davidaulloa/AmericanStories huggingface dataset:
Evening star., 1941-12-07

lst Army and the 4th Army Corps.
Mai Gen. Oscar W. Grisvold. COM
mander of the corps. had two armored
divisions. with a fully motorized di-
vision designed to work with them, as
the shock-power Of his fve-division
force. On the other side 1t. Gen. Hugh
A. Drum had the Army's newest tank
attacker units with his eight divisions
and diversified attached troops. So
The depth of anti-tank defense iii
the 1st Army was one of the factors
in chalking up great losses against the
armored divisions in the first weeks
training battle in the Carolinas. But
the tankers learn quickly and their
penalties were only about a third az
great in the second week. And in both
battles" they contended they inflicted
10 times as great damage as they saf-
fered.
Pushing forward a strong screen of
speedy anti-tank forces appears to
contribute materially to our knowledge
of how to combat the mechanized
| threat" Gen. Griswold said after his
two weeks of experience with the most
powerful armored corps the Army has
ready. 1.-TWO more armored divisions
are in training and a fifth is to be
activatedD
Tank Defense.
But to my mind 1t is dangerous pSp-
chology to discount the moral effect
and shock action of tanks before the
bullets begin to fly. I believe that good
| progress has been made in the tank
killer units. However, I, for one, am not
yet prepared to admit that We have 4
| definite answer to masSed tank attack
The tank attacker principle has
| proved its soundness." Gen. Drum said,
The composition, organization and size
| Of the various groups require further
| study
Further, he said. it was demonstrated
| that we must bring our air support,
armored and other ground forces into
| closer association il team battle
| efficiency Is to be secured
Second In emphasis in the Carolins
maneuvers was cooperation between
! the air and ground forces.
The results, said an air officer with.
Gen. McNair. were all that could be
expected considering the state of train
ing
Some field officers who called for
bomber missions said there was a lot
to be desired. Train schedule time iy
required for coordination Of the at
tack Of combat planes with tanks, and
the mechanics Of getting such exactness,
apparently. has not been perfected. --
Many observers agreed that the
greatest needs were short cuts in the
ground chain Of command, bet
ter reconnaissance planes and observers
and. perhaps most important, improve[
| mentS in communica tions. -
With radio facilities and army telrs
phone systems criticized quite generally,
perhaps one of the brightest disclosures
during the maneuvers was the fact that
Army, working with civilian scientists,
will soon have ultra short wave teleph-
onv. A secret method OF propagating
the waves, that can be aimed as ac-
curatelv as a rife, has been developeds
an authoritative source said. -
Evening star., 1941-12-07
By Rice Inhner,
Wii- Wo rid News.

not to be quoted by name, told me the
other day.
And the divisions that have lust been
through the l941 training program total
only about 100000 men.
The answer is more and better train
ing. And that's just what the soldiers
are going to get in 1912. In the first
weeks they will go back to intensive in
Struction in platoons The tempo will
be at a new pitch because the men have
been thoroughly conditioned and they've
been told every week might be their last
opportunity to prepare for, as one gen.
eral said, The final test that comes to
all tloopS-war itself"
From platoons the training will be in
squads, then companies, regiments, bri-
gades and MISUNDERSTANDING their
primary and high school education be-
cause they went on to the college of
field maneuvers too fast
Army general headquarters already is
planning to pit Army against Army in
training battles again next year.
Given complete equipment" Gen.
McNar says, the troops who have been
in The field in l94l could fight effec-
lively"
But it is to be added with emphasis
that the losses would be unduly heavy
and the results of action against an
adversary such as the Germans might
not be all that could be desired"
Until the recent first Army maneuvers
in the Carolinas most of the officers
spoke publicly of only defense" what
ever the job might be- At the time the
tactics and organization of the Army
was based mainly on holding off any
enemy. Now all the talk and action is
directed toward offense-go out and
whip any opposition decisively.
Physical Durability First.
During the year passed the command
has satisfied itself with the physical
durability of the soldiers. They are the
first in the Nations history who have
got up to training battles involving whole
armies before they were put up against
bullets.
In simulated war they have not been
as conscious as perhaps they should be
of the danger of jamming on roads or
congregating within the range of aerial
observation and that. among other
things, is a prime object of the intensified
small-unit training.
United States equipment has proved
itself in the rigorous maneuvers at home
and on the fighting fronts abroad Now
| the goal is to polish the fighting mans
abilities, aiming at perfection, and to
emphasize technique-the best way to
handle divisions and armies to insure
success with the least loss of life and
materiel.
Next year hope we'll have units that
will be as different from these we see
here as the ones here are as different
from those of last year." says Gen. Nc
Nair.
18th quick victory as the goal, once
a battle is joined. most of the emphasis
in the Carolina war games was on mech
anzed forces and how best to COM
bat them.
That was the outstanding instruc-
! ton of the two-week meeting Of the
Evening star., 1941-12-07

