Evening star., 1938-12-18
u. 5. Navy 10 Gather
Mighty Armada for
Atlantic Maneuvers
lao Ships, 800 Planes
To Stress Hemisphere
Defense Policies
BY the Associated Press.

BY the Associated Press.
The Navy disclosed yesterday that
a mighty armada of 14O fighting
ships and 600 planes would assem-
BILE shortly on the East Coast to
practice war.
Inc maneuvers, impressing Amer
lean seapower on Europe and South
America, will be the first in the
Atlantic in five years.
Since the operations first were
announced several months ago as
part OF routine training, the Czecho-
SIovak1an crisis in Europe and
President Roosevelt's emphasis on
increased national and new world
defense have given them added sig
niflcance.
Yesterdays announcement SUD-
Piled many additional details con-
corning the n1aneuvers.
They will get under way shortly
after the first of the year, with the
departure of the main fleet from
the West Coast.
Test Canal Defenses.
Testing the defenses of the Pam
anna Canal and the Caribbean Sea.
some ships will steam as far South
as Brazil and Colombia.
Naval circles have heard. with
out official confirmation, that Presi-
dent Roosevelt himself would view
some phases of the operations in
February.
AS outlined by the Navy, the prob
lem will be a mock war between an
invading White" feet commanded
by Admiral E. c. Kalbfus. seeking
TO establish coast bases, and q de-
Tending BLACK" fleet commanded
by Vice Admiral Adolphus An
dreWs.
Ships from the Pacific will transit
the canal early in January. Some
craft will be left in that ocean.
however, so the total engaged in
the maneuvers will not be as large
as on some previous occasions. The
force OF Naval planes will be the
largest ever assembled by this coun-
try. however.
In all, about 5000 officers and
50,O0O men will take part.
Officially designated as Fleet
Problem 20," the maneuyers will be
IN West Indian waters and in the
Atlantic to the East of the Lesser
Antilles and South to the Equator.
Intended to furnish training in
fleet cruising at sea under simu-
lated war conditions, the games will
employ all. units of the fleet in at
tack;ng and defending parts of the
BLACK" and White" forces under
surprise encounters, both day and
night, including use of submarines
and all types of naval aircraft.
While officially the visit to the
East Coast is for the purpose of
training and sociable visit to the
New York World Fair, some persons
outside the Navy have attributed q
deeper purpose to the undertaking
also.
One member of the Senate For
eign Relations Committee said he
had been informed authoritatively
that the Governments objective was
to impress Europeans with the wis
dom of foregoing any effort to pro-
mote totalitarianism in South
America, and to show South Amer
lean nations that the United States
is capable of helping to defeat any
attack from abroad on their govern
ments.
Base Defense Operations.
Prior to work on the major fleet
problem, and after it's completion
the Atlantic Squadron and the
East Coast Fleet Marine Force, un-
der command of Rear Admiral A. w.
Johnson, will conduct base defense
operations in the Culebra area.
After the problem is completed,
officials said, the fleet will rendez-
vous in the Guantanamo area for
tactical, gunnery and miscellaneous
exercises. After completion of these
exercises, the fleet will proceed to
New York for it's visit to the fair.
stopping en- route at Norfolk about
mid-April.
The main fleet is expected to sail
for the West Coast early in June,
SO that six-month absence from
the Pacific Coast is in prospect.
Radio Programs, Poqe F-3