Evening star., 1951-06-22
Gen. Barr Opposes
Bombing Of Enemy
Bases in Manchuria
CONTINUED from First Page,

the south" Use of the Chinese
Nationalist forces, the message
added. would relieve pressure on
sour forces In Korea"
Gen. Barr, who was rotated
back to the United States in Feb
ruary, Is now commander of the
Arrnored Force Headquarters In
kentucky. In other testimony. he
told the investigating committee: !:
/. The United States could get
along very well" without Formosa
but that In the hands Of an enemy
the island would give opposing
forces an advantage.
2. He strongly favors both mil
itary and economic assistance" toI
the Chinese Nationalist forces on
Formosa.
Praises 9Th Army Spirit.
3. Secretary of State Achesonl
correctly quoted him in saying the
Chinese Nationalists never lost a
battle to the Chinese Communists
because of a lack of bullets. He
said the battles were lost "princi-
pally because Of the lack of
offensive spirit"
4. The country has never had
"a finer or more efficient" fighting
force than thu 9th Army in Korea.
Gen. Barr said his orders pro-
hibited him from getting near the
actual fighting lines to observe
combat ability Of the Nationalist
troops during his mission to China
from january. 1948. to January, !,
1949. 4
The witness said it was evident
to him that "the disaster at Muk-
den" was 'the beginning of the
end" for the Nationalists and that
from then on "the will to fight
had entirely gone out Of the Chi
nese army"
Urged Chang to Withdraw.
Earlier, IN March of 1948, Gen.
Barr said he saw the hopeless
ness" Of fighting on in Manchuria
and tried to convince Generals
simo Chang Kai-shek to with;
draw from Manchuria entirely
and defend North China.
He said he wouldn't consider
1t under any condition, citing nu-
merous reasons" Gen Barr de-
clared. Il could not get him to
withdraw his troops from Mukden
until the battle had been COM
pletely lost"
Senator Knowland asked about
the testimony of, Vice Admiral
Oscar Badger that military equip
ment sent into North China in
1948 for the Nationalists arrived
without spare parts and in some
cases without magazines for rifles.
Gen. Barr replied the Shipment
resulted from his urging the Joint
Chiefs Of Staff to furnish some
thing ito lift the morale of the
Chinese people and the Chinese
Army"
s But he said he had investigated
q report that the equipment ar
rived in poor condition and found
the report was greatly exagger-
ated.'
Only Token Arms Shipment.
The equipment, he said, had
been sent from Japan. And as the
result Of a cable to Gen. Mac
Arthur, he added. within three
or four days I had every spare
part of these rifles and every
con e,onent part that could pos
sibly be supplied from Japan"
He said this equipment was "a
token shipment" and explained it
was the initial aid being supplied
the Nationalists. 1t had been
Grated just after World War II
and time did not permit Gen. Mac
Arthur to have it unpacked and
checked, he said.
"The request for that equipment
had gone in five months earlier,
had it not?'" Senator Knowland
asked.
THE request for that equipment,
along with much other equip
ment," Gen. Barr replied.
Senator Knowland said the
shipment represented only 10 per
cent Of the amount requested and
added that it seemed "a pretty
long time" before it was delivered.
In answer to requests by COM
mittee members. Gen. Barr began
his testimony with description
of the American forces fighting
in Korea. After telling the COM
mittee that the troops suddenly
began to believe in themselves, he
added:
They believed in themselves
10 where, when they were in small
bodies, surrounded, they survived
in that they would properly Or
ganize themselves and their po-
sition and use all Of their fire.
power.
Calls Army Very Highest.
"My opinion of the Army ir
Korea is the very highest. J
don't think our country has ever
had finer or more efficient army
than the 9th Army is. in Korea
today"
Gen. Barr's division. minus 9
combat team, was based at tht
Yalu River at Hyesanjin at thu
end of November when thu
Chinese forces began to poul
across the Manehurian border
The 7th Division was attached Il
the 10th Corps, which was operat'
ing independently from the 8tt
Army.
Chairman Russell referred tt
charges raised In earlier testi
mony that there was insufficieu
liaison between the 10th corp
In the east and the main 6tl
Army force in the west, and asket
Gen. Barr If he had any knoWl
edge of whether failure Of liaisol
contributed to losses suffered.
"No, I haven't, Senator" thu
oenera1 renlied sfT waS awav from