Much NJ the credit for conducting
negotiations which have so far delayed
a clash with Japan must be given 10
Secretary of State Hull.
The situation in the Pacific continues
u be strained and dangerous.
The proximate, tangible cause OF
Tokio's hesitation to throw down the
gauntlet to the United States was, of
course. the unexpected turn in the
Allies favor of the fighting on the Rus
sian front a week ago. But behind this
immediate reason for the softening OF
Tokio's attitude lies the determined, but
reasonable, attitude of the Secretary OF
State.
Mr.. Hull's temperate personality con-
tributed markedly to the temporary
relief of the situation
This was not the only instance since
1882 when the United States was danger
ouslv close to war with Japan. lhere
have been several other occasions, ana
each time it was the United States
which took the first step to prevent
conflict by placating the japanese.
Policy ParadOxical.
In some ways American policy toward
China has been paradoXical. We have
esnoused the cause of the Chinese but
have done little constructive TO help
them. Because of the absence OF
formal declaration of war between Japan
and China the United States harbored
an illusion of neutrality and supplied
the Japanese with most of the materials
required for fighting the Chinese. UntH
recently tankers and cargo boats laden
to the gunwales with oil, gasoline and
other war materials continued to leave
American ports for Japan.
Secretary Hull has had more to do
with directing American policy in the
Far East than has President Roosevelt.
The Chief Executive has felt impulses,
as in 1887, to put an end to japanese
provocations, but Mr.. Hull has pursued
a more restrained course, one consistent
with what he believed to be the wishes
of the American people. While heartily
Gisapproving Japans actions, he gave
her the benefit of the doubt. Mr.. Hull,
like many others. believed war would
prove disas to humanity, and he
did not want the United States to be
guilty of loosing upon the world the
holocaust which envelops it today.
Few people really know our Secretary
of State. The Nation at large has great
respect for him because he appears to
possess mild and dignified manner
Dienified he is. but those who know him
would never describe him as mild.
Mr.. Hull is no diplomat in the strict
senSe of the word. Until he became
Secretary of State he had nothing TO
do. except al distance. with 1nterna-
tional diplomacy. But during the many
years he was in Congress he mace a
careful study of world economic ques-
tions. tariffs among them, and was con-
vinced that unequal distribution OF
wealth and unbalanced tariffs were
clogging the arteries of trade
He thoroughly disapproved of the eco
nomic nationalism which grew up after
World War l and accepted the thankless
Job of Secretary of State with the aim
Of destroying that poison in the worlds
ystem. He had never Travelled exten-
Evening star., 1941-12-07
JUST HOW GOOD IS THE NEW u. S. ARMY?
1t Must Be Better, Officers Soy Wa Games

