The Wilmington morning star., 1942-04-24
Well Trained Troops
Essential To Victory
sv TOM WOLF

By TOM WOLF
NEA Service Staff Correspondent
WASHINGTON, April 23-De-
tense will not win the war. Neither
will attack until the offensive
troops are sufficiently trained and
equipped to give them a fighting
chance.
That seems to be the general
reaction of informed Washington
observers to 1t. Col. w. F, Ker-
mans provocative bestseller: DE
tense Will Not Win the War"
There seems to be little quarrel
here in the capital with Col. Ker-
mans thesis: 1--WE must learn and
commit to memory the truth that
no single weapon or group of weap-
ons, no single fool-proof principle
of tactics or strategy, no fleet is
enough to defeat Hitler as long
as we continue to think defensive
ly."
There is a sharp divergence of
opinion, however, as to the degree
OF service Col Herman has per-
formed by publishing his book at
this time. Some informed persons
think that vital service has been
done in focusing American public
opinion on the necessity of often.
sive thinking and action.
AMERICA is
ATTACK-HUNGRY
Others feel that the very sue
cess Of Col. Kernan's book is an
indication that the American pub
lie is already attack-hungry. These
men feel that there is a real dan
ger that the book may make
Americans over-impatient for Of
fensive action-resulting in dis
astrous demand that the American
war machine go off half-cocked.
There are many minor criti-
cisms of Col. Kernan's book to be
heard in informed circles. Many
here disagree with the authors
contention that the U. S. General
Staff, along with the staffs on
France and Britain, has been
thinking defensively, rather than
extensively. They hold that, so far
as America is concerned, at least,
the defense myth-the peace for
our time" appeasement thinking
has been of civilian, not mill
tary. origin. They hold that the
U. S. General Staff has long been
thinking extensively.
Most observers here agree with
Col Herman when he says that to
win this war America must under
take an offensive aimed at the
heart of the enemy. Many do not,
however. share his conviction that
Japan is merely Hitler's pawn and
will necessarily fall when Ger
many does. They would not go
along with the author, therefore.
in making Berlin the only impor-
tant objective of American often
sive action.
Col. Kernan's specific suggestion
is that an immediate offensive be
launched against Italy-the weak
est Axis member and an ideal
base for attack on Germany. 1t
would take he writes, 1000, 600
men to start with and another
200, 900 to follow every month until
victory is achieved. 1t would take
three-fourths of the American
fleet, at least half the British fleet,
every bombing plane and every
transport of both nations.
MERE HANDFUL KNOW
REAL STRATEGY
There are two criticisms Of this
plan to be heard here. Most fire.
quent is that, even assuming that
Britain and America have the nee
essary number of trained men and
materiel, they do not have the
shipping facilities to undertake
such vast action yet.
But there is another, and more
basic, criticism of Col. Kernan's
scheme. It is pointed out that there
are vast number of factors that
must be taken into consideration
before any successful attack.
Only handful of top-ranking
officers is in any position to know
and evaluate these factors. They,
and they alone, therefore, have