Evening star., 1952-09-14
Moinbroce Gets Under WAY

One Of the mightieSt and most complex Of
peacetime military exercises is under way today
in the strategic North Atlantic waters.
Under the appropriate designation of Main
brace, sea, air and ground components Of ten
nations are joined in defense maneuver sally
European coast from northern Norway to the
Kiel Canal in Germany. In a limited action there
will be penetration by the forces Of three Of the
participating powers into the waters of the
Kattegat and the Baltic Sea.
The exercise is primarily NATO operation
to test the command structure, communications
and tactical procedures that are being devised
for defense Of the pact countries. New Zealand,
not member of NATO, is joining in the exercise
with cruiser. Emphasis within the operating
force Is on naval strength, from the biggest bat
teships afloat to the smallest midget submarines,
and the concentration of sea power is the largest
assembled since World War II days in the Pa
cific Rejecting the changing character of war
fare, including naval, the backbone of the
maneuvering group is in the aircraft carrier feet
with eleven ships of this category being engaged.
Only two battleships, the u. S. s. Wisconsin and
H. M. S. Vanguard, are included.
Five phases have been laid out for the exer-
else. First will involve strong striking force Of
six carriers, the two battleships and supporting
vessels heading toward the upper Norway coast
to back up Norwegian ground forces theoretically
on defense. A counter naval blow will be at
tempted by raider the Canadian cruiser Que
bec coming out of Narvik to attack the allied
fleets supply and fuel ships.
The second phase will consist of carrier
strikes from this same force at enemy troops in
the northern Norwegian sector. The third will
be convoy escort operation between Scotland
and Scandinavian ports.
The fourth and fifth phases will shift to
Denmark. Under cover of naval air strikes a
battalion of American Marines will make an am
phibious landing on the Danish coast just above
the Kiel Canal for the purpose of reinforcing
defending Danish ground troops. At the same
time, light naval forces of British Norwegian
Danish composition will thread the Skaggerak
and Kattegat to defend the Baltic approaches
to the eastern Danish coast.
The concept Of the exercise is an obvious
one, namely, to counter theoretical attack by
Russian forces on Northern Europe. It's signif1
canoe Is not lost, of course, upon Moscow and 1t
was largely to avoid provoking greater Russian
indignation that the last phase of the exercise
in Baltic waters is being confined to the three
nation fleet. The strategic Importance OF the
land-sea area of the Scandinavian sector was
demonstrated in World War II when the German
conquest of Norway exposed Britain and hanked
the low countries of Europe. Today's planning Is
calculated to prevent such a menacing develop
ment again.
Taken in conjunction with recent maneuvers
in Germany-which repeatedly showed enough
strength to preclude a surprise overwhelming
attack by Russian forces-and those now going
on in italy with American air and Italian ground
forces, these demonstrations of Western power
are heartening to the European countries in the
first line and comparably impressive to Moscow.
Their every characteristic displays clearly that
they are not rehearsals for aggression, but that
they are significant signs of the Western viii
and capacity to stand up to attack. It is hoped
that they will be instructive on both sides of the
Iron Curtain.