[2] A key move was a joint US Army-Navy attack to capture the port city of Halifax, cutting off the Canadians from their British allies.

"[5] This was to be followed by a full-scale invasion on three fronts: from Vermont to take Montreal and Quebec, from North Dakota to take over the railhead at Winnipeg, and from the Midwest to capture the strategic nickel mines of Ontario.

The planners feared that should they lose the war with Britain, America would be forced to relinquish its territories to the victors, such as losing Alaska (then an organized incorporated territory) to Canada as part of the peace treaty: "It is probable that, in case RED should be successful in the war, CRIMSON will demand that Alaska be awarded to her.

For instance, the government of David Lloyd George in 1919 restricted the Royal Navy from building more ships to compete with American naval growth and thereby preventing the plan's development.

The Royal Navy could not use a defensive strategy of waiting for the American fleet to cross the Atlantic because Imperial trade would be left too vulnerable.

Colonial forces from India and Australia would help capture Manila to prevent American attacks on British trade in the Far East and perhaps a conquest of Hong Kong.

The officers hoped that such acts would result in a stalemate making continued war unpopular in the United States, followed by a negotiated peace.

[6] Canadian military officer Lieutenant Colonel James "Buster" Sutherland Brown developed an earlier counterpart to War Plan Red, Defence Scheme No.

Maintaining that the best defense was a good offense, Brown planned for rapid deployment of flying columns to occupy Seattle, Great Falls, Minneapolis, and Albany.