Evening star., 1943-09-13
~ .\TlTD
GEN. MARSHALL'ShSTOM
of the
Army and the War
CHAPTER W.
Preparations for Battle in Europe-Start of
Air War Against Germany-Combat-
ting the Submarine-Knocking
Out Nazi Air Strength

Note: The Star is printing. in
daily installments. Chief OF STAFF
George c. Marshdlfs report to
the Secretary OF War on the pc
riod July 1, 1941-June 80, 1943,
Just made public. 1T is a record"
Gen. Marshall i0riteS. "ot ,Dhat
1Cds done and lUhy it lCas done
and is submitted ,Chile America is
at Udr to permit q better under-
standing OF the great offensive
operations noiO in progress"
Prior to our entry into the war
the United States, through lease
lend operations, had supported
British war economy and had in
cluded measures to insure safe de-
livery of these supplies and ma
terials. When we were precipitated
into active participation in the
struggle, the necessity for the pro-
lection and control of the trans
Atlantic sea routes became both
urgent and vital. Initial prepara-
tory measures on our part there
fore included the Strengthening of
both sea and air communication
routes and this in turn involved
the further development of bases
in Newfoundland, Greenland, Ice
land and the United Kingdom
When we entered the war. Ger
many, although committed on the
eastern front. had sufficient di-
visions in Northwestern Europe to
threaten crosS-Channel invasion
or possible thrust to seize Iceland
on the flank of the sea lanes from
the United States to the United
Kingdom and Russia. American
forces. In sufficient strength to dis
courage such venture, previously
had been dispatched to augment
the British garrison in Iceland. The
latter was relieved in its entirety
by the summer of 1942.
Our Troops to United Kingdom.
Despite the fact that the initi-
ative at this time lay wholly in the
hands Of the Axis, our preliminary
movements were based on future ag-
gressive action. The time factor
now became increasingly important,
time in which to train the new
armies, to procure the shipping and
munitions. and to organize the long
lines of communications, while hold
ing the enemy at bay. Detailed
planning for specific future offensive
operations was already under way
In line with the basic strategy which
had been previously determined.
Upon our entry into the war it
became urgently desirable to move
United States troops into the United
Kingdom as early as possible to
bolster the defenSes there which had
been seriously weakened by the dis
patch of troops to the Middle and
Far East, and for the psychological
effect on the British people At
that moment, however, the threat
TO Australia was so serious that
most of the shipping Immediately
available in the Atlantic in Janu-
ary had to be hurriedly employed for
the movement of Is 900 troops to the
Southwest Pacific, largely to garri-
son New Caledonia 1t therefore
was not possible to send more than
single division to Ireland until the
following summer.
Steps were Immediately taken to
build up in the United Kingdom
strong American air force, notably
precision bombers. These units would
afford additional protection to the
British Isles against any invasion
attempt.
Germans Put on Guard.
The movement of United States
troops to the United Kingdom uti-
lized our shortest line of communi-
cations overseas and effected a con-
centration of British. Canadian and
American forces which, with the
support of the powerful metropoli-
tan Royal Air Force. forced the
enemy to employ additional troops
in Northwestern France, thereby
reducing the strength he could en-
ploy elsewhere.
In the latter part of January, 1912,
the first convoy of our troops ar
rived in Northern Ireland The COM
plicated transportation, construction
and administrative problems were
solved with the close cooperation of
all the British agencies concerned.
Eisenhower Placed in Command.
BY June the gathering strength of
United States forces in the United
Kingdom made it necessary to estab-
lish a headquarters and organization
for European Theater of Opera
ton, and Maj. Gen now GEM
Dwight D. Eisenhower was placed
in command.
The United States Army Air
Forces assault on the continent of
Europe was launched on July 4, 1912,
when six American aircraft and
crews participated in a Royal Air
Force attack on targets in Holland
The combined American British
bomber offensive against the con-
tinent of Europe today gives promise
of being decisive factor in the ulti-
mate destruction of the German
citadel 1t has for its objectives the
reduction of German air combat
strength to a virtual impotence: the
disruption of vital elements of the
enemy's lines of communications;
the progressive destruction and dis
location of the German military. in
dustrial and economic system: and
by the resultant psychological i'm
pact on the German people, the
undermining of their morale and
their willingness to continue to sup
port the war effort. Thus the objec-
tive of the combined bomber offen-
sive is the elimination of both the
German ability and will to continue
to wage war.
Aerial Assault on Europe.
The British heavy bomber COM
mand was developed for the pur-
pose of carrying out night missions,
while the American Flying For
tresses and Liberators were de-
Teloped for daylight operations. In
the British planes. speed and arma-
ment were limited in favor of long
range and heavy bomb loads. This
type plane is especially effective for
night operations over industrial