Milford chronicle., 1945-05-07
Army 10 Discharge about
Two Million Men Within
Year; More To Be Drafted
Most VI rons In Europe VIII Fmoughs In u. Before
o"'G 10 Pacific; Draft To Be Stepped Uo To Permit Dis
cgo o tho Veterans Who Have Long and Auous Service

The "m' ''l - n'nn' "r4""t 1y the War pcpa,t
ment ion III" iormIl I"I"rlogmcut ,t tt,,pa VT.
mad" ut" Saturday, May 9TH. 1t follows:
- tn" 'Ad "t the in Europe appro,chca
public interest = tar Ing t" tie problems involved
in defeating Japan and tho size of the amy re-
quired o 'r"n'li>h this Job Lat Saturday member;
Of the Wa: Department GcrcJal Staff Appeared he
tore the House Military AFFAIRS Committee 10 discuss.
our plans IL "Nrruti.c ,cH@lon fully and frankly
The information presented has appeared in the
prcSS il partial aud @arhcd form. therefore as it
is of the most Intense il.tcrc. to every soldier and
to "uF citizens g"ncraliy the toown2 stat amcnt i;
released Tn" War Department desired to DELAY
making amy publ" statement in this matter until
after S"vcr%l basic factors ad been cleared with
overseas commanders and tn" plan presented to
the entire Congress by AGr.iral KinG aad General
Marshall
The iont chief. of s3t1r after consultation with
General Macarthur and Admiral Nimitz have made
a preliminary csimat" of the troop; and equipment
needed to crush Iapan in the shortest possible time
and with III" smallest cost in American lives Sim
lar calculations were made for TIE forces provided
General EiSrnhowcr
Their estimate of the rc"G4 in Europe and Africa
quito accurate. the last division to arrive in
Europe having gone into action on April
Ash Reduction to 69GN.OO0 Wen
our Army is S.%o0.0n0 strong Under h:,
ward an Army strength of 6.96Sooo year from
That will give all the strength we believe can
dCploy effectively against Japan and will also enable
us to meet our occupation responsibilities in Europe
and to maintain the necessary training and supply
force in the United States.
Although able t0 hold to the plan
made for the against Germany developments in
which cannot he mathcmatically
predicted with accuracy. our host Judgment is that
defeat Japan quickly and completely with an
army which ycaI from noV viii be 6?GS.ooo This
figure is Given to III" American people with th"
that they will he told later of any changes
that the pr"crcA> Of tho war makes possible or
necessary
The Japanese have a military force of more than
4.n00o00 @Ad many mod, that c;I4
I've utilized fnr vice forces for combat ii need
he. The numbers can dcr'oy in the Pacific with
the limitation of shipping and base facilities. would
not appear the face o it sufficient insure that
prcpondcrancr which briggs victory swiftly and with
low casualties.
But the Iaran"}" forces divided. Some are
in the home islands: in China Man
churia. Ttcy have of garrsons in many
parts of the Pacil" and tn, East Indies control
of the and The air makes it possible for us to
keep these forces apart and to choose the time and
place of attacks. We have opportunity strike
with overwhelming power as soon We get oui
bases established and our armies dcpl"yed
Says Men In Europe Must Aid
1t is aim. together with allies. give
II c men under General Macarthur and Admiral Nim
z all the help We can give them Just as rapidly q
INTO the Pacific.
We only part of the needs OF this PaciG
from still III this country. Many of tn
troops now t,niopc also 90 the Pacific f.
take their places beside tlnsF who have driven tn
Japanese back from tic Threshold of Australia t
the inner zonc Of their own dcfcnscs.
Every physically fit soldier in the United State
who has not yet served overseas will he assigned
foreign duty when he completes his training.
he is performing an essential administrative sci
vice function. as soon he be replaced hy
returning veteran. The War Department has bee
making IA systematic ana successful effort since I'll
of tie Get all qualified men ovcrsca
There have Tor several months been no combat div
sionS left this country and few smaller tactic
units of any character
Moving forces from Europe to the Pacii
involves the greatest transportation problem tn
has ever been undertaken in The distances Il
tremendous. From Europe Manila by way
Panama on0 miles. From San Francisco
Manila is GIL miles. And speed is essential for
is vitality important that do not give the rnrn
time either to rest r"organizc his dcfcnscs.
Consequently many troops will 80 straight fro
Europe to tn" against Japan. AS many as ci
be taken through the United States without rcducl
our pressure on the enemy Will be br0USn1 tnipu
this country and given furIolghs cnroutc. Sor
must he given rctYaininG after their furlouGhS t
fighting TIE .arHrcSc is different from fighting I
Germans.
Hall Through United States
Th" need is particularly great for srryic" troo
tn build the C0mmunC3 tOnS. haIbOrS. bases and 4
folds essential to sharply expanded combat opcl
tioES. Many of the service troops will have to
direct tn the Pacific to prepare the way for the f
application OF ground and air strength
More than alf of the go o the Pacific "
go ly way OF the United States. The proportion "
J." substantially lower than this among service un
attached To air and ground operations. and hsl
among combat units The great bulk of the co
bat units viii be staged through the United Stat
Still others Of tie troops Europe
have to remain there occupation duty m;
certain that the menace of NaZi aggression is p
manently eradcated and that the seeds of
war do not take before this one is ended
number assigned this duty and the length