Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1950-08-13

then it would have to rely on
MurmanSk since its ports on the
Baltic and Black Seas would, in
all probability, be bottled up
Murmansk, Russia's only warm
water base with direct access to
the Atlantic, could be ruined by
the A-bomb.
So defense of Norway is the
first essential to the defense of
Allied lifelines across the Allan
tic.
Needs Outside Help
2. The great airbase at Sta
vanger could be used by Russia for
air and rocket attacks on Britain,
if it fell into Russian hands.
Norwegian bases could also be
used to neutralize American rocket
and air bases on Iceland.
So it becomes a matter of vital
Importance. instead of desirability.
to hold the Russians at bay in this
part of the world.
1t is one thing to say that Rus
STA cannot be allowed to occupy
Norway.
| 1t is a different kettle of cod
fish to prevent it from happening
With : its minute population,
scattered all over the map, Nor
way does not have either the man
power or the economic power to
hold off mighty Russia-by itself
Even with American and British
assistance the problem is a tough
one. But Norwegian and Ameri-
can and British experts all believe
that it can be solved.
Norway's mountainous topog-
raphy makes it the most defen-
sible country in Europe, except
Switzerland.
In 1910 it took the Germans
two months to complete it's con-
quest despite the fact that they
captured all of Norway's principal
ports the first night of the at
tack.
The Russians would stand no
chance of capturing the Norwe-
gian ports, as the Germans did
They would have to fight all OF
the way, largely with infantry
and Norway has home guard of
100000 riflemen, plus six brigades
of regular troops, to slow them up
What is of the highest import
ance is that the Norwegians are
individually as tough as the Rus
slams and are ready to fight at
the drop of hat.
Sweden's Outlook
The final outcome of such an
attack would depend on two
things:
l. Whether or not the Russians
attack through Sweden. If the
Russians overcame the Swedes
they could attack Norway in many
different points at once. If SWe-
den stayed neutral, then the Nor
wegians could concentrate on de-
Tending their frontier in the north
where they have common bor-
der with Russia.
2. The speed with which Amer
lean and British assistance can
arrive and the amount and quail
lily of that assistance.
If Norway is going to be held
permanently against a Russian
attack, then there must be SUBJ
stantial assistance both in the
air and on the ground.
! 1t is terribly important to have
clear-cut plans so that the ma
chinery of reinforcement could
begin to operate instantly in case
of Russian attack.
At this moment the plans are
not complete and it is not certain
that the Norwegians would re-
ceive the help they needed in time
Sweden has given up the idea
that it will be neutral in a future
war between Russia and the
West.
While Germany had a dozen
reasons for not attacking Swe-
den in World War II, Russia
probably would have more to gair
than to lose by attacking it ir7
another war.
So, even before Korea Jared
the teeth of the Western world
most SWedes had decided that
Sweden would probably be just
one of the boys in another war.
The Swedes hope and pray that
there will not be another war
But if war comes they hope that
Russia will strike it's first main
blow in the West of Europe, in
stead of in the North of Europe
| They also hope that the drive
at Scandinavia will come when
Russia is heavily engaged else
where, and only after a general
alarm has allowed Sweden, Nor
way and Denmark to prepare
themselves for the blow.
Sweden's refusal to join the
North Atlantic treaty was die
tated by the belief that Russia
might regard Scandinavia as only
a secondary target if the Scan
dinavians did not associate them
selves directly with the more like
ly targets such as France and
Britain.
Officially, Sweden still finds
comfort in the day-dream that
the Russians are impressed by