How good is the Army after a year of
camp training and field maneuvers?
It has to be better if. by any turn Of
successful force in the world tOday-the
German Army.
And if that is not the goal, what IS
it?" asks realistic 1t Gen. Lesley j. Nc
Nair, the man who knows more about
the readiness of Americas soldiers than
any other He's trained them as chief of
staff of Army General Headquarters.
The Army has come to certain definite
conclusions. One is that America, If
drawn into active land warfare. won't
repeat what it considers mistakes being
made in the Libyan campaign.
Fighting" in the Carolinas under UNI
pire rules instead of Shells the Army has
decided that masSed anti-tank guns both
mobile and units that stay with the di-
visions, seem the answer to mechanized
attack. Fighting tanks with tanks. as
the British and Germans are doing in
the Libyan desert is not part of Amer
lean tactics.
In our plan the tanks are but a part
of the most powerful battle team, with
infantry to flank and knock off the anti
tank crews and artillery to blast the
enemy so the tanks can get through. dis
organize the rear with speed and the
force to cut out the softened opposition.
Flexible Fighting Teams.
To do this. American armored divisions,
from lessons learned in maneuvers. are to
be made up of more flexible fighting
teams with more infantry in them. And
there is to be at least one more motorized
division-like the Rolling 4th-to supple
ment the armored divisions.
Some experts hold the view an armored
corps should have two armored divisions
and one motorized In an armored
mechanized) division it is possible for
the men to fight in their vehicles; soldiers
of motorized division ride close to the
scene of battle but fight dismounted
During the Tennessee maneuvers in
June tanks were being thrown against
| the strong SegmentS of the enemy line.
Now they seek the soft spots or make
their own with fighting foot soldiers and
artillery.
After the exercises six months ago the
Army set down as its greatest armament
need self-propelled artillery, guns on We
hicles that could outmaneuver the tanks
| and shoot it out with them
In Carolina the first such equipment
got it's field test. Now the Army has
judged that one such fast anti-tank
weapon for each tank in the opposition
is the least that could be desired. This
is in addition to the passive defense
masses Of guns within each division.
An analysis of the months of maneuv-
ers just closed shows that the hasty once
over training period is thing of the
past, with men in the ranks and the Of
ficerS showing their knowledge in simu-
lated war on various maneuver grounds
The Army has been shaken down. decided
that it can fight-if it has to-With what
it has and set the standard of proficiency
up to the possibility of meeting the
toughest adversary there could be-the
Nazi legions of air and mechanical might
wed lose 100000 men in hurry II
we threw our Army against the Germans
| TODAY" one Army commander who asked
Evening star., 1941-12-07

Of seasoned Indian and British troops,
veterans of other campaigns in today S
war heading northward. In Hong Kong,
British crown colony. all British garri-
sons were called back to barracks and
the military command asserted publicly
that the area was lin an advanced state
OF preparedness.
3. In the Philippines, Army and Navy
leaves were Cancelled. Potent American
naval squadrons showed up at strategic
points; Chief of Naval Operations. Ad-
miral Stark. visited the White House TO
report to Commander in Chief Roose-
velt that his Pacific Fleet was on the
right spots for the right time.
4. General mobilization Of all air, land
and naval forces of the Dutch East In
dies was ordered with an explanation
that all would be ready for their places
"in the front line"
In timely fashion there were reminders
during the week that both American and
British defense works on Well-located
North and South Pacific islands has been
under way for some time.
IsIonds has probably reached an ef-
prenore fective stage by now Circu-
lated. too. were reports Of
concentrations of most modern Amer
ican bombing planes at strategic Pacific
bases.
In this theater OF war, two naval en-
gagementS were reported last week.
First was the sinking by British cruiser
DevonShire of an unidentified German
merchant raider. The DevonShlre Suf-
| fered no damage in its victorious en-
gagement, it was announced, but because
! of the presence of a Nazi submarine in
| the vicinity found it mot practicable to
pick up survivors
Second was the double destruction OF
| the Australian cruiser Sydney and the
| German raider Steiermark, the latter
accredited with sinking 10 cargo carriers
during almost a year of raidlng. Saved
| but captured we're 800 crew members of
| the Steiermark; lost were all 645 Of
| ficers and crew of the Sydney.
Evening star., 1941-12-07
Battle of Russia

This one had two main fronts last
week, and neither displayed anything to
disprove the growing conviction that
Stains Red Army is one of the fight
INCEST" ever uncovered in this war or
any other
Bouncing back like veteran fighter
of the ropes, crafty Marshal Timoshenko
and his Southern Army tossed some
fancy Sunday punches" at German
forces which had been slightly weakened
to reinforce a new Nazi push on Moscow
and had hoped to dig itself in at cap
tured Rostov, gateway to the Caucasus.
Evening star., 1941-12-07
Far Eastern Front

