Creative Warfare: A Masterclass

Sun Tzu meets Disney -- metaphorically -- with real results

Last week, June 6th marked two important events.

First off, it was my mother’s 85th birthday. (Happy Birthday, Rina!!!)

Second, June 6th marks the 81st anniversary of D-Day. Arguably the most important date in modern history.

The storming of Normandy beach is nothing short of awe-inspiring, remarkable and breathtaking.

And as much as we celebrate and study the heroic actions of Operation Overlord by the Allied forces — British, Canadian and American — I want to take this moment to remind you of a shadow operation that happened in and around the same time — Operation Fortitude.

Operation Fortitude was the world’s most virtuous con game.

Here’s how it went down: An entire military operation was set up to attack across the shortest point between the English coast and Calais, where the Germans were occupying France.

Matériel including, planes, tanks and landing craft.

German spies could see what was happening on the ground.

They could hear the sounds of mobilization on radio chatter.

Their spies read the communiques about the attack.

They even knew who would lead the effort — none other than America’s most famous battlefield general, George Patton.

There was only one problem for the Germans. This was all a ruse. A fake. A fugazi.

Hollywood sets made by real Hollywood set designers and some terrific actors playing their parts as soldiers and spies.

You see, the Allies created an entirely fictional First U.S. Army Group, crafting an elaborate deception across southeastern England.

Those fearsome Sherman Tanks and P-47 Thunderbolt planes? They were all made of rubber and hot air.

The Allies literally weaponized enemy assumptions against them. The Germans thought, and quite logically, that the Allies would invade from Calais — the shortest distance between two points. But sometimes logic doesn’t lead to the correct answer.

For the Allies, this wasn’t just thinking outside the box—they rebuilt the entire box from scratch, painted it different colors, and convinced their enemies it was something else entirely.

The effect of all of this chicanery was nothing short of brilliant.

The Germans were looking and preparing to their right, while the real invasion at Normandy was happening to their left.

They were caught flat-footed and this effort marked the beginning of the end of the War and the liberation of Europe.

Operation Fortitude is a masterclass in creative thinking and execution.

It’s audacious, bordering on the ridiculous.

And its execution — absolutely, positively flawless.

Every. Single. Detail.

Now, most of us don’t have the defeat of Nazi tyranny and defending the fate of the free world as daily goals and objectives. (Although these days in the USA, you never know.)

That said, it doesn’t mean we can’t borrow a page from the Allies when it comes to being creative.

Are you being outrageous enough with your ideas?

Are you utterly committed to making them happen?

What’s your Operation Fortitude?

Image: National Archives, Kansas City