War Plan Red was a military document outlining a theoretical war between the United States and the British Empire (the "Red" forces). It was developed by the United States Army during the mid 1920s, and was officially withdrawn in 1939, when it and others like it were replaced by the five "Rainbow" plans created to deal with the Axis threat. The British Empire in 1897, marked in pink, the traditional colour for Imperial British dominions on maps. ... The United States Army is the largest branch of the United States armed forces and has primary responsibility for land-based military operations. ... This article or section does not cite its references or sources. ...

The war was intended to be a continental war, waged primarily on North American territory between the United States and Canada, the latter nation a member of the British Commonwealth. The assumption was that Canada would represent the ideal geographic forum through which the British could wage war against the United States.

There is some debate over whether the plan was actually meant to be put into action. Although an Anglo-American war had been a real possiblity during the late 19th century, the likelihood of this declined substantially following the turn of the century. The amicable negotiations of the tense Venezuela-British Guiana border dispute, the Hay-Pauncefote Treaty, the establishment of the International Joint Commission, and the Washington Naval Treaty are examples of the increasingly close U.S.-Canadian relationship during this period. War Plan Red is notably generalized and lacking in detail, indicating its low priority in the planners' eyes. British Guiana and its boundary lines, 1896 Flag of British Guiana British Guiana was the name of the British colony on the northern coast of South America, now the independent nation of Guyana. ... In 1901 the United States and Britain signed the Hay-Pauncefote Treaty. ... The International Joint Commission is an independent binational organization established by the United States and Canada under the Boundary Waters Treaty of 1909. ... The Washington Naval Treaty limited the naval armaments of its five signatories: the United States, the British Empire, the Empire of Japan, the French Third Republic, and Italy. ...

War Plan Red is only one of a number of U.S. Color-coded War Plans developed at this time. Many of these plans address highly speculative scenarios, since heavily focusing plans on specific countries like Germany would have appeared militaristic and aroused domestic opposition. During the 1920s, the United States Army developed a number of Color-coded War Plans to outline potential U.S. strategies for a variety of hypothetical war scenarios. ...

War Plan Red was declassified in 1974, and caused a stir in American-Canadian relations; Canada, named "Crimson" in the plans, was to have been the principal target of American forces. Aditionally, the UK was "Red," India "Ruby," and Australia/New Zealand were "Scarlet."

The war plan did not go into detail regarding offensive or defensive naval campaigns against Great Britain, at that time still the world's dominant naval power. It primarily set out a description of Canada's geography, military and economic resources, and transportation, and then proceeded to discuss a series of possible campaigns aimed at occupying key ports and railroad lines before British troops could reinforce Canada. This would prevent Britain from using Canadian resources, ports, or airbases against the United States.

The main zones of operation discussed in the plan are:

• Nova Scotia and New Brunswick
  • Occupying Halifax following a poison gas first strike, would deny Britain a major naval base and cut links between Britain and Canada.
  • The plan considers several land and sea options for the attack and concludes that a landing at St. Margarets Bay, a then undeveloped bay near Halifax, would be superior to a direct assault on the longer overland route.
  • Failing to take Halifax, the U.S. could occupy New Brunswick by land to cut Nova Scotia off from the rest of Canada.
• Quebec and the valley of the Saint Lawrence River
  • Occupying Montreal and Quebec City would cut the remainder of Canada off from the Eastern seaboard, preventing the movement of soldiers and resources in both directions
  • The routes from northern New York to Montreal and from Vermont to Quebec are both found satisfactory for an offensive, with Quebec being the more critical target.
• Ontario and the Great Lakes area
  • Occupying this region gains control of most of Canada's industry, and prevents Britain and Canada from using it for air or land attacks against the U.S. industrial heartland in the Midwest.
  • The plan proposes simultaneous offensives from Buffalo across Niagara River, from Detroit into Ontario, and from Sault Ste. Marie into Sudbury. Controlling the Great Lakes for U.S. transport is considered logistically necessary for a continued invasion.
• Winnipeg
  • Winnipeg is a central nexus of the Canadian rail system for connecting the country.
  • The plan sees no major obstacles to an offensive from Grand Forks, North Dakota, to Winnipeg.
• Vancouver and Victoria
  • Although Vancouver's distance from Europe reduces its importance, occupying it would deny Britain a naval base and cut Canada off from the Pacific Ocean.
  • Vancouver could be easily attacked overland from Bellingham, Washington, and Vancouver Island could be attacked by sea from Port Angeles, Washington.
  • The British Columbia port Prince Rupert has a rail connection to the rest of Canada, but a naval blockade is viewed as easy if Vancouver were taken.

