Evening star., 1943-09-08


daily irsstallments, Chief OF Stdf
Gen. George C. MarshdlPs repo7t
to the Secretary of War on the
period July I, 1941-June 80, f943,
Just made public. 1T is q record"
Gen. Marshall prites, "ot tDtat
iDas done and Dhy it iDns done
and is submitted While America
is at Dnr, to permit better un-
derstandtng of the great ofensiDe
operations ro,1 in progress.")
On July /, 1941, the internationa
situation was extremely critical. TIL,
full power of the German Army
overwhelmingly successful in all it
previous conquests, had just beer
loosed against Russia, and the mo
mentum of its first drive had over.
run vast areas of Russian territory
Sizable concentrations of German
troops remained deployed along tht
English Channel, a constant menace
to the security of Great Britain: ano
German activities in both the NORTH
and South Atlantic threatened the
security of the Western Hemisphere
(In August, 1910, following the
fall of France and the critica!
situation resulting with regard
to the security of the British
Isles, the United States and
Canada had formed Permanent
Joint Board on Defense. This
board consists of six members
from each country. Mayor F. H.
La Guardia of New York City is
presently the chairman of the
American section of the board.
Vice Admiral A. W. johnson is
the senior United States Navy
member and Maj. Gen. Guy v.
Henry the senior Army member0
Strong Italian forces meanwhile
were massing in Africa. In the
Pacific the menacing preparations of
Japan were regarded as possible
preface to attacks upon British and
Dutch possessions in the Far East
and upon the Philippines, Malaysia,
Hawaii and the Panama Canal
Aggression in Indo-C China gave un-
rnistakable evidence of Japar's plan
to enlarge her empire at the ex-
pense of weaker countries.
Extension of Service.
In this grave situation in the
summer of 1941 the War Depart
fnent was faced with the disintegra-
tion of the Army, which had reached
q strength Of more than 1,500, 900
men, unless legislative action inter-
vened to save the situation. Under
the terms of the Selectiye Training
and Service Act, selectees could only
be retained in the service for a
period Of one year unless national
emergency existed. Also, National
Guard units and Reserve officers
must be returned to an inactive
status after one year of service. The
critical international situation de-
inanded the retention of these men
and organizations If the security of
the Western Hemisphere was to be
assured, and such recommends =
tion was made to the Congress by
the President early in July. The
Selective Service Extension Act of
1871 was, approved the latter part
OF August, four months before the
attack on Pearl Harbor.
Developments Or the Army.
AT this time the Army of the
United States consisted of a par
tally equipped force of 28 infantry
divisions. a newly created armored
force of divisions, 2 cavalry divi-
sions, the harbor defenses of the
United States and an air force of
200 incomplete squadrons. There
was in existence a number of es-
tablishments such as induction sta
tions, replacement training centers
and officer candidate and specialists
which provided the neces-
sary basis and experience for a
rapid expansion of the Army in the
event of war.
During the summer of 1941, large
battle rehearsals continued which
maneuvers in August, Sep
tember and November of some 900,-
600 troops. The organization and
training of the necessary nom
divisional units 0heavy artillery,
etc. to support our diyi-
sions were expedited, while special
attention was directed to the de-
velopment and training of the
armored force and antiaircraft or
CARNATIONS which were faced with
the prospect Of enormous expan-
sions.
Selected units were given special
3zed training in mountain and
jungle warfare and amphibious OPP
erations and Tank Destroyer Gen.
ter was created Supply and ad-
units and installations
were activated and trained to meet
the greatly increased logistical de-
mands of combat forces. but we
were never able to provide them
In sufficient numbers to meet serv-
Ice requirements for the active en-
pioyment of the tactical units.
During this period, port installa-
tions were expanded to support pos
sible overseas operations.
Overseas Garrison Reinforcement.
Lack of modern materiel, espe-
cially in airplanes and antiaircraft
guns. as well as lack of trained
units, embarrassed the War Depart
ment during this period both in the
training of troops dncluding air
units) and in the preparation of our
overseas establishments to meet
possible attacks in both oceans.
Since 1885 the Hawaiian Islands,
having been given first priority, had
been provided with more complete
troop garrisons and munitions than
any other overseas garrison. 1t now
became imperative that the defenses
Of the Panama Canal and Alaska be
given immediate priority. Also, the
uncertainty of the European situa-
ton involving the peril of the Brit
ish Isles and the British Fleet made
IL urgently necessary for us to Sc
cure the defenses of the Western
Hemisphere by establishing air bases
and defensive garrisons throughout
the Caribbean and in Newfoundland
Immediately after Dunkirk in
1910, the British Isles were in ef-
feet defenseless so far as organ
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