deliberately exasperated by transnational finance capitalism. Perhaps it is past time to retrieve War Plan Red from the archives and dust it off?
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War Plan Red: The Forgotten U.S. Plot to Battle Britain

By Darren | July 20, 2025

In the shadowy archives of U.S. military history lies a striking document: War Plan Red. Crafted in the 1920s and 1930s, this secret strategy outlined how the United States might engage in an all-out war with the British Empire. This plan was not mere fantasy; it was part of a broader era where nations meticulously prepared for worst-case scenarios, fueled by global uncertainty and fierce competition for power. The existence of War Plan Red highlights the intense atmosphere of suspicion and military planning that defined the early 20th century, a time when even America's closest allies were viewed as potential rivals.

1. The Origins of War Plan Red

The roots of War Plan Red can be traced to the uneasy aftermath of World War I. The United States, wary of shifting alliances and lingering imperial rivalries, began formulating detailed contingency plans against possible adversaries—including the British Empire. This practice reflected a broader strategic mindset: military planners believed that preparing for every conceivable conflict was essential to national security. The result was a series of color-coded war plans, with "Red" designating Britain as the hypothetical enemy (via U.S. Department of State).

2. Why Britain Was Considered a Threat

Despite fighting side by side in World War I, the U.S. saw Britain as a potential rival due to its vast empire and dominant navy. The two nations competed for global influence, with tensions simmering over trade routes and colonial interests. This strategic rivalry was not unique; the U.S. military also developed War Plan Orange against Japan and other color-coded plans for different nations. These hypothetical scenarios reflected the era's deep-seated anxieties and the belief that today's ally could become tomorrow's adversary (via HistoryNet).

3. The Color-Coded War Plans

The U.S. military's "color-coded” plans were a comprehensive approach to national defense. Each major potential adversary was assigned a color—Britain became Red, Japan was Orange, Germany was Black, and so on. War Plan Red was just one piece of this elaborate framework, reflecting the era's obsession with preparedness for any threat. These plans were regularly updated and discussed at the highest military levels (via National Archives).

4. The Canadian Front: A Key Battlefield

Because Canada was a loyal British Dominion, War Plan Red identified it as the primary theater of operations in any conflict with Britain. U.S. strategists envisioned rapid invasions targeting major Canadian cities like Montreal, Quebec, and Toronto, aiming to seize key railways and ports before British reinforcements could arrive. Multiple invasion routes were mapped out from the northern U.S. border, reflecting both geographic realities and the urgency of overwhelming Canadian defenses—an approach reminiscent of invasion plans against Mexico and Japan in other war scenarios (via CBC).

5. Plans for Sabotage and Infrastructure Attacks

War Plan Red included detailed schemes to cripple Canadian infrastructure—destroying bridges, railways, and communication lines to disrupt British logistics and troop movements. These sabotage plans echoed tactics later used in World War II, where targeting supply lines proved crucial. The U.S. military understood that striking quickly at these choke points could paralyze an enemy’s ability to reinforce or resupply. This focus on infrastructure reveals how modern warfare increasingly relied on disrupting networks, not just winning battles on the ground (via CBC Archives).

Please go to History Collection to continue reading.

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