Evening star., 1950-07-09

faster than were the Western ma
tions led by America.
We are relying on our industrial
potential and on the conviction
that we can get ready, as we did
in previous wars, after hostilities
break out. The Russians, aware
of their industrial shortcomings
and their slow production, have
worked day and night on planes.
guided missiles and probably
atomic power from the very mo-
ment that the cease-fire was
sounded in Europe and Asia
in 1945.
u. S. Has Skeleton Force
At the present time the mill
tary picture is as follows:
Our ground combat forces at
this moment are 10 divisions
strong. strewn from Japan to Ger
many, Austria and Trieste. Our
48 air groups, the best in the
world. are distributed to the four
corners of the world, from Oki-
nawa to Alaska, from continental
to America, Britain, Ger
many and Austria.
The Navy, which at this mo-
ment could render immense serv-
ices to our defense If 1t had in
commission the major part of the
SO carriers it had at the end Of
the war, is doing yeoman's duty
with less than half a dozen such
ships. The rest are in mothballs
and 1t will take several months
before they can be placed in COM
mission again.
The Marines. who at one time
last year were threatened with ex-
tinction, today comprise only
10000 men. This force is called
officially the Fleet Marine Force.
Popularity they are known as the
fighting Marines" with a tradi-
tion as hard fighters about as old
as the country itself.
We, too, have allies and the
numerical strength Of the West
ern nations compares favorably,
on paper at least, with that of the
u. S. S. r. But unfortunately the
wartime Allies have had no time to
prepare themselves for an emer-
gency such as we are faced with
today.
France can no longer be count
ed as the chief military power Of
Western Europe. The bulk Of its
combat armies is engaged in Indo-
China and it's chances of disen-
tangling itself are extremely slim.
Ho Chi Mimi, the Communist
guerrilla leader, has been able
single-handed to check the 150,-
900 French troops for more than
four years.
Now with the Chinese Com
munist troops on the Indo-Chi-
nese borders estimated at $500
men the prospects of defeating
him have become even simmer.
The available metropolitan forces
are not more than six divisions.
The military aid program,
which is rushing equipment from
the United States to Europe, has
not been able to increase the ef-
f1ciency Of the French armies yet.
Italy, Belgium, the Netherlands,
Denmark and Luxembourg cannot
be counted on as military assets.
Norway will do well if it holds back
a Soviet onslaught from the Fin
nish-Soviet border for a few
weeks. Britain's greatly reduced
navy. and its small but first-class
air force, can be reckoned only as
a temporary help to us while we
are girding ourselves for battle.
Turks No Pushover
In the Middle East the several
hundred million dollars spent on
Turkey for an emer-
gency have paid ample dividends.
That republic today is about the
only country which has a military
and air force capable of meeting
successfully-if only for a limited
time-a Russian attack from the
Caucasus. It is even conceivable
that the Turkish armies under
certain circumstances could pen
citrate Soviet territory and threat
en- seriously Russia's main oil sup
plies at Baku, Azerbaijan.
Appeasement of certain ideo-
logical elements in this country.
suspicion and prejudice have pre-
vented us from arming the two
best possible fighting forces in
Europe and Spain.
The Russians have rejected all
such considerations and in the
ast two years have created first
class German military force esti-
mated by our intelligence at be-
tween $4,000 and 100000 men.
Many of them have served in Hit
er's armies and are veterans Of
The last war. Others are new to
warfare, but are anxious to restore
,he glory of the Fatherland.
There is much discussion about
heir loyalty to Russia. Accord
ng to the best advices from West
ern Germany they would-in all
orobability-cross the lines to join
,ur side. if the people of that por-
ion of the Reich under Western
Allied control had a similar or
yanization and appeared capable
# defending themselves against
mother Russian invasion.
Military Leaders Ignored
There have been few cases in
he history of Germany since the
wars in which Ger
mans fought Germans. Under
,resent conditions, with Germany
disarmed and protect
ID only by a f1imsy Western garri-
on of not more than six Ameri-
an, British and French divisions,
he chances are that it will be the
WaStnrY Germans uyho u,i1l oo