Evening star., 1950-08-07
Korea Exposes One
OF Worst BIunders
In American History
Those Responsible
For MiIitury Weakness
Should Be Relieved
By David Lawrence


nificance of the Korean war. a
profound effect on the 1ong-range
military policy of the United
States has been produced.
Never again can America de-
pend on that narrow concept OF
a cne-weapon strategy. the failure
of which has brought the nation
to it's senses suddenly to learn
that American interests can be
as gravely injured by a series OF
local attacks in different parts of
the globe as by blitz at given
point by the laEge-scale forces OF
an enemy.
For one of the worst blunderS
in all American history has been
committed. 1t is a blunder mex
cusable because it defled the plain
lessons of history taught in every
naval or military war college in
every nation of the world for CEN
turies past.
The truth is that a nation with
global responsibilities, disregard
ing the simple fact that three
quarters of the earth'S surface is
covered with water, ignored the
age-old doctrine which called for
the stationing Of naval and mill
tary forces at strategic locations
outside continental United States.
Americas offensive strength has
always been her best defense.
Today Soviet Russia has ac-
quired q vast coastline on the
mainland of China and is reach
ing down with her land armies to
Korea and is plainly threatening
Japan, Okinawa and the Philip
pines. Against this the United
States has an insignificant fleet in
the Pacific Ocean. Its airpower
from floating bases is relatively
small. It's f1repower from battle
ships and heavy cruisers for shore
bombardment is virtually nom
existent. It's hunter killer" de-
fense by planes from small car
rierS against submarines is trag-
ically absent from important sea
areas in our line of communica-
tons, though the planes and the
ships have been available for five
years.
History shows that seapower is
basic to the transportation OF men
and supplies and for the effective
use of land power and air power
at the point of trouble.
Navy Loses Its Status.
Whoever, therefore, scuttled the
American Navy is responsible fol
today's debacle, having deprived
the Navy of its status as a "neet
In being" recognized for centurie:
as a fundamental principle OF ma
tional strategy. Those responsible
for this mistake in judgmen'
should be relieved of offlce-c1vll'
ian or military.
Whoever took away from the
United States Army its own air.
plane units capable of operating
always with ground troopS-con1-
peIling the Army to rely instead
on the intermittent help of bomb
ers or inadequate tactical units
furnished by a U. S. Air Force
primarily and rightly concerned
with long-range strategic bomb
ing-should be relieved Of Office,
whether civilian or military. For
to send a ground army into action
without it's own air artillery is
like sending infantry into action
without ground artillery.
Whoever fostered the idea that
land armies of the United States
could fight nowadays without
armored divisions of tanks IN SUI
ficient numbers should be relieved
of ofice-civilian or military.
Whoever sold Congress the idea
that America would not need over
seas bases-floating or fixed-Wltn
ADEQUATE forces maintained con-
stantly in areas of potential trou-
bile distant from our shores shoulc
be exposed to view now.
Politeness, personal friendship
or sensitivity, partisanship ART
criminal excuses if they stand II
the way of punishment OF tnt
blunderers. No other course VII
satisfy the mothers of the mer
who are dying in Korea nor tht
mothers of the many more young
men about to die as a consequence
of these mistakes.
Whitewash Indicated.
The Congress shows signs OF
preparing a whitewash. A sub
committee Of the Senate Armed
Services Committee has been has
tily appointed with hand-picked
partisans, and already it has been
announced in effect that past
mistakes will be ignored. What a
travesty on Congressional govern
ment! Will the American people
have to punish the Democratic
Party at the polls next autumn
deprive it of its majority status
and accept Republican Leadership
which has also been Indifferent
If only now to register protest
and get the President to clear
house? He might do 1t by trans
fers and camuflaged changes II
function, but the end result should
be to get some new military ano
civilian planners Of strategy al
the top.
America today needs to flx or
a new long-range policy commen-
surate with her responsibilities IN
the United Nations. America
needs at least 3 million troops
with plenty of tactical aviation
of their own, naval fleet close
to what it had in 1945, an All
Force of 10 groups for strategic
bombing, and a mobile force OF
U. S. Marines of at least 250,00C
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