Detroit evening times. (Detroit, Mich) 1921-1958, 1944-07-12
'THEWORLD
IN REVIEW
BY Maj. Gen.
D. P. Barrows


i army from White Russia
into northeastern Poland there
is no report of their using land
mines to delay CT hold up the
Russian pursuit.
One reason why the Germans
have not relied upon the land
mine in this retreat may lie in
the nature of the terrain, its
broad expanse, the breadth OF
the front, and the dry, open
fields across which armed forces
can take their way in any direc-
ton.
For naturally, the land mine
is most effective when laid
along indispensable roadways,
in defiles or passes, where the
movement of columns is con-
stricted, or in special areas,
which an attacking enemy must
cross and hold if he is TO win
the battle.
But the mine is also a deadly
defensive weapon for the de-
Tense of cities in their outer
approaches. or when planted in
streets and buildings, where so
frequently now hand TO hand
fighting RACES before the city is
taken.
Thus we might have expected
the Germans 10 use mines TO
delay the surrender of Vitebsk.
Orsha. and especially Minsk.
Probably they we're not used.
for these critics fell very
promptly.
This points 10 another pos
sIble explanation. which is that
the Germans may be running
out of war materiel. and can no
longer supply these weapons in
sufficient numbers 10 be effec-
tive.
TNHE land mine has proven a
i powerful defensive weapon
and its appearance in this war
is one of the surprises sprung
by the Germans upon the Allies.
Although marine mines have
been used in naval warfare for
a long time. 1t seems 10 have
taken the Germans technical
ingenuity 10 discern the posi-
bility OF fabricating deadly ex-
plosive weapon which would dis
charge when contacted by an
unwilling foe.
The German is a highly
skilled techniclan and | should
say that beyond any other peo-
pie his attention is continuously
directed toward warfare.
lie was a master craftsman
OF weapons and armour in the
Middle Ages. and / know no
other country where there are
so many magnificent museums
Of arms. nor where they are at
tended by such large and Curl
Gus crowds.
He is responsible for the steel
ramrod. which doubled the RAJ
pidity of fire of the Prusslan
musketeers OF Frederick the
Great. for the rifled barrel.
which German gunmakers intro
duced into the colony OF
Pennsylvania, whence the small
caliber rifle became the typical
weapon of the American from
tier and is today the light
weapon OF all armies.
The submarine was an Ameri-
can invention. but Germans in
two wars first demonstrated its
terrible effectiveness.
The German also introduced
gas warfare. and there are nu-
merous other destructive devices
by which his arms have IN the
past outStripped those of his
foes
In this war he has continue
ally boaSted of secret weapons.
has produced the robot bomber.
and is now proclaiming a magic
naVa torpedo, Vengeance
Weapon No =,
4 MEXICAN ingenuity has
"A not contributed much 10
modern weapons OF war, and
our ordnance department has
usually Jagged behind.
In the Philippine inSurrection.
where there was much Jungle
fighting, our troops needed the
grenade. They were never sup
piled.
To new arms in the first
world war we contr blu Q d
nothing. In this war our first
tank was a monstrosity.
For the first time in any war,
we are now engaging civilian
scientists. technicians and man.
ufacturers TO produce new i'm
| plementS OF warfare.
Research has been very ex-
tensive and may produce some
| enrvrtSnc kofnra thic katar