Evening star., 1937-10-17

be an impossibility for any potential
enemy to bring to the Philippine area
anything like preponderant portion
OF his army. He would indeed have
difficulty in concentrating into the
vital area as large q force as the
Philippine Army which would oppose
him. Any conceivable expeditionary
force might actually find itself out
numbered.
The Philippines has the enormous
defensive advantage Of being an island
group. Hundreds of miles of water
separate 1t from any other land. The
protective value OF isolation has time
and time again been demonstrated In
military history. No other operation
in warfare Is SO difficult as that of
transporting. supplying and protecting
an army committed to an overseas
expedition.
But geography did not cease its de-
fensive favOrs to the Philippines when
1t made them an isolated group.
Nature has studded these islands with
mountainous formations, making prac-
ticable landing places for large forces
extremely few in number and dimcult
in character. The vital area of Luzon,
in which dwell approximately seven
million Filipinos. presents in all its
long shore line only two coastal re-
gions in which q hostile army of any
size could land. Each Of these Is
broken by strong defensive positions.
which II properly manned and pre-
pared would present to any attacking
force practically impossible problem
Of penetration. Sixty per cent of the
national terrain consists of great
forest areas. impenetrable by powerful
military units. The mountainous ter
rain, the primeval forests and the lack
Of communications combine to create
theater of operations in which a
defensive force Of only moderate eff
cheney and strength could test the
capabilities Of tn. most powerful and
splendidly equipped army that could
be assembled there.
Must Destroy LuzOn DefenSes.
Complete subjugation of the Philip
pines must include the destruction of
the defenses of Luzon. On this island
Is located almost half Of the country's
population. In view Of the strength
Of the defending forces that will be
built up in Luzon, the size Of an enemy
overseas expedition would have to be
correspondingly large. Continuous
waves Of attacking troops would have
to arrive in quick succession to support
any initial success.
Based upon past experience an ex-
peditionary force of 300, 900 men would
require at least $4,000 animals, 5000
vehicles, 400 field guns, 2,20O machine
guns, 800 trench mortars and $4,000
tons Of rations for 80 days supply.
1t would require 100 transport ships,
averaging 5000 tons each: perhaps a
hundred battleships with auxiliary
cruisers.
An invading army would necessarily
be troops of the highest possible
training and efficiency. The con-
signment to this single enterprise of
such body with adequate supporting
elements of supply. maintenance and
special services. which would involve
another. $4,000 individuals, to say
nothing Of monthly requirements of
some 10000, would expose any attack
ing nation to serious risks from other
potential enemies. and this possibility
would give additional reason for re-
luctance to undertake such an opera
ton Of the necessary proportions.
In all history there is no example
Of this kind Of attack being attempted
on q comparable scale, since the
invasions of Greece by the Persians in
the fifth century BIC. were mainly
accomplished by land marches. Even
so, those invasions resulted in COM
plete failure.
There remains the possibility Of an
attacker attempting to defeat the
Philippines through naval blockade.
This slow. laborious and expensive
method will hold less and less effective
threat for the islands as agriculture
and industry are adjusted to a more
nearly self-sustaining basis.
Assuming success in the effort to
make Filipinos self-sustaining in food
and the ordinary necessaries of life,
the reduction of the islands by passive
blockade would entail q protracted
occupation Of neighboring waters by
the hostile feet. This would compel
constant interference with the great
number Of international trade routes
taking their course through this re-
gion. Every type Of diplomatic pres
sure would be applied to bring the
blockade to an end. Ensuing friction
might easily bring into the conflict on
the side of the Philippines powerful
allies, who would break the blockade
by force.
This Is the degree Of protection en-
visioned by the Philippine defense
plan. It's object Is to insure peace
= peace Of self-respect and self-re-
lance peace which upholds the
Christian virtues and def,es the threat
o6 Yapacious greed