The Omaha guide., 1948-06-12

The main purpose Of any military force, naturally, is to
fight if it has to, and to maintain itself in a state Of constant
readiness for whatever is to come. However, on occasion,
the fighting arms can be used as an instrument Of high dip
lomacy as we'll. They can implement and advance, by purely
peaceful means, the policies decided upon in Washington in
this time of delicate internatioal balance.
As everyone knows, military figures have been called upon
to fill a number of positions of vast importance, which norm
ally would be held by civilians. General Smith, who was
Eisenhowers brilliant Chief Of Staff, represents us in Mos
Cow General Marshall, the architect Of our war strategy.
holds the most vital and most difficult job in the nation next
to the Presidency. General Clay carries the burden of re-
sp~onsibiity for us in Germany. General Macarthur is prac-
tically alpowerful in Japan. Officers of the U. S. Navy
have been entrusted with the complex task of administering
the Pacific Islands and Strengthening the primitive economies
'of their peoples, which In many instances were disrupted by
the last war.
There has been much argument, pro and con, concerning
the wisdom Of giving men, whose sole prior experience has
been in the profession Of arms, such appointments as these.
The American tradition is that the military shall be apart
from and subservient to the civil authority. Regardless Of
that, almost everyone agrees that the soldiers and sailors have
done exceptional work. There are no saber rattlers among
those in the key spots. And they have all shown the qualities
of mind, character and decision that are new necessary.
SO much for individuals. How an actual military body
can be used to forward our diplimatic policy is wildly de-
Scribed by Demaree Bess in a recent Saturday Evening Post
article. Called "Our Navy in Striped Pants" it tells how our
big task force in the Mediterranean has turned it into an
American Lakeland has done it without land bases, without
:strainlng our ties with other countries. and without getting us
too deeply involved in the internal affairs Of Western Europe.
lhe attitude that governs this mission was o%bLquely
expressed to Mr.. Bess by a chief petty officer Of long ex-
perience. I'm the war, every sailor was a fighter" he said.
Now thy tell us w are diplomats, and it is our business to
friendly with foreigners"
This is pretty largely true-though our Mediterranean
task force, like all other naval units, is always in readiness
for trouble. Today, our foreign commitments are greater and
1mDre involved than ever. We are the leader OF a Western
bloc of large and small powers which is being cemented OF
=gether i'm opposition to the Soviet Unions Eastern bloc. In
Nh. 8ess' accurate phrase, "Our Navy is the visible symbol
~Of our participation"
: This is a tcklish business, but the Navy seems to be ex-
ecuting it effectively and with tact. Visits to foreign ports are
always arranged for we'll in advance. If the local authorities
lee that a visit would be impo1otoc at any time, it is cancelled
and the fleet goes somewhere else. Now and then, a govern
iment will request a visit on some particular occasion, and the
task force Obhges.
American officers are careful to avoid political discussions
when they gather ashore, with their counterparts from Italy,
France, Greece and the other countries. Shop talk-the prob
1t possible for people of all points OF view to get along fairly
aamicably.
AS MI. Bess points out, there are times when "our Medit-
erranean task force is required to show a sterner aspect" A
while ago, for instance, bomber and fighter planes from the
carrier Midway flew over and around the principal cities Of
Italy They did this for three successive days, returning to their
floating base between trips. This show Of American strength
was, of course, Of great service to an Italian government which
was trying to stop the communists.
Nh. Bess sums up our great naval policy in the Mediter-
ranean in these words: first, to show Europeans that we
do not intend to dessert them while they are Comparatively
helpless; second, to treat them in the meantime as allies, not
as DEFENDERS. That policy has worked well, and our naval COM
manders see no reason to believe that it will not work equally
well in the future. 4"
The nation recently witnessed another and somewhat diff
ferent kind Of military diplomacy when the Russians made
their effort to drive US out of Berlin without actually going to
war. A weak and vacillating American commander might have
let the Russians succeed; a firebrand might have chosen a
course leading direct to the consequences. General Clay, "a
almost everyone seems to agree, acted flawlessly. He made no
khreats-but he was completely firm. He made it clear, in pol
lte language, that we would remain in Berlin unless we were
pushed out by force. He won.
This concept Of diplomacy through the military in a new
thing in the United States-at least on so large a scale. But it
seems to be here to stay.
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