Bordering on Aggression: Evidence of U.S. Military Preparations Against Canada, is a book by former Queen's University professor Floyd Rudmin on this issue. Motto: Munit Haec et Altera Vincit (Latin: One defends and the other conquers) Official languages none (English, French, Gaelic) Flower Trailing arbutus Tree Red Spruce Bird Osprey Capital Halifax Largest city Halifax Lieutenant-Governor Mayann E. Francis Premier Rodney MacDonald (PC) Parliamentary representation  - House seats  - Senate seats 11 10 Area... Motto: Spem reduxit (Hope restored) Official languages English, French Flower Purple Violet Tree Balsam Fir Bird Black-capped Chickadee Capital Fredericton Largest city Saint John Lieutenant-Governor Herménégilde Chiasson Premier Shawn Graham (Liberal) Parliamentary representation  - House seats  - Senate seats 10 10 Area Total  - Land  - Water  (% of total)  Ranked... Motto: Template:Unhide = E Mari Merces (Wealth from the Sea) Logo: Location City Information Established: April 1, 1996 Area: (former city) 79. ... St. ... Motto: Je me souviens (French: I remember) Official languages French Flower Blue Flag Iris (Iris versicolor Linné) Tree Yellow Birch Bird Snowy Owl Capital Quebec City Largest city Montreal Lieutenant-Governor Lise Thibault Premier Jean Charest (PLQ) Parliamentary representation  - House seat  - Senate seats 75 24 Area Total  - Land  - Water  (% of... The Saint Lawrence River (French: fleuve Saint-Laurent) is a large west-to-east flowing river in the middle latitudes of North America, connecting the Great Lakes with the Atlantic Ocean. ... This article needs cleanup. ... Motto: « Don de Dieu feray valoir Â» (I shall put Gods gift to good use) Site in the province of Québec Official logo Provincial region Province Country Capitale-Nationale Québec Canada Gentilé Québécois, Québécoise Mayor Jean-Paul LAllier 1989-Dec. ... Official language(s) English de facto Capital Albany Largest city New York City Area  Ranked 27th  - Total 54,520 sq mi (141,205 km²)  - Width {{{WidthUS}}} miles (455 km)  - Length 330 miles (530 km)  - % water 13. ... Official language(s) None[1] Capital Montpelier Largest city Burlington Area  Ranked 45th  - Total 9,620 sq mi (24,923 km²)  - Width 80 miles (130 km)  - Length 160 miles (260 km)  - % water 3. ... Motto: Ut Incepit Fidelis Sic Permanet (Latin: Loyal she began, loyal she remains) Official languages English Flower White Trillium Tree Eastern White Pine Bird Common Loon Capital Toronto Largest city Toronto Lieutenant-Governor James K. Bartleman Premier Dalton McGuinty (Liberal) Parliamentary representation  - House seats  - Senate seats 106 24 Area Total... The Great Lakes from space The Great Lakes are a group of five large lakes in North America on or near the Canada-United States border. ... The Midwest is a common name for a region of the United States of America. ... Nickname: City of Good Neighbors, Queen City, City of Light Location of Buffalo in New York State County Erie County Mayor Byron Brown Area    - City 136. ... View from near Horseshoe Falls looking across the Niagara River toward Rainbow Bridge in winter Niagara Glen features many treacherous rapids downstream of Niagara Falls The Niagara River flows to the north from Lake Erie to Lake Ontario. ... Nickname: Motor City, Motown Motto: Speramus Meliora; Resurget Cineribus (Latin for, We Hope For Better Things; It Shall Rise From the Ashes) Location in Wayne County, Michigan Coordinates: Country United States State Michigan County Wayne County Mayor Kwame Kilpatrick Area    - City 370. ... Sault Sainte Marie — pronounced Soo Saint Marie (IPA ) — is the name of two cities on the Saint Marys River, which forms part of the boundary between the United States and Canada. ... Greater Sudbury (2001 census population 155,219) is a city in Northern Ontario. ... Motto: Template:Unhide = Unum Cum Virtute Multorum (One With the Strength of Many) Location City Information Established: 1738 (Fort Rouge), 1873 (City of Winnipeg) Area: 465. ... Motto: A Place of Excellence Nickname: The Sunflake City Map Political Statistics Founded 15 June 1870 Incorporated February 22, 1881 County Grand Forks County Mayor Michael Brown Geographic Statistics Area  - Total  - Land  - Water 49. ... This article refers to the city in British Columbia, Canada. ... Victoria is a Canadian city, and it is the provincial capital of British Columbia. ... World map showing Europe A satellite composite image of Europe Europe is one of the six inhabited continents of the Earth. ... Bellingham, Washington is the county seat of Whatcom County in the U.S. state of Washington. ... Vancouver Island is separated from mainland British Columbia by the Strait of Georgia and the Queen Charlotte Strait, and from Washington by the Juan De Fuca Strait. ... Port Angeles is a city in Clallam County, Washington, United States. ... Motto: Splendor Sine Occasu (Latin: Splendour without diminishment) Official languages English de facto (none stated in law) Flower Pacific dogwood Tree Western Redcedar Bird Stellers Jay Capital Victoria Largest city Vancouver Lieutenant-Governor Iona Campagnolo Premier Gordon Campbell (BC Liberal) Parliamentary representation  - House seats  - Senate seats 36 6 Area... Orthographic projection centred over Prince Rupert BC Coast, showing Prince Rupert and Vancouver Prince Rupert is a city in the province of British Columbia, Canada. ... Queens University, generally referred to simply as Queens, is a coeducational, non-sectarian, research-intensive university located in Kingston, Ontario, Canada. ...

