Evening star., 1939-09-17
British Expert Advises Against
Stronq Western Front Attack
Believes Strategic
Defense Is
Indicated
BY the Associated Press.

BY the Associated Press.
NEW YORK, Sept. l6-Present
activities on the German western
front may be part of carefully
prepared and understood plan which
has had advocates for long while
in Britain. Capt. Liddell Hart, inter-
national authority on armies and
their use. indicates.
Capt. Hart is the man who writes
large share of the British staff
manuals, not to mention dozens OF
articles in various important Eng
lish papers and some 18 books on
his speciality.
Capt Hart, 18 months ago, was
asked by the British secretary OF
state for war to help formulate plans
for the modernization of British
defenses. and some of his ideas are
included in book to be published
in America October 19 by Random
House
"A sober survey of the balance of
forces" writes Capt Hart in The
Defense of Britain, should rule out
the idea that an offensive campaign
could be waged on the northern
frontiers of France with an effect
proportionate to its cost.
Strategic Defense Indicated.
"On that side the strategic defense
is indicated.
And in considering what con-
tribution We tthe British might
make to it. we have to take account
not merely of the defense of France,
but of other contingencies linked
with it. One of these is a fresh
violation of Belgiums neutrality;
another is an invasion of Holland.
"A reinforcement of their defense
might be even more important than
that of France herself, not least as
an indirect aid to the latter We,
as well as the Belgians, paid so
heavily for our failure to give
prompt support to her defense in
1914, by reason of our participation
! in the French plan that we should
have learnt by this hard expert
ence.'
And Capt. Hart adds:
1T is not difficult to find places,
most of them more suited to in
fantry, where reinforcement might
be required simultaneously with any
that was called for in France. 1t
would be unWise to leave ourselves
without the means, by sending all
we have to one quarter"
Yet Capt. Hart believes prospects
of defense in Holland, Belgium and
In the theoretically safe" Switzer-
land to be fair, and in the first
named countries to be on the whole
improved over 1914.
"Super- Guerrilla" Warfare.
A "super-guerrilla" type of war
fare is recommended by the cap
tain. developed, he suggests, from
| the military history of Britain, and
using the most effective resources
of the national character and physi-
cal possessions.
The advantage of the general oe-
fensive could be enhanced, its risks
diminished and it's common value
increased by combining it with a
'harassing offensive" he says
This could be pursued by:
"(a) Carrying out local or limited
attacks, carefully mounted as sur
prise, and with the maximum fire.
power, against weak points on the
main front.
"tb) Utilizing artillery fire and air
bombing to harass the enemy S
routes of supply and rest camps.
"(cl Utilizing sea power to isolate
and then to concentrate a decisive
superiority of land force against de-
tached bases and territories which
the opponent cannot reinforce.
"(dD Utilizing sea power and air
power combined to cause a general
disturbance of the enemy's system OF
supply and internal life"
Capt. Hart insists that even mod.
ern weapons, the machine gun, anti
tank and anti-aircraft guns, ano
mustard gas are peculiarly adapted
to his form of warfare, one primary
purpose of which would be to "con.
vince the enemy that he has nothing
to gain and much to lose by pur.
suing war"
ITO organize and train an army
primarily for the offensive" says
Capt. Hart in an analysis OF the
tactics of war, lis to stake the ma.
tional fortunes on a very dark horse
As a policy it seems too much like
the optimism of man who makes
practice of backing hundred-to-ont
chances. $50
Analysis shows that in the ma
jority of the battles which are en-
graved in the pages of history thu
loser was the army which was thu
first to commit itself to the attack
1t is thus our responSlblllt.
to dissuade any allies from endan
gering their defensive prospects b.
pursuing an offensive strategy"
New Infantry Approach.
Can't. Hart continues with sug
gestion which possibly has been fol
lowed to the letter on the western
front: THE first need is to max
it clear that any force we lend shal
not be wasted in an offensive gambl
which would now have longer odd
against it than ever before"
The captain also sees new ap
proach to the problem of infantry il
war. A proper approach should lea'
them to be regarded, he says, as
/. corps d'elite," not as cannon fodder
Their essential value lies In thei
power to be, or at least to become
a singing swarm of skilled individ