Evening star., 1951-07-15

and Tokyo was on an equal foot
ling. They were joined together
more by common interests than
by ideology.
The same thing does not apply
to the Red world. Moscow is the
capital Of expansionist and i'm
Iperialist Communism. The Satel-
Ilites in Europe are not associates
but oppressed subjects. The gov
IernmentS of the so-called repub-
lies behind the Iron Curtain have
been imposed on peoples who do
not want them. They exist, thanks
only to a ruthless secret police
far more effective and merciless
than in the Axis countries-which
must keep down the people by
Ipurges, faxed trials and conflne-
ment in concentration camps.
Until the outbreak of the war
in September, 1899, and even dur
ing the war, no Iron Curtain had
been lowered between the total
itarian and non totalitarian
worlds. Their governments did not
feel themselves threatened by the
influx Of outside ideas. The Iron
Curtain was lowered in Russia
while it was still the ally of the
free countries of the West and is
more impenetrable now than ever.
The reason is that the Kremlin
dictators fear the impact of any
Western ideas, not only in the
USSR itself but particularly in
the satellite countries.
Satellites Indispensable
These facts are embodied in a.
military report designed to prove
the contention that the Moscow
rulers will not be able to count on
the military forces of their Euro
pean satellites, and that it is more
likely than not that at the first
opportunity, the divisions created
in Poland, Czechoslovakia, Ro-
mania and Bulgaria will refuse to
fight, but instead will surrender.
1t is true that Russia is far more
self-contained, insofar as raw ma
terials are concerned, than the
Axis was soon after World War II
broke out. But it is equally true
that the Soviets have incompar-
ably less know-how about indus
trial production than either the
Germans. the Italians or the
japanese.
The forces Of the West are
numerically weaker today than
those of the Red empire, but are
not much worse off than they were
when the Axis started the last war.
The French did have about 100
divisions, compared with about
one-tenth that number today. But
they were completely without
fighting spirit, and also lamenta1ly
unprepared technically to meet
their German enemies.
Against some 10000 German
warplanes of all types, the French
could send hardly 1000. Their
tanks were few and antiquated.
And the morale OF the armies was
poor. because they did not trust
the capabilities of Great Britain.
which was as unprepared for war
as the French were.
The United States was far away.
and nobody in France dared hope
that the day would come when
we would once more come. to their
rescue to save them from destruc-
ton. Moreover, America was
totally unprepared militarily and
psychologically to fight a European
war. In September, 1899, we had
less than 100000 troops. We in
creased that force by 400, 600
IN the next year. But we had no
war materials for the new levies.
They had to be trained with stove
pipes for machine guns and with
trucks carrying the label tank"
Psychologically. the rank and
file OF American people were still
lnsular and considered the war in
Europe the affair of that conJi.
nent, with which we had nothing
10 do.
In sp,Le OF the administrations
open hostility toward the Euro
oean branch of the Axis, it took
Pearl Harbor to get the American
people into an actual shooting
var.
Air Force Cover
Our present Allies, who have
'ecome accustomed to polit cal
compromises, cannot unders; and
mat wars against ruthless dicta-
'ors can be more easily prevented
'y show Of force than by politi-
,al appeasement.
While we have only 20 combat
DIVISIONS for use if the Kremlin
1ecides to strike in the near tu-
'ure, We do have an Air Force cap
able OF carrying the atomic bomo
20 Soviet targets.
The 20 tough, combat-ready
Turkish divisions could immobilize
1t least three times that much
Red strength. No such threat to
iermany'S vital f1anks existed N
he early stages of the last war
The lines of communication be.
Ween the United States and her
Allies in the East and West are
:ully guaranteed today by the
United States Navy.
The American Air Forces are
considered relatively weak by our
op air generals, who feel the re-
possibility of covering the skies
III over the world. But until
thousands of planes start rolling
rom our assembly plants, they can
i've more than a good account Of
themselves by striking immediate
ital targets.