Evening star., 1947-06-15


peace with honor as well as in how
to win a war If 1t cannot be avoided
Stressed above everything else in
the whole concept and operation OF
the National War College is the
necessity for integration of our for
|eign policy with our military policy
to produce a sound national policy
Policy Coordination
The joint training of men picked
for leadership in the complex inter-
service job of preserving American
security is one of several measures
undertaken by the Government to
assure an organic connection be-
tween this country's military
strength and it's political action in
world affairs.
On the operating level, SWNCC-
the State, War, Navy Co-ordinating
Committee-handles problems on
an action basis similar to those
threshed out in theory by NWC stu
dents. Policy coordination at the
top is assured by meetings OF Sec
retary of State Marshall, Secretary
of War Patterson and Secretary OF
the Navy Forrestal every Wednesday
morning.
Such coordination all down the
line, largely neglected in United
States diplomatic and military plan
ming until World War II experiences
brought home it's vital Importance,
is the key to realistic foreign
policy. 1t increases hope that our
military establishment may play its
role as a deterrent to aggression
and a source of national and inter-
national confidence, rather than the
sorry one of the fire department
called too late, and with inadequate
equipment, to extinguish conflagra-
tions. which never should have
broken out in the first place.
First Glass Numbered 100
On February i, 1916, then Secre-
tary of State Byrnes agreed to a
Joint Chiefs of Staff proposal tc
establish the National War College
as a combined training institution
of gher-raf1king Army, Navy and
State Department personnel.
The NWC began its official exist
ence last July l, taking over the
buildings and facilities of the old
Army War College, off P street
S.W, between Third and Fourth
streets, out on Greenleaf Point
where the Anacostia River and the
Washington Channel come together
Actual class work started last
September 8. The first class was
made up of 80 Army ground force
and service officers, 80 Army Air
Force officers, 80 Navy and Marine
officers, and 10 Foreign Service Of
ficers. These students genera J
have IS to 20 years experience be-
hind them in their chosen profess
sions.
First commencement exercises
will be held next Friday. Secretary
of State Marshall, who, as war
time Army Chief Of staff. now
charged with direction of our for
eign policy, epitomizes in his person
the type of all-around leadership
which the NWC seeks to develop
will deliver the commencement ad-
dress.
Experts Compose Faculty
Plans are well advanced for carry.
ing on the work next fall. Prospec.
tive students already have received
memorandum suggesting a Ions
list of books on world political ane
economic problems and military
strategy for reading in advance. A
faculty of top-fight civilian ane
military experts has been selected.
Vice Admiral Harry w. Hill, who
had wide combat experience in the
Pacific during World War II, is
commandant of the National Wal
College. His principal deputy Is
Maj. Gen. Alfred M. Gruenther
former chief of staff of the 5th
Army. Other deputies are Brig
Gen. T. H. Landon. Army Air
Forces, and George F. Kennan, vet
eran career diplomat known as one
of the State Departments outstand-
ing experts on Russia. Mr.. Kennan
recently has been named head Of a
new policy planning staff in the
State Department. His successor
for NWC's second year has not yet
been selected.
Most details of the NWC class
work are top secret" OF course,
But a mere review of the list of
topics studied, including security
in the atomic age "objectives and
capabilities of the principal pow
ers," United States vital interests"
and rockets and guided missiles, y
gives general idea of the type OF
work being done. Russia naturally
headed the list of principal powers
whose "objectives and capabilities"
came in for special study.
War and Politics Studied
The first semester, from Septem-
ber 8 to December 20, was devoted
primarily to politico-military prob
lens. This amounted to an inten-
sive course In international rela-
tions. Impact of the atomic bomb
on both political and military prob
lens in world affairs was inyesti-
gated thoroughly. Detailed study
was directed to the relation OF
American foreign policy In all re-
gions of the world to the foreign
policies of other major powers.
In the second semester, from jan
uary 2 to June 20, the emphasis is
reversed. Military problems are
getting major attention, without
neglecting their political aspects.