This volume contains the transcript of proceedings of the third annual US Army War College Art of War Symposium. The 1986 symposium, the last in the series, analyzed three Soviet strategic offensive operations which took place from October 1944 to February 1945, and a series of Soviet defensive operations which occurred from January to March 1945. This transcript contains the proceedings of the 1986 symposium, which was held from 19-23 May 1986. We issue this transcript in the hope that its content will broaden the US officers understanding of how the Soviets have operated in the past. These operations are the last examples of theater level strategic operations conducted in a general war. In addition they provide a repository of experience the Soviets themselves have used, are using, and will use in the future as they ponder the critical questions of fielding and organizing forces and planning for and conducting war. The presentations include an overview of each operation based on Soviet sources and verified by German archival materials and individual presentations by German officers most of whom participated in the operations studied. We believe that such an understanding is essential if we are to assess correctly how the Soviets will conduct operations in the future.

940.540947 A784n 1986 Approved for public release; distribution is unlimited.