Evening star., 1941-07-06
importance Of Roads
In Adequate Defense
Of j. ). Stressed
"a. 900 Miles Of Highway
Have Strategic VoIue,
Army Declares
BY HAL G.. SOURS,
President American Road Builders

This counsel is nowhere more ap.
plicable than in modern warfare
The United States, as it prepares
to defend itself against dictator
domination. can find lessons in the
campaigns of Julius Caesar. as well
as in the blitZkriegs of Adolf Hitler
Prime warning for Americans ir
the wars of ancient and modern
times is that highways must play a
stellar role in national defense.
Roads have played an important
part in the prosecution of every
war, not only today, when good
highways are essential for rapid
transportation of motorized and
mechanical equipment. but in past
ages, when modern motor facilities
were unknown.
The motor truck line established
by the French from Ber-le-duc to
Verdun in the World War shaped
an important chapter in world his
tory. The German high command
had hoped to surround and isolate
the fortress of Verdun, after which
France could easily have been sub
dued. They were able to gain con-
troll OF all communications. except
one narrow gauge railroad, which
was almost useless. and one high
way. Twelve thousand troops and
1000 tons of munitions were moved
up daily along this route, which the
French came to know as the Sacred
Way"
In 1917. the American Army
taught Europe the value of motor
ized equipment Munitions and ra-
tions for the European troops were
carried by horse drawn vehicles,
while practically all artillery was
horse-drawn. The 89th American
Division was the first major unit
to be entirely motorized. Both its
infantry brigrades we're moved in
trucks from the training area up
to the reserve lines late in the
afternoon and evening OF August 4,
1918
This operation was closely
watched by Allied staff officers. The
movement was highly successful and
forecast what has since become the
accepted method of transporting
troops within the zone of opera
tions. OF all the nations partici-
pating in the World War. Germany
remembered and profited most by
its lessons Hitler has been VIM
ming the battles largely because
he and his generals recognized the
possibilities OF mechanical equip
ment and motorized transport.
In the present war. the out
standing feature has been the rapid
mobility of large numbers of troops
and vast trains of heavy motorized
equipment. Germany. by reason of
her network of super-highways, was
capable of throwing its military to
the borders of Czecho-S -Slovakia and
Poland. then to Denmark for the
invasion of Norway. back through
Holland and Belgium, on to Paris
and the Channel ports.
The perfection of the Nazi mill
tary organization would have been
useless without the interlocking
system of German highways. which
were turned into arterials for the
armed forces and their supplies
The uper-highways permitted the
German armies to move with al
most lightning speed. Division after
division of motorized and mechan-
i2ed equipment was transported
over them at an average speed of
so miles per hour. in contrast with
a speed of less than half that fig
ure on ordinary roads.
Time Greatly Reduced.
Troops and equipment were car
ried from Poland to the Dutch and
Belgian fronts in a matter of hours,
instead of the days that would have
been required before construction of
the super-roadways. Equipment
and troops were transported from
behind the West Wall near the
Swiss border to Northern France
and to the Belgian and Dutch bat
tlefronts with almost unbelievable
speed. On the other hand. lack of
roads in Holland and Belgium seri-
ously impeded the progress of the
English and French Armies.
Any scheme of national defense
must provide. for the efficient oper-
alton of a defending army, at least
one road leading to the front over
which munitions. food, supplies and
requirements may be transported
and another over which empty
trucks may be returned to the supply
bases and casualties evacuated
There must be other roads for refu-
gees escaping from the battle zones
In addition, there must be roads
roughly parallel to the front in order
that reserves, equipment and mer
may De rapidly transported from one
section of the front to another.
In the United States, with 5000
miles from the Atlantic seaboaro
to the Pacific Coast and 1000 miles
from Canada to Mexico and the
Gulf, any preparedness program
must give first consideration to the
vital necessity of a complete net.
work of military highways. This
network must provide routes over
which the national Army and thou
sands of pieces of heavy motor
equipment may be moved at high
speed and without congestion. II
must tap the sources of raw mater
ials and agricultural products and
connect them with the centers OF
manufacture and industry. 1t must
lead from the hubs of distribution tc
the points of strategic Importance.
2s5,000 Vehicles Is Goal.
Goal of the United States Army
Is 285 900 motor vehicles, accord.
ing to Gen. Joseph E. Barzynski
chief of the motor transport section
THE Army's motor transport system
Is q very important element in ma
tional defense and may we'll be re
garded as the lifeline of the Army,
he says. All animal-drawn trans
port is being replaced, so far a.
practicable. by motorized equipment
OF the 81 divisions in the continen
tai United States, Is now rely en-
tirely on motor transport for tacti
cal operation and supply. The fiel'
trains of the cavalry divisions hav