It would be difficult to say today what
might have been the most important of
these developments but from the stand
point of Americas future-whether We
are to be at peace or at war in the COM
ing months, or days-nothing exceeds
the immediate implications of all Far
Eastern movements.
For few are in disagreement that
Washington today is in bad temper
with Toxic, that the Philippines we once
considered indefensible against a major
attack are now armed and bulwarked
to a point where there is confidence OF
ability to fight off any presently envi-
stoned assault, and that unqualified is
this Governments determination to keep
China alive and on its fighting feet.
In this latter circumstance rests the
necessity OF keeping open the one great
upplv line between the stolid armies OF
Chang Kai-shek and the munitions fac
tories Of America-the romanticized
Burma road.
Already, American engineers have
stucied this highway of freedom, its con-
struction, maintenance and operation.
Experts trained in the tough early years
Of motor transport in this
Burno country are now en- route to
Pood administer the job as their
compatriots figured it needs
n be done. And over the winding 700
miles of this ribbon of war material al
ready are droning vigilant American
built fighting planes, many Of their
pilots "honorably discharged" from
service in the United States Army and
Navy.
But American involvement in the
defense of the Burma road and in main
tenance of todays status quo in the
Pacific is destined to extend eventually
far beyond present services along the
overland channel.
1t is written in the cards that American
fighting ships, fighting planes. fighting
equipment of all kinds manned by
American fighting men, will move into
battle action as soon as japanese
threats materialize against Burma, Sim
gapore, the Philippines, or the rich
Dutch Indies.
To this point most imminent of these
Evening star., 1941-12-07

threats has seemed to be aimed at the
Burma line, by way of French Indo-
China, already under japanese control,
and thence through Thailand (Siam).
Already lining frightened Slams FROM
tiers to her east are column concentra-
tionS of Japanese forces; poised on her
borders to the west are British and
Dutch. To American warShip command
ers it is believed orders already have been
issued that receipt of news of japanese
movement westward is to be followed i'm
mediately by gunpoint interception of
further ocean going supply trains head
ed for Indo-China.
That these transports have been NOV
ing through the China Sea into the NOM
inal French ports Of
Thoilond Hue and Saigon already
Threatened has been established by
Allied and American in
telligence Sources-and provided subject
for a blunt demand of "why?" from
Washington to Toxic, from Roosevelt to
Toto.
To make this demand. Mr.. Roosevelt
came whizzing back from Warm Springs
last Monday for lengthy consultation
with Secretary of State Hull and Under
secretary Welles. To receive it, bulky and
amiable japanese Ambassador Nomura
and slight, suave Special Envoy Kurusu
were invited to the State Department
on Tuesday.
That they heard something more than
an unadorned question was indicated by
their story as they left: Mr.. Welles
| talked-We listened"
On Friday the long listening Japa-
nese envoys walked softly into the State
Department to inform Secretary Hull,
via Toxic. that Indo-China troop move
ments have been precautionary meas
ures,' taken because of threatening ges-
lures by Chinese No answer was
brought to earlier American pronounce
ment of unyielding policy for peace in
the Pacific.
Meanwhile. these announced steps
were being taken by the scattered but
co-ordinated forces of anti
Counter AXIS nations which have set
Moves their minds on punching hard
and fast if the japanese pull
the first trigger:
/. The British 35000-ton Prince OF
Wales, heading long line Of powerful
Evening star., 1941-12-07

British war vessels, steamed oStenta-
tiously into Singapore For the first time,
Pacific and cleared for action On the
way, this new flotilla paused briefly at
Ceylon, shaping up as an empire naval
base second in strength only to Sing
apore.
Evening star., 1941-12-07

Japan the
around island i
b
useot
retopsm nd
rachng from Ranoon philippines also
panne coud dominate
in mThacnd Map P
Evening star., 1941-12-07

But THIS tme II was not The Germans
who were determining the place and
day of action. Battering
Rout at their way back into Rostov
p....x while companion columns
struck southwark from
above, Red troops drove the invaders
out of this key city past Taganrog and
The Wrangell sentinel., 1941-12-12
.s < * ss < < S- | < + 1
 ELKS NOTES
By HOOP MELONS
% * = S % % .s s. %. .s <

