Evening star., 1951-08-31
YugosIaVs' Austerity
For War Preparation
Cheers u. ). Planners
By John P. Leococos
North American Newspaper Alliance

even lower, if need be, its miserable
standard of living for the sake OF
war preparedness makes sweet
military music to Pentagon ears,
weary of alibis by Western Allies
The result: The Yugoslav army is
getting priority on United States
arm shipments.
American military men here are
keenly aware of Yugoslavia's i'm
menSe strategic value in covering
the only real land route from Cen
trail Europe to the Middle East,
and for thrusting eastward at
Russia'S more exposed southern
flank. What impresses perhaps
the military mind even more is
the cold and cogent Yugoslav an
alySiS of how to handle the Rus
sian menace.
"The essence of the cold war is
a constant blackmail, exercised by
Russia on the West through the
preponderance of Russian armed
forces at every point of possible
friction. If we balance their forces,
we relieve the scope of this Rus
sian blackmail.
Defense Is Answer to Soviet.
Let us not waste time worrying
over what the Russians may do
next. Let us concentrate on what
we can do to anticipate, by our
own actions, whatever they can
possibly do. This will consist of
building up our strength to elirni-
nate the fears and weakness they
exploit in us.
More important than discussing
new weapons and methods the
Russians may utilize is to make
the Russians realize that defeat
will be serious and dangerous for
them. # they decide on war, we
will be ready to fight them. De-
tense is the answer to the Rus
SLAMS, whether it's hot or cold
war"
1t has escaped general notice,
observers here point out, that
Yugoslav rearming by the United
States is the first case of direct
Defense Department negotiation
on military matters with for
eign country. It actually set the
precedent for the move that fol-
lowed in Spain when the late
Admiral Forrest Sherman went
there. The State Department was
kept informed in both cases, how
ever.
Here is the Yugoslav military
estimate:
United States weapons-Gen.
Koca Popovic, YugoSlav chief of
staff, and Pentagon staff officers
exchanged candid views in Wash
ington in June. Heavy artillery,
machine guns and signal equip
ment have begun to arrive. The
basic idea is to re-equip the Yugo-
Slav Army to fight on the North
eastern plains. and so not Sacri-
flee too much territory, as mere
mountain guerrilla tactics would
do.
Britain will supply spares in
stock, and French-captured Ger
man guns are in YugoSlav hands.
In accepting American arms aid,
the Yugoslavs are risking, with
open eyes, political disadvantages
vis-a-vis Cominform propaganda,
but getting caught short by rap
idly rising satellites rearmament
would be worse.
Strategic Materials Provided.
Arms manufacture-the United
States will provide some strategic
materials to allow the Yugoslavs
to continue making small arms
and artillery shells in their half
dozen ordnance depotS and two
major prewar arSenalS at Sarajevo
and Kragujevac. The latter was
originally laid out by the famed
Czech Skoda arms work. Both
weapons and war materials will be
gifts in substance.
Training-Picked Yugoslavs will
train in the United States, and
possibly with Allied forces in Ger
many. The matter Of a United
States military mission here is in
allegiance until the touchy Yugo-
slavs can drum up some face-sav-
ing formula. The biggest hurdles
will be in training pilots for jet
aircraft, and mastering intricate
radar and electronic equipment.
which takes two years. even in
modern armies.
Intelligence - Yugoslavs are
coming across with more informa-
tion for the Allies, but they keep
secret espionage stuff close to their
vests. In turn, the Yugoslavs de-
1uge the Allies with requests for
Western technical data.
YugoSlav strength-the army is
estimated at 100000 electives, al
most all infantry, with l million
in reserve. The air force has 3d.
900 men and 400 obsolete planes
The navy is 10000 strong, with
four destroyers (from Italian rep
arations), two building, and three
submarines, 80 patrol boats, and
about so landing craft.
The official American view is
that Yugoslavia could not stand
up under a concerted satellite at
tack, especially were it supported
by Russian logistics. There is a
strong minority contrary view.
however
Satellite forces Accurate
figures vary with the latest in
telligence reports, basically because
the satellite military situation is
in great f1ux. Bulgaria is the
strongest. The only other that
counts is Hungary. Her army, In
process of reorganization, has lost
many experienced officers through
purges. This makes Hungarian tac-
tical leadership questionable.
The combined satellites have
double the manpower of Yugosla-
via. Experts point out, however
that this surplus on the Russian
side will be subject to serious at
triton. In addition to comba'