Evening star., 1944-09-06
Anmys Partial DemobiIizution Plan
Sufficient Men Suitable for Type Of Worfoe Woeed in Pocc
Must Remain in Service as Long Needed
The tert OF the War Depart
ment rehabilitation plan after
the defeat OF Germany:

The tert OF the War Depart
ment rehabilitation plan after
the defeat OF Germany:
The Army has adopted plan fo
the readjustment of military per.
sonnel after the defeat of Germany
and prior to the defeat Of Japar
calling for partial and orderly de.
mobilization from its present peal
strength.
When the war against Germany
has ended, the military might oi
the United States will be shifted
from the European area to the Pa
cif1c area Military requirements in
the European and American areas
will be drastically curtailed, while
tremendous increases will be essen
tial in the Pacific.
Must Be Streamlined.
To defeat Japan as quickly as
possible, and permanently, the
United States will have to assem-
BILE, readjust and streamline its mill
tary forces in order to apply the
maximum power. Our military re-
quirements to achieve this end, in
volving men, weapons, equipment
and shipping, have been set forth
by the Combined Chiefs of Staff
These requirements are the deter
mining factors of the readjustment
and rehabilitation plan adopted by
the War Department.
Military necessity DEGREES that
sufficient men suited to the type of
warfare being waged in the Pacific
must remain in service as long as
they are essential. Certain units of
the Army also, of necessity, will
have to be retained in the various
theaters where action has ceased in
order to fulfill such occupation du-
ties as are necessary. Other ele-
ments, no longer needed in the the
ater in which they are assigned, will
be transferred to other areas, re-
organized and redesignated to meet
current military requirements in the
theater, or they will be inactivated.
Many to Be Transferred.
Within each element of the Army
thousands of individuals may be-
come surplus to the needs of the
theater or major command in which
they are serving. But more thou
sands will be required for further
military service.
First priority in this readjustment
program will be the transfer of ele-
mentS from theaters no longer ac-
tive to the Pacific war zone, or from
the United States to the Pacific
war zone. All available transporta-
ton will be utilized for this tre-
mendous undertaking.
The readjustment and demobiliza-
ton plan developed by the War De-
partment after months of study
takes into account all of these
variable factors. Briefly, the plan
for the return of nonessential SOL
diers to civilian life will start with
the assembly in the United States
Of men declared surplus to the
needs of each overseas theater and
to the major commands in the
United States. From among these
men, some will be designated es-
sential and substantial number
will be designated as nonessential
to the new military needs of the
Army and will be returned to civil
ian life according to certain pri-
critics.
Simplest Plan Not Fair.
AS an example, the commanding
general of the European theater of
operations will be informed by the
War Department of the types and
numbers Of his units which will be
needed in the Pacific, and the types
and numbers of his units which will
remain as occupation troops, and
the types and numbers of his units
which are surplus.
The simplest plan of demobiliza-
ton would have been to return these
surplus units to this country and
discharge their personnel intact.
Such a method, however, would
operate with unfairness to manv
individuals who have had long and
arduous service but are not assigned
to one of the units declared sur
plus. If only units in Europe were
considered, this basis of expediency
would work unfairly to units long
In the Pacific or at outpost bases
IN the American theater. 1t would
operate unfairly to men who have
seen extended combat service both
in Europe and the Pacific and have
been returned to this country for
reassignment. 1t would release men
only recently assigned as replace
mentS to units long in combat and
would discriminate against veterans
OF many campaigns in units not
selected for return.
Impartial Standards.
Consequently, it was determined
that the fairest method to effect
partial rehabilitation would be
through the selection of men as in
dlvidualS, rather than by units, with
the selection governed by thoroughly
impartial standards.
For the standards, the War De-
partment went to the soldiers them
selves. Experts were sent into the
field to obtain a cross section of the
sentiments of enlisted men. Thou
sands of soldiers, both in this coun-
try and overseas, were interviewed
to learn their views on the kind of
selective process they believe should
determine the men to be returned
first to civilian life. Opinions ex-
pressed by the soldiers themselves
became the accepted principles of
the plan.
AS finally worked out, the plan
accepted by the War Department as
best meeting the tests of justice and
lmpartiality will allow men who
have been overseas and men with
dependent children to have priority