The plan centered on an invasion of Canada in order to deny it to approaching British troops—but also envisioned a naval war against the mighty Royal Navy in the Atlantic.

It sounds like a mere academic exercise, or perhaps an episode of alternative history—but in the decades between World War I and World War II, the US military maintained a contingency plan for war against the British Empire.

Known as War Plan Red, the classified strategy prepared for a conflict with the world’s most dominant naval power, which included a rapid invasion of Canada, before Britain could reinforce it. Although the plan was obviously never implemented, it illustrates the justifiably paranoid nature of living in an anarchic system. 

What Was “War Plan Red”?

War Plan Red was part of the US military’s color-coded war plans developed during the interwar period. Each color represented a potential adversary. Orange stood for Japan. Black stood for Germany. And red, oddly enough, stood for the British Empire.

It is not entirely clear why the United States was planning for war with the United Kingdom, given the close historical relationship between the two countries; yet such plans were relatively simple to make, and the prevailing logic seems to have been that it was better to have it and not need it than the reverse. Developed primarily during the 1920s, War Plan Red reflected a period when Britain remained the world’s preeminent naval power and future alliances were still uncertain. Relations between the US and the UK had improved markedly since the War of 1812, but in the early 1900s, the two nations periodically competed in terms of naval power, global trade, and for influence in the Western Hemisphere. Accordingly, military planners of the day prepared for all possible scenarios, including an open conflict with London. (It is worth noting that the British concocted similar plans in preparation for a possible conflict with the United States, although these, too, went unused.)

How “War Plan Red” Would Have Worked

The plan’s central strategic concept was fairly straightforward: defeat Canada before British troops could land on the continent en masse. The US objectives included a rapid invasion across multiple fronts, the seizure of major Canadian rail hubs, the occupation of industrial centers, the capture of ports on the Atlantic coast, and the denial of a staging area for British reinforcements.

It was helpful for American purposes in the plan that nearly all Canadians lived along the border. Major targets for capture were Halifax, Montreal, Quebec City, Toronto, Winnipeg, and Vancouver—almost all of which could be reached from the American side of the border in a matter of hours. The goal was not permanent conquest of Canada, but the elimination of Britain’s closest North American base of operations. 

Of course, the greatest threat to the US was not Canada itself, but the Royal Navy. During the 1920s, the United Kingdom still possessed the world’s largest fleet; while the American fleet was near it in strength, it had two oceans to worry about, whereas the United Kingdom could concentrate on one. Accordingly, the American strategy emphasized protecting the East Coast, preventing a naval blockade, and safeguarding shipping. The US Navy expected that any conflict would ultimately hinge on maritime control rather than purely land campaigns, and planned accordingly.

Thankfully, the Plan Was Never Implemented

Would War Plan Red have worked? Probably not. Perhaps the United States could have conquered Canada on paper—but the next steps would be hard to foresee, and it is difficult to imagine American occupation of its northern neighbor in the long term.

Historians generally view War Plan Red as being increasingly unrealistic by the 1930s. Several factors worked against the plan’s success, including Britain’s global naval reach, the enormous logistical requirements, and the growing threats from Germany and Japan, both of which had far more reason to oppose the United States than its close ally in London did.

Still, War Plan Red offers a fascinating snapshot of a very different geopolitical era, from before the US and Britain had forged their “special relationship,” which would go on to define the second half of the 21st century. More broadly, the plan underscores how militaries think about, and plan for, the many uncertainties of geopolitical anarchy.

About the Author: Harrison Kass

Harrison Kass is a writer and attorney focused on national security, technology, and political culture. His work has appeared in Tablet, City Journal, The Hill, The Spectator, and The Cipher Brief. He holds a JD from the University of Oregon and a master’s in Global & Joint Program Studies from NYU. More at harrisonkass.com.

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