Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1950-12-17
Continued From First Page)


Bragg, N. c., is considered the
only effective Army division re-
naming in this country.
Casualties Nearing 10000.
And even those six divisions
which are fighting the Chinese
Communist hordes in Korea,
along with the LIST Marine Divi-
sion and two Army regimental
combat teams, have never been
brought up to full strength.
The division is the unit of
computation of an army's field
strength. In World War II, there
were SO American divisions, all
developed in theaters of opera
ton.
The situation today compares
much less favorably than our sit
uation at the time of Pearl Har-
Dor, when there were in existence
50 divisions, in various degrees OF
training. And within six months
after Pearl Harbor-it is now
nearly six months since the Ko-
rean war began-the Army had
activated IL more divisions.
Announced Korean casualties
are fast approaching the 100000
mark and actual casualties are
much greater. Six months after
Pearl Harbor there were not half
as many casualties.
Only 10000 Indicted.
The Army has called upon
Selective Service for 100000 men
through February. Not more than
10000 actually have been in
Quoted.
At the END of 1941, three weeks
after Pearl Harbor, 943.390 men
had been drafted. Six months
later this figure had exceeded
2 million.
AS President Truman speaks OF
a 3.5 million men in all the serv-
ices in the future, the Army
presently has 100000 soldiers
On last June 80 there were $751;
TOO soldiers.
In passing, it is interesting to
note that some veterans of early
Korean fighting comment, with
some bitterness, that even with
more than 2 half million men the
Army was unable to put in the
field a single full strength, fully
equipped division initially. De-
Tense Secretary Marshall has
promised Congress that he will
make a Every careful study to
see if the number of men assigned
to supporting units can be
trimmed.
Result Of Postwar Reduction.
Numerous non-divisional reserve
units have been called to duty,
but of the individual reservists
who have been ordered up (often
involuntarily) many already have
been shipped out to Korea to
plug the yawning holes in the
divisions engaged in battle. Some
of these reservists have gone as
for casualties.
But far more of our trained
men, hastily stripped from exist
ing units in this country. were sent
to Korea to build up units which
themselves were far under
strength when they were thrown
into battle.
This emaciated state Of sup
posedly, combat-ready divisions Is
the result of postwar reductions
aggravated by the economy"
technique of last year. Our force
in-being was certainly built up.
as boosted by then Secretary OF
Defense Louis Johnson. but only
by tearing down our much larger
potential force. That has greatly
increased our replacement and
training problems.
1--WE have MIXED our resources
in men and skills very heavily on
account of Korea" Gen. Marshall
recently told q House Appropria-
tons Subcommittee.
Emphasis on "Orderliness."
But at the same time the gen.
eral strongly indicated that he did
not agree with Senator Lyndon
Johnson, Democrat, of Texas, and
others on Capitol Hill that the
Nation was faced with a three
alarm fire.
He and his deputy, Robert A..
Lovett, spoke of an orderly"
mobilization of manpower.
Gen. Bradley recalled that dur
ing World War I $642 million
was appropriated for the Air
Corps land everybody thought
that settled the problem.
But we only got confusion
and one plane into Europe before
the end of the war;" he contin-