Madison County Democrat. (London, Ohio) 19??-1958, 1950-08-15
FUNDAMENTAL DUMBNESS

Communists clever but intelligent This unavoidable
and neseapabe lack Of is the prior essential
TO acceptance of the communist religion
Their fundamental dumbness illustrated the forcing Of
The Korean situation For five years the emn had manevercd
reduce the United Nations mpoeney The Korean adven
4ure revived the within five DAYS ecemened an alliance
of the democratic Of The world which had begun
crack into quaene seemen Within Two weeks of the open
ino of hosites important weaknesses in American military
planning exposed IT is costing much less money
and material TO learn about them in Korea than would have
been the if they had not been exposed until
engaged in major conflict
For five years and longer Americans had led TO believe
that the next could be largely by science and machines
The atomic bomb and supesonc aiPanes cost tremendously
dollars but they would avoid the cost in lives of fighting
the ground. 1t od-fashoned say that all military
effort should be directed Fundamentally toward supporting the
ground soldier The new concept was that the man on the
ground primarily needed support the apIane and
load of atomic bombs The surface fleet the floating ared
carriers deck we're obsolete It was an attractive picture But
II neglected highly important pointit takes people
fight war Unless you willing TO be the aeeesso you have
to fight not kind of but the other fellows kind of
After weeks months may the initiative but in the
early sometimes crucial stages of the conflict you fight under
conditions selected by the Representations carefully select
ed to cause you the most embarrassment.
In Korea there is no target worthy of the atomic bomb To
there would result useless OF
that would divorce from the support of the peoples of the
world This equally true vast OF possible future
conflict with the slaves of the KemIin.
The jet arpanes of which we have been so proud are of
small value in Korea There convenient air fields and
small chance to build them. Flying Weather bad ceilings
low This too true vast Of the globe where the
fasmovine jets have shown little ability to disable sowmovns
tanks pistonenened yak planes Making the
target the Jets require three four minutes to and
return for another aackampe time for ground columns and
tanks to dsperse Heavier tanks than would houah
possible being used by the communists the Russian
is proving less vulnerable to anti-tank weapons
than had expected The floating airfed provided by the
obsolete Nays carriers pressed into much need
ed service and the support Of obsolete planes
is being strdenty demanded by the troops the around
Who as IN all past carrying the brun of the battle
And here the other lesson the have fauoh+ u.s.
the soldier the ground still the decisive factor the kind
of the Of the Kemn intend make fiqh Neither
mmountan fog heat keeps him from the fiqht
Owe him his rifle mortor recoess eun sack of grenades
and canned rations and he will 90 anywhere Put him on
horse that like him. live off the country
to keep and oil fronthe will fight the you But
ne is practical down-to earth the ground soldier He
interested in anybodys theory to how ought to be
fought HE wants tanks. arpane that will help him win
the war he is fighting.
Inc Korean episode may remain a minor incident in our
military history II may prove be The beqnnina Of World
War m either the dicfafors the Kremin have out
smaed themselves They have given object lesson and an
opportunity to correct deficiencies military PLANNING be-
tore too great harm has been done.
ReProdqced from The August issue Of THE AMERICAN RIFLE
MAN official journal Of the National Rifle Association of
America "