Evening star., 1943-09-08

teamwork on the part of our naval,
air and ground forces.
There are no short cuts in the
accomplishment of the arduous
task" Gen. Marshall warned. Sue
cesses thus far in piercing the
eneIny's protective screen Of island
citadels prove the soundness OF COM
bining surface and submarine at
tacks on hostile sea routes of COM
munication, strategic employment
of our long-range bombers against
the enemy's staging and supply
lines, and co-ordinated assaults by
all elements upon successive OBJ
jectives."
Commenting ON Japanese mis-
calculations, Gen. Marshall said the
major error was a belief that the
Russian Army would collapse under
the German grand assault then
under way against Moscow >. and
also unanticipated was the prolong-
ed defense Of the Philippine Islands
which upset their timetable for
other offensive operations in the
Southwest Pacific, including Aus
tralia."
Summarizes Situation.
Gen, Marshall summarized the
military situation as of the date OF
his report in these terse terms:
July l, 1913, finds the United
States Army and Navy united in
purpose and in operation, unity
shared when the occasion demands
by the British Commonwealth OF
Nations, the Chinese, Dutch, French
and other fighting elements among
our friends and supporters. Across
the Atlantic the enemy has been
driven from North Africa, and
Europe has been encircled by a
constantly growing military power.
The Russian Army, engaging
four -fifths Of the German ground
forces and third OF the German
air fleet In deadly and exhausting
combat, has dispeiled the legend of
the inyincibility OF the German
panzer divisions.
The British Isles are stronger
than ever before and new France is
arising from the ashes of 1910.
Strategically the enemy In Europe
has been reduced to the defensive
and the blockade Is complete. In the
Pacific the Japanese are being
steadily elected or rather eliminated
from their conquered territory. The
Aleutians are about to be cleared of
all tracks and traces of the enemy.
"a fact since accomplished3
In the South and Southwest Pa
cine TWO facts are plainly evident to
the Japanese command as we'll as to
the world at large: Our progress
may be slow but it is steady and de-
termined, and 1t has been accom-
plished by a terrific destruction of
enemy planes and surface vessels.
This attrition must present an
appalling problem for the enemy
nigh command. Whatever satis-
faction they may draw from the
fanatical sacrifice of their soldiers
with whom our forces come in con-
tact, the destruction of their air
power and shipping continues on an
increasing and truly remarkable
scale"
: $1,000 Miles Of Front.
A prepared map accompanying the
report revealed that. more than d
100000 American soldiers now over
seas are deployed in more than A
countries and islands along the S.
600 miles OF global front.
Just a year ago." Gen. Marshall
SAID, the ability OF the United
States to transport Its power In sun
phes, munitions and troops across
the Atlantic was being CHALLENGED
by submarines which in A single
month had sunk TOO 900 gross tons
of shipping.
BY now, he said, bombing opera =
tons on their bases and new COM
oined methods of hunting down the
undersea craft appear to be in
process OF driving the submarine
from the sea-"
/, From the strategic phases of war
the Marshall report turns to the
CIeinenuouS problem involved during
the early and continuing stages Of
the emergency in training and re-
organizing the Army to meet new
conditions of warfare.
The orderly step-by- -step deyelop.
ment which the Army has under
gone, he stressed, could not have
been managed without the back
ground OF careful planning over a
period OF years.
In the last two years the enlisted
strength increased by 5000, 900 men
and the oficer strength expanded to
o2l GOO. An increased proportion OF
air force officers were assigned TO
the general stan, charged With the
preparation Of strategic plans and
the coordination Of operations
throughout the world.
Specialized Units.
Motorized divisions have been
eliminated to meet the changed re-
quirements or tactical units, Gen.