Deception Plan Bodyguard: Deception Modeling as a Means to Benchmark Risk

摘要

This paper examines Operation Overlord and deception plan Bodyguard-- the deception that made the Allied invasion of Europe in WWII so successful. First, the paper advocates why deception planning should be pursued, in spite of American inclinations not to, by examining the direct benefits deception provided to the success of Overlord. This paper is not a comprehensive A to Z examination of the tenets of deception. Instead, it more closely examines only two aspects of deception: the dynamics of transmitting deception to the enemy and the dynamics of enemy reaction to the deception. With Bodyguard as the example, the paper then describes via use of an Input/Output model how the two variables interact with one another and what elements must comprise each in order to succeed. Finally, lessons learned are drawn and offered for the consideration of today's Commander. Among the lessons learned is the unconventional claim that, under certain circumstances, operational success can be designed contingent upon deception success.