It is generally little-known that a Canadian military officer, Colonel James "Buster" Sutherland Brown, developed a counterpart to WPR called Defence Scheme No. 1. Maintaining the best defence was a good offence, "Buster" Brown planned for rapid deployment of "flying air columns" to occupy Seattle, Portland, Oregon, Minneapolis and St. Paul. Simultaneous troop movements to converge on Albany, naval assault on Maine and bridgeheads along Niagara and Detroit. With no hope of actually maintaining an invasion force - the reasoning was to divert invading troops to the flanks and away from Canada - hopefully long enough for Imperial allies to arrive with reinforcements. DS1 was denounced as impractical and unlikely, and withdrawn in 1931. Brigadier James Buster Sutherland Brown was a Canadian military officer best known for drafting a contingency war plan in 1921 to invade and occupy several American border cities. ... Defence Scheme No. ... Nickname: The Emerald City Location of Seattle in King County and Washington Coordinates: Country United States State Washington County King County Incorporated December 2 1869 Mayor Greg Nickels (D) Area    - City 369. ... Nickname: City of Roses, Stumptown, Bridgetown, PDX Location in Multnomah County and the state of Oregon Coordinates: Country United States State Oregon County Multnomah County Incorporated February 8, 1851 Mayor Tom Potter Area    - City 376. ... Nickname: City of Lakes Motto: En Avant Location in Hennepin County and the state of Minnesota. ... Location in Ramsey County and the state of Minnesota. ... Location in Albany County and the State of New York Coordinates: Country United States State New York County Albany Founded 1614 Incorporated 1686 Mayor Gerald D. Jennings Area    - City 56. ... Official language(s) None (English de facto) Capital Augusta Largest city Portland Area  Ranked 39th  - Total 33,414 sq mi (86,542 km²)  - Width 210 miles (338 km)  - Length 320 miles (515 km)  - % water 13. ... The Niagara Peninsula is the portion of Ontario, Canada lying on the south shore of Lake Ontario. ... Nickname: Motor City, Motown Motto: Speramus Meliora; Resurget Cineribus (Latin for, We Hope For Better Things; It Shall Rise From the Ashes) Location in Wayne County, Michigan Coordinates: Country United States State Michigan County Wayne County Mayor Kwame Kilpatrick Area    - City 370. ...

See also

• Defence Scheme No. 1
• Trent Affair
• U.S. Color-coded War Plans
• War of 1812

Defence Scheme No. ... The Trent Affair, also known as the Mason and Slidell Affair, was an international diplomatic incident that occurred during the American Civil War. ... During the 1920s, the United States Army developed a number of Color-coded War Plans to outline potential U.S. strategies for a variety of hypothetical war scenarios. ... Combatants United States Native Americans United Kingdom, Canadian provincial forces Native Americans First Nations Peoples Commanders James Madison Winfield Scott Andrew Jackson Isaac Brock† George Prevost Tecumseh† Strength •U.S. Regular Army: 35,800 •Rangers: 3,049 •Militia: 458,463* •US Navy & US Marines: (at start of war): •Frigates:6...

External links

• 1935 Invasion
• Raiding the Icebox, Washington Post article discussing the plans