Detroit evening times. (Detroit, Mich) 1921-1958, 1943-02-16
War TODAY
Russia s Armies
Start TO Unfold as
World S Strongest

BY MAJ. PAUL {. RsABORG
Written Expressly for Init Nsws Service
SOVIET RESSIA,S armies are
today emerging as the strongest
in the world
Strange as II may seem, their
ordeal Of fire. steel and blood
has made them far stronger than
they we're az its commencement.
II has trained their high COM
nland. their staff and their rank
and file.
Nazi Germany had only one
hope Of success in the invasion
OF Russia and that was during
the summer Of 1941-the year Of
their original attack
All German successes in this
war have been more because Of
lack OF proper defense than of
efficiency Of attack. In other
words. in all their victories they
have rapidly overrun their VIC
tim countries because those
countries had no defense.
IF Hitler had been able 10 do
this with Russia the story would
have been different. But he could
not, and his chance Of conquer
ing the Soviet Union is now
ended forever.
YEARS AGO Soviet Russia
CONNIE nced No prepare the
strongest army in the world. II
is probable that when the Nazls
struck at Russia. Stain had 20
100000 trained men--not under
arms, but the active forces and
the reserves. And remember. the
active divisions were scattered
between European and ,Asiatic
Russia.
The results Of the Soxiet-Fin--
nish fighting fooled the world
and almost all observers az 10
the abilities of the Russian
armies.
But il now appears that
though, at the time OF Finland.
the Russian army was the
strongest in the world. II had
certain weaknesses. Stains air
forces were not the equal nu-
merically of Hitler's. The Red
armies lacked trained high COM
mand and staff officers to con-
duct the modern war Of today.
That is, to handle huge numbers
Of men over vast areas Of terri
tory at automobile speed
In time Of peace il might take
10 years theoretically 10 train
the high command and staff for
this type or warfare. But in time
of war the same can be accom-
plished perhaps in one year. Men
become veterans Of war in a
matter of days. The high COM
mand and staff learn their intri-
cate and complicated duties
perhaps 10 times as fast during
combat as in time Of peace.
NOW IT is more than prob
able that Stains entire land
force are seasoned veterans Of
war. The Red army high COM
mand has. without doubt.
throughout the 10 odd months
of their conflict. shifted combat
divisions from European 10
Asiatic Russia for a rest. And
il is in this manner that every
soldier OF the Red armies is, to-
day a veteran, and their staff
and command are seasoned and
trained 10 their work.
The necessity Of guarding
Axis-occupied Europe. plus the
Anglo-Anerican invasions and
fighting in North Africa. has
caused Herr Hitler so 10 scatter
Marshal Goerings air command
that today, almost without doubt
the Red armies now fighting in
European Russia have suprem-
acy in the air.
The United Nation. and
particularly the United States
and Great Britain, have. az great
sacrifice 10 themselves, poured
much mobile equipment into
north and south Russia for the
use Of the Red armies
This has enabled Stain 10 Off
set some Of his losses while his
controlled retreat was necessary,
and made IL possible for him not
10 draw too seriously on his
great war arsenalS that have
been established east Of the Ural