Evening star., 1940-12-29
Officers al BeIvoir
Trained 10 Use Nazi
Secret Weapon
Army, Lifting Ban, Reveals
New Assault Tactics
And Implements
By NELSON NJ. SHEPARD.

bang instructed daily III the proper
Use of Germany's alleged secret
assault weapon, which American
military experts claim is nothing
more than the skillful co-ordina-
tfon of all arms of an attacking
force.
The increased Importance at
tached to the employment of engi-
neer troops in obstructing tanks
and blasting lines of fixed gun en-
placements is being stressed in the
new assault tactics at Fort Belvoir.
Unnoticed in Washington, a few
minutes ride away, the course of
training has been undertaken with
all the secrecy of a football team
practicing for a bowl game.
The War Department yesterday
lifted the ban on the operations to
disclose methods used in the train
ing of special class of 80 regular
officers taken from every arm of
the service and from the Marine
Corps. Tanks, barbed-wire obstruc-
tions, concrete gun bases and new
kinds of explosives are used in
teaching officers the essentials of
successful team play in carrying
out an assault.
New Techniques Evolved.
THE object Of all engineer train
ing is to increase the effectiveness
of combat troops by improvement of
routes of communication, creation
Of obstacles to enemy progress and
aid IN the construction of protec-
tive works" the War Department
explained Yesterday.
New methods of combat require
new means to make them effective
or TO defend against them" +" it added,
land the Engineer School is con-
stantly studying all sources of in
formation and evolving new mech
niques in its efforts to maintain
the high level of engineer training"
Similar methods are being en-
ployed on a minor scale by the
great service schools handling in
struction of infantry, artillery and
the armored forces, while the
Chemical Warfare Service is rapidly
developing explosives which play so
important role in modern engi-
neer tactics.
ShOveling Abandoned.
At Fort Bolvoir, engineer troops
and officers are being taught the
use and handling of many of the
new mechanical implements which
have taken the place of the back
breaking shoveling and digging of
World War days. Portable pile
drivers are used to sink the trunks
OF trees into the ground not only
to obstruct tanks but also to
strengthen earth barriers. Huge
trench digging machines now do in
an hours time the work of scores
OF shovelers. Trench digging has
been relegated to the pleasant phase
OF engineer service.
New explosives include the much
publicized 'Molotoff cocktail" en-
ployed so effectively by the Firms
last winter against the invading
Russian Army. 1t is an innocent
looking bottle filled with gasoline.
When lgnited it bursts into spread
ing flames and is particularly effec-
tive when thrown through the
portal OF a tank or in an ammuni-
ton dump.
In the assault tests, the SO officers
at Fort Belvoir We're divided into
II groups for experiments with all
Kinds and types of equipment.
"A fortified zone with fixed en-
placements and wire entanglements
was erected, and then tested under
various methods of attack and de-
tense" the War Department said
experiments were made with diff
1erent types Of bridge equipment,
DefenseS against mechanical forces
were tested, including barriers and
obstacles to tanks, a platoon of six
light tanks being furnished for this
purpose
New Methods Forecast.
1T Is expected that from the re-
suits Of the studies and tests being
carried out in this course" the de-
partment added, "a number of new
methods Will be adopted as stand
ara procedure in future engineer
operations"
The Infantry School, which is ex-
pandlng rapidly, has access to all
available reports on methods en-
ployed by the Germans in overrun-
nlng France and the Low Countries.
Where the application exists, the in
structlon includes new DEVELOPMENTS
that are adaptable to engineer tech
nique.
A year ago the Engineer School
had courses limited to about 70
officers. Since then it has expanded
so rapidly that at present about 200
Reserve officers are being graduated
each month. In this fiscal year it
is estimated 1,700 officers and 1900
carefully selected enlisted men will
receive special training at the
school. Other service schools are
expanding in like proportions.
AS the number Of courses and stu
dents have increased, the time has
been shortened and the work in
tensified. The school day now be-
gins at $50 m. and is not finished
until 8 pm. A study period follows
the supper hour. Every available
building is being utilized, including
the post theater.
In addition to its regular work.
the school has conducted four one
month refresher courses for Reserve
and National Guard officers since
July l. Infantry combat and the
use Of all infantry weapons is
stressed in the regular courses. since
engineers are becoming more and
more useful in front-line fighting.
The school is now conducting a
f1ve-weelS course for Reserve officer
instructors for the Engineer Re-
placement Center, which will open
at Fort Belvoir early in the spring
for selective service men. 1t will
conduct probably four more of these
courses before next July.
Erzen Registers