The God Of War overshadowed the Prince of Peace when 1t was an nounced at the regular Wednesday night meeting that no memorial ser vice will be held Sunday the 14th at the Elks hall.
 At present Riddles Christmas Tree may or may not be held outside. But you can rest assured that the Am eriean Legion with the Elks will give the youngsters a good program.
 Brother Earl A. Ueuri was a vis- itor from the Juneau lodge.
 Ladies nite was well attended and for those that are buying Defence Stamps be sure and attend the next one as the comm. is thinking of giv- ing them away as prizes instead of something that you take home. re- wrap and give away again.
 Don't forget the Hi-Jinks New Years Dance.
The Wrangell sentinel., 1941-12-12

the new Defense Contracts Distri- button Division.
 Because of priorities in strategic materials and the concentration of contracts S5 per cent of them had been let to 56 firms in our largest industrial centers), nearly 185,oO0 small manufacturers, employing about 60 per cent tor 2,00o,000 personsl of total factory labor had only the prospect of closing shop and going bankrupt
 In two months, the fog hasn't cleared much in this confused scene, for the task of bringing order out of the mess. pulling these little busin- esses out of the threatened black out, and saving the jobs of those 100000 is probably the biggest that national defense has had to tackle.
 Some things, however, have been done and others proposed. In set ting up his organization, Odlum al- ready has established 55 field of
  hopes to have in a few months.
 These field offices are conduct ing surveys. meeting with small manufacturers and advising them on how to go about getting subcon- tracts or pooling their resources with other small factory owners in the section to bid for basic con- tracts. They are conducting "clinics" where holders Of the basic contracts meet with scores of the smaller man. ufacturers in round table discussions and work out sub-contracts.
 Odlum's office here is putting all the pressure possible on big manu- lecturers to get them to sublet all the work they can. He hasn't threat ened to expose those who refuse but he has promised several times to give public credit to those compan-
The Wrangell sentinel., 1941-12-12
FLU AGAIN ON MARCH AS WAR BREAKS OUT
 EVEN As % YEARS AGO

WASHINGTON = Flu is on the march again. So health officials mindful of the savage onslaught of the mysterious malady during the World War, are keeping a wary eye on the situation.
 The number of cases being report ed to the United States Pubic Health Service is running almost three times as high as a year ago when the winter wave developed into the most extensive epidemic since 1929.
 If the influenza curve should rise at the rate it did last winter when @ peak of 383,000 new cases for the four weeks ended Jan. 25 was reach ed, the outbreak probably would be the largest since 1920.
 Earlier this year a few doctors and bacteriologtsts warned of the possibility of an epidemic similar in scope and severity to the great pan demic of 1918-19. They said last winters epidemic which travelled eastward might get a foothold a. mong war-weakened European peo- pies and return in more yirulent form to this country.
 So far. however. there is no indi- cation of anything hitting us com parable to the explosive World War outburst of the disease when be- tween August 1918, and June. 1919, there were an estimated 25,000, ,000 to 27.000,000 cases and more than 500,000 deaths from influenza and pneumonia in this country.
 Oldtimers still shudder when they recall the speed and ferocity of the 1918 assault Thousands died with in 48 hours after being stricken There was a critical shortage of cof- fins in many cities and headlines in New York newspapers told of 'the unburied dead in Queens cemeteries" Throughout the country schools, churches and movies were closed; football games called off.
 The wearing of flu masks was compulsory in some communities and the mayor of St. Louis closed all non- essential business for a week. In Chlcago health authorities ordered the arrest of persons not using hand kerchiefs when sneezing.
 In 1918-1919 epidemic swept in to every continent, bowling over Eskimos in northern Greenland as well as natives in tropical Tahiti. Surveys indicated half the popula- ton of San Antonio, Tex, was at- tackled by the disease.
 There were two odd angles to the 1918 outbreak in this country. The epidemic peak which usually comes in midwinter or later was reached in October. It attacked larger pro- portion of young people than the middleaged or the old, the heaviest mortality rate being among per sons in the 25 to 29 age bracket.