Evening star., 1949-04-24

&c In II tney may create q serious
cen arising a 'Maginot Line" men
ility of another world war. One
ing out that the few tanks which
had broken down represented an
infinitesimal portion of the Nazi
armored forces. They were la
beled either pro-Nazis or pessi-
mists who were simply overawed
by Germany's past military power.
A similar situation is developing
to less degree. it is true-with
respect to Soviet arms production.
While our estimates show Russian
heavy industry tagging. the So
Wet already has produced in size
able numbers the Joseph Stain"
super tank, which is unmatched
by anything the Western Allies
have and is invulnerable to our
present anti-tank artillery.
Our intelligence estimates that
Russian industry may not yet be
able to furnish the effort needed
for another war may be fallacious.
1t is practically impossible to OBJ
tain any kind of reliable informa-
ton out OF Russia. Her indus
tries are sprawled over a huge ter
ritory extending from the Vistula
to the Pacific. and are located in
impenetrable areas where the con-
troll system makes 1t impossible for
any one but natives to live and
travel.
Leaks Intentional?
Leaks do occur by way of the
satellites, apparently from men
who work in those industries. But
we have no assurance that these
leaks" are not actually plants"
by the MVD (secret police) itself.
to give us false picture of the
actual capabilities of Soviet pro-
duction. 1
Another form of "Maginot Line"
psychology Is the prejudging of
strategy by persons who speak
with authority" but who do not
have thorough knowledge Of the
delicate subjects they discuss.
After every war. when new de-
structive inventions are produced.
there is q good deal of talk about
the obsolescence Of previous meth
DDS and equipment. We might as
we'll forget, we are told. about IAN
tiQuated weapons" Thus, when
tanks made their first appearance
the value Of infantry was believed
to have completely disappeared.
When submarines began to oper-
ate effectively the armchair
strategists declared that all sur
face ships had better be junked.
The advent of aviation in World
War I was not fully evaluated.
Aviation. 1t was said at that time.
could serve only for reconnais-
sance. 1t could be only the eyes
of the ground forces, 1t was con-
tended. but had no actual fighting |
value. ~
But after World War II, when
the Air Force showed its almost
unbelievable might. the armchair
strategists went on binge. They
declared that ground and naval
forces had better be relegated to
auxiliaries. The Army. they said.
should become a mere constab-
ulary force and the Navy a trans
portation service, to carry sup
plies which cannot be transported
by air. Air power, it was said, could
offer the best means of winning q
war--and win 1t quickly.
Air Force Proud
Top-ranking Air Force officers,
who are proud OF their achieve
mentS and of their existence as an
Independent branch of the armed
forces, support these exaggerated
utterances behind the scene, be-
cause they believe in their capabil-
tiles and want all available funds
for the building of this new
weapon. /
Armchair strategists are i'm
pressed by the capabilities Of the
Air Force and was emotional over
the idea that other branches of
the service have become obsolete.
They make public statements,
sometimes interpreting facts. in
support Of their contentious.
Representative Cannon. for in
stance. in a powerful speech on
the House floor, stated that the |
Air Force alone could take over
the U. s. s. r. with the atomic
bomb. which he estimates is the
only thing that can put an end to
Soviet aggressions. He asserted
that the Army could not reach
Moscow. as If the Russians would
consider themselves defeated Il
we Gid reach their capital.
MIR. Cannon added that naval
aircraft cannot deliver the bomb"
since naval aircraft are limited
to q range of approximately 500
miles--700 ut the most" It so
happened that few days earlier
naval bombers had made some
tests In which they new 1000 mile
missions within the United States
with full bomb loads. These
flights were not stunts simply to
prove the value Of carrier based
aviation.
Pictures have been shown in
some newspapers showing how
planes destroyed our capital ships. |
The implication was that the Navy |
had better get on the seas. since it /
could no longer resist the destruc-
tive power Of new weapons. But
those newspapers overlooked the
fact that the JapaneSe planes