Evening star., 1951-08-15
Gruenther Says Europe BuIdup Is Vital to H. ST.

IcreaSed the fighting potential of
these units many-fold. We are
well on our way toward further
increases as we develop integrated
and unified plans and command
organizations. :.
Overall Organization.
G. In terms of overall organi-
zation of the national military
establishments of the European
countries for the administration,
basic training and support of
combat units and for mobilization
of additional units, some improve
ments have been made, many
more will be forthcoming.
H. In terms of the more basic
and more vital factors of morale.
determination and courage to face
the threat and the requirements
it imposes, the feeling is that we
have reached solid ground. The
primary and indispensable i'm
provements have been made
There Is a will to 60 forward as
fast as the difficult problems OF
money, manpower and equipment
can be met. =.
I. In terms of the way the aid
received to date has been used
it is clear that it has been used
we'll. A substantial increase in
fighting units and in their eftec-
tiveness has already been the re-
suit.
j. The foregoing could be sum-
married. from a United States
point of view in about this way
This area is vital to the United
States for many strong reasons,
We have a feasible program for
building up its security, in mill
tary, economic and morale terms
We are making progress in this
program: our investment carried
out in these countries over the
last years has reached the point
where it is paying off in organized
military units, some already at a
good level Of training and effec-
tiveneSS, others making real i'm
Iprovement.
For every dollar provided under
this program for equipment to
help in the building up of Euro
pean forces. four or more dollars
would have to be provided to build
up United States forces having
the same contribution to United
States security in Europe.
Increase in Forces.
Senator Lodge Some of our
people at home are concerned
over the apparent discrepancy be-
tween the fact that the United
States has about doubled its
ground forces in the past year
while European countries have in
creased their ground forces only
about 100000. What comment do
you have to make on this?
General Gruenther Our COM
ment is, of course, that this situa-
ton is one we have no intention
of accepting as a permanent rela-
tionship, but 1t must be recog-
nized that one of the principal
factors that have governed the
rate of expansion of the European
armed forces over the period in
question has been availability of
equipment.
Once this European rearmament
build up has been accomplished it
should be possible to begin the
phasing out of United States
ground forces. Once the initial
equipping of the European Sc
curity forces has been accom-
plished there will be a sharp ia
pering off in the flow of United
States military material to Eu-
rope. =.
Senator Lodge-What has been
the increase in the number of men
on active duty in uniform in all
services in the European countries
over the past year and how does
this compare with the expansion
accomplished by the United
States?
General Gruenther-From June,
1850, until June, 1851. there was
an overall increase of about Is
per cent in the manpower of
NATO European countries in uni
form. This represents an increase
of per cent in the last six months
of last year and an increase of 10
per cent in the first six months
of the present year.
Combat Forces" Segment.
Considering only the combat
forces" segment of the total man
power in uniform, the increase is
approximately Is per cent overall.
. Considering the number of
men in regiments, brigades and
divisions of infantry and armored
types Exclusive of supporting and
Ilogistical units) there has been
an increase of 46 per cent over
all. =.
In June. 1850, the European
NATO countries had approx
mately IL per cent of their popu-
lation in uniform while the United
States had just less than l per
cent in uniform. During the year
following the figure has risen to
approximately 2.3 per cent for the
United States, while the figure in
Europe has now reached 1.3 per
cent. 1t is understood that pres
Ient planning calls for a leveling