Evening star., 1940-02-20


directed toward organizing the ini-
tial protective force and assembling
the material, arms and equipment
needed for the million men in the
protective mobilization force.
To make more effective use of new
weapons and to better meet the tac-
tics and conditions of modern war
the Army has changed its organiza-
ton. Triangular, or streamlined,
divisions have taken the place of
the large and unwieldy World War
divisions of $1,000 men. A triangu-
lar division consists of three infan-
try regiments instead of four, two
field artillery regiments instead OF
three, with smaller numbers of aux
iliary troops. Streamlining reaches
down to the regiment. the company
and the squad. Infantry squads will
consist of II men instead of as
heretofore. A triangular division
has peace strength of $500 and a
war strength of about 1880 men.
Though smaller in size, new weap-
ons recently developed give it fire.
power equal, if not greater than the
old division. 1t is also more mobile
and flexible.
Army Badly Scattered.
The Regular Army in the United
States is widely scattered. When
the Army's main job was the pro-
lection of frontier settlements
against Indian raids, such disper-
sion was necessary. Today it makes
difficult the training of larger units.
Scattered in isolated battalion and
regimental posts, almost immobil-
lied by extraordinary dispersions, If
not by climatic handicaps, our mill
tary establishment has been a paper
military force, one in which the
mental horizons of officers and SOL
diers have been circumscribed by
the limitations imposed by the
handicaps of isolation and terrain" +"
Secretary of War Woodring told the
House Military Affairs Committee
on January 16.
Though Regular officers are well
schooled in the theory of military
science they have had little oppor-
tunity since the World War to put
theory to practice by handling large
bodies of troops in the field. To
train division for modern war re-
quires many months. The 1st Divi-
sion Of the A. E. F.. organized from
scattered units in the United States,
arrived in France in July, 1917, to
begin, for the first time, intensive
training as a division. Though put
. through a forced training schedule
within earshot of the guns on the
western front. it was not ready to
take its position in the line until
the following January.
For the first time since the World
War the Army this year will give its
high officers chance to lead corps
in the field Extensive maneuvers
will be held this spring in the South
and Southeast. Five infantry divi-
sions, various corps troops and other
units will take part in the maneu-
verS. After divisional exercises the
divisions will be assembled as two
corps for additional training Later
1t is planned to bring the two corps
together for an extensive maneuver
involving all units up to and in
cluding a field army.
Lag in INFLAMMATION.
In the German conquest of Poland
last year Panzer, or mechanical
divisions, 10 or more In number,
played decisive part. The Ameri-
can Army today has but one mech
anized unit, the 7th Cavalry Brigade
at Fort Knox. Plans for organiza-
ton of another brigade are under
consideration. This would give the
Army one full mechanical division.
Though mechanical units have cer-
tain elements of weakness, notably
their dependence on gasoline, they
can carry out many of the missions
traditionally assigned to cavalry,
such as reconnaissance and flank
Ing operations, pursuit and the seiz-
ure of strategic points in advance of
the main army. They have great
mobility and striking power. In the
light of the German campaign in
Poland, additional mechanized units
seem essential to give our land forces
proper balance.
In recent years the Army has
been carrying out an extensive mo-
torization program. Many field ar
tillery regiments have been motor
ized and in infantry divisions and
other units, where this can be done
to advantage, automotive traction
has been substituted for animal
transportation.
Congress last session provided for
q substantial and much needed in
crease in the Panama Canal garri-
son. Existing personnel were suf-
f1cient to man only half of the sea-
coast and anti-aircraft guns in the
Zanal Zone. The reinforced garri-
son at Panama now totals about
24000 men.
Much progress has been made
during the last year in the program
begun in 1897 for modernizing and
strengthening the seacoast defenses
in Continental United States,
Hawaii and Panama. A start has
been made toward undermining the
harbor defenses on the Atlantic
Coast. New anti-aircraft units have
been organized. In recognition of
the Importance of the Caribbean
area, in hemisphere defense and
the protection of the Panama Canal,
. new military department was es-
tablished last year, with headquar-
ters in Puerto Rico.
Reserves Force Stimulated.
Two years ago Congress re-estab-
nshed Regular Army Reserve. The
War Department hopes to build up
the enlisted reserve to a strength
OF $4,000 in the near future.
An integral part of the initial
protective force, it now has enroll
ment OF more than 10000 men, all
of whom have served several years
or more in the Regular Army.
Congress, in the last two years,
has annronriated enough money tO