Evening star., 1951-05-28

committee on the sharply disputed,
proposal by Gen. Macarthur for
bombing enemy Sanctuaries inI
China and Manchuria.
The general told Senator Con-
nally that time is against the
United States in maintaining air
superiority with Russia. AS time
goes on. he said, the Importance
of the atomic bomb will decrease.
but our lead will be more diff
cult to maintain"
! Senator Connally questioned the
witness about Air Force operations
in Korea. asking his opinion on
whether they have been "satisfac-
tory or have proven inadequate or
inefficient" He referred to a re-
port that only 500 enemy casual
ties resulted from 900 Air Force
Isorties in the course of the latest
enemy offensive, suggesting that
this appeared to be not very ef-
fective work"
i Dug-in Foe Hard to Hit.
Gen. Vandenberg replied that
I'm my opinion the gaining and
maintaining of air superiority al
most Immediately on the outbreak
of hostilities in Korea was done
most efficiently
Attacks on dug-in enemy troops.
he said. is the most inefficient use
of air power.
"On the other hand" he de-
clared, Il call your attention to
the fact that one airplane got 800,
another airplane got 600, and an
other airplane got nearly 1000
verified by actual count.
In my opinion the proper way
to use airpower is initially to stop
the flow of supplies and ammuni-
ton, guns, equipment of all types
at its source.
"The next most efficient way is
to knock it out along the road be-
fore it reaches the front line.
THE least efficient way is after
it gets dug in at the front line"
Air Power Can Control World.
Nevertheless, he added, there
are in Korea Requirements con-
stantly where utilization of air
power in close support is neces-
sary"
Senator Bridges, recalling Bri-
tain's domination of the world
Through seapower, asked the wit
ness:
do you believe it would be
possible for the nation that domi-
mates the air to dominate the
world"
"Yes, sir" Gen. vandenberg an
swered.
The witness told Senator Bridges
in his opinion the popular under
standing of Balanced forces
among the three armed services
was misleading.
What we have to balance our
forces toward is the threat-not
against each other" he declared
I'VE must balance our forces
against the enemy and his forces
and his potential"
Gen. Vandenberg refused to be
pinned down by Senator Bridges
on whether he agreed with Gen
: Macarthur that air and sea
power could force the Chinese tc
negotiate.
Vandenberg Explains Stand.
Senator Bridges explained he
' meant "the full use of air and
seapoWer together with what we
are doing with land forces in Ko-
rea if we made full use of air and
, sea power"
Gen. Vandenberg replied:
Senator, don't want to try to
apparently avoid the answer to
that but would like to point out
that anything in war where we
make a categorical statement is
liable to be proven erroneous. In
answer to your questions, I would
!, say that if We were able to utilize
the full power of the United
, States Air Force with all that it
. implies that there would be a good
chance of forcing them to negoti-
Iate."
i Later in his testimony, Gen.
Vandenberg told Senator Bridges:
Il believe that there are reason
able chances of success in achiev-
; ing negotiated peace without
S endangering that one potential
that we have, which has kent the