Evening star., 1939-11-19
United States Held
Safe From Invasion
By OtDen L. Scott.


made bold by victory, might do to the
United States.
There sometimes is expressed the fear
that this country is not immune from
invasion.
The idea of building vast Navy and
an Army larger than any previous peace
time Army Is highly popular. During
the next u months, more than $2,O0O,-
100000 will be spent building up the Ma
tons armed forces. People naturally are
prepared to spend any sum of money and
effort TO resist attack from foreign foe
That raises the question: Just what are
the chances that any victor in Europe's
war or any nation from the Far East
might attack the United States?
report from Great Britain on that
nations first weeks of effort in the war
against Germany is highly instructive
The British have been seeking to move
an army to France. They have mil
lion men ready for the move. They have
more shipping than any other nation The
trip is short-little more than 80 miles
from Dover to Calais There are friends
ports available in which to land
Here, then, under these favorable cir
cumstances is the British account:
THE number of men transported to
France as British expeditionary force
in the first five weeks of war was $4,000.
This total may seem small when set
aside the million regulars, reservists and
ferritorialS of tho orpov's diSposal hl1t II
is appreGiably greater than many people,
aware Of the vast transport problem
which the movement of modern mechan-
lied troops with their material now in
volves had anticipated
The 10000 troops who went in the
same period Of the World War carried
with them 800 mechanized vehicles In
the recent movement there were $4,000
mechanized vehicles.
Moreover, it has been needful to move
the men and their machines, both at sea
and OH land. by devious routes in small
detachments to minimize the chance of
air attack"
This looks like quite an effort But
what If the problem were to transport
that army across 5000 miles of Atlantic
or 1000 miles of Pacific Ocean? What If
on that ocean was the worlds most pow
erful fleet? What if that fleet had the
worlds best and largest naval air force?
What if at the end of the trip there was
waiting one of the worlds largest and
best-equipped air forces to lead an at
tack? What if there were coast defense
weapons and highly mechanical and
mobile force of troops 100000 strong?
What if provisions and new machines
and reserves for the initial force from
abroad hao also to be transported from
5000 to 1000 miles by water?
y X X
What then would be the chance of
successful invasion?
Answer the questions above and you
have an answer to the question concern
ing the chance of success that any nation
from Europe or Asia might have in seek
ing to invade the United States. On that
count, there isn't chance in the world
that Germany or Japan, alone or togeth-
er, with or without the British fleet as
captive, could carry out successful in
vasion.
Then why the billions for prepared
ness?
The answer to that question is found
outside the shores of the United States
proper.
American people for more than 1oC
years have let the world know that they
would resist any encroachment by
European or Asiatic power in Latin
America. In the overcrowded world oS
today, South America is most richly en-
dowed Of the underpopulated areas. No
continent offers richer plums for a land
hungry power.
To fulfill the determination that the
United States has to keep any nation
from invading South America may some
day require sizable army. In the event
that it does, the United States itself
would face the problem of transporting
an expeditionary force-with all of its
mechanical equipment-to the south.
Certainly, in the meantime, this country
alton that may arise as result of its
Monroe Doctrine.
Then there are situations in the Far
East.
just now the future of Holland is in
doubt. From the Dutch East Indies
comes much of this Nations rubber. The
United States hardly would view with
equanimity move by Japan to grab
that area, which includes the Malay
states with their tin. 1t is to be remem-
bered, too, that the Philippines are an
American obligation until 1916 and may
be thereafter. The Philippines are an
ideal spot for Japanese colonization.
They are rich in resources.
Farther south, Australia and New Zea-
land are quite defenseless. The British
no longer are able to guard their domin-
ions in all corners of the world But it
is highly doubtful if the United States
would sit idly by while another power
sought to take over those two English
speaking areas.
American obligations extend to dis
tant parts of the world and fulhllment
of those obligations requires a military
and naval strength that can be exerted
successfully if there ever is challenge.
But, in the event of trouble outside the
United States, the same problem that
confronts other nations that might want
to invade the United States confronts
this country in considering an invasion
or even an expeditionary force of assist
auce to Latin America or the Far East