The Wilmington morning star., 1943-09-08
Army Head Says Allies
Building Up Mounting
Drives On Fronts
NO P tEpiCTIONS MADE
Soldier Makes No Com
ment On Length OF War
But Assures Victory

WAoHlNGlON, Sept. L.
P - Gen. George C. Mar
shall, chief of staff of the
Army, reported today that
the war has entered it's final
phase, with the Allies mount
ing a series of offensives
which will end only with the
absolute defeat of the Axis.
Avoiding any prediction of
how long the war will last,
but with complete assurance
of the final victory to come,'
he submitted to Secretary of
War Stimson his biennial re-
port, sketching dramatically
the nations transition from
perilous unpreparedness in
the summer of 1911 to unpre-
cedented military power GER
tain of triumph.
In the midst of victories on
every front and sweeping
plans for great new often
sives, the chief of the might
lest army this country has ev-
er known - an army created
and equipped and trained I'M
der his leadership - disc'os-
es that two years ago he
watched the ominous agrees
sions of the japanese, never
in doubt of their purpose,
but helpless to reinforce the
Philippines because the SOL
diers and the machines did
not exist.
Marshall says that two years
ago he feared disintegration Of his
army of 100000 men, had to
plead for extension of the Selec-
tive Service period beyond sim
gle year. Today, commander of
an army of nearly 100000 which
has proved itself in battle, he can
report that the enemy has lost
the initiative in every theater, is
being inexorably crushed by the
tightening rings of Allied air, land
and sea strength.
"Strategically the enemy in Eu-
rope has been reduced to the de-
fensive and the blockade is COM
plete," Marshall writes.
'In the Pacific the Japanese
are being steadily elected or rath-
err eliminated from their conquer
ed territory.
I'm brief, the strength OF the
enemy is steadily declining while
the combined power of the United
Nations is rapidly increasing, more
rapidly with each succeeding
month. There can be but one re-
suit, and every resource we pos
sess is being employed to hasten
the hour of victory without undue
sacrifice of the lives of our men,"
The war has entered its final
phase, says Marshall - phase
which involves the launching of
Allied military power against our
enemies in a series of constantly
increasing offensive blows until
they are beaten into complete SUBJ
mission.
He leaves no doubt that the
plans are drawn and eventual Sue
cess certain for this series of Of
fensive blows. Without so much
as hint at the nature of these
plans, he writes that decisions
reached as long ago as the Casa
blanca conference still cannot be
disclosed-presumably because the
operations have not yet occurred.
Concerning Russian demands for
a second land fropt in western
Europe, Marshall has nothing to
say specifically, but he asserts
that the combined British Ameri-
can bomber offensive against the
continent gives promise of being
a decisive factor in the ultimate
destruction of the German cita-
del"
By July l this year, he writes,
the Eighth Air Force had more
than 1000 heavy bombers based
in Britain. Missions were averag.
ing better than 300 bombers each,
and the greatest tribute to the
heavy bomber was '"the enemy's
recognition of its importance. The
attacks, says Marshall, force
Germany to increase fighter pro.
duction at the expense of bomb.
Continued on Page Seven; Col. p,