Evening star., 1952-09-10
Berinq-PotentioI Sea Of Destiny
By comdr: Riehord c. Drum Hunt. Jr.


l. latitude passes through the sea
called Bering. In the vicinity Of the one
hundred and seventy-fifth meridian Of
west longitude may be fought one of the
greatest battles ever fought on the seas,
in the air. and under the sea. At no
time has seapower been more vital to
the security Of our continental republic,
and to the defense Of all the nations
OF this hemisphere. 1t will be. and is.
absolutely necessary that control of the
Bering Sea and Strait be denied to the
enemy. The time may not be far off
when the names Of Nome and Anadyr
will be familiar to all North and South
Americans, and that st. Lawrence Is
land will find the place in the World
War III occupied by Malta in World
War II.
Set between the worlds mightiest
oceans, the Pacific and the Atlantic.
lie the greatest Of all islands-the twin
continents of America. As yet no one
has been able to determine fully whence
came the early Americans, although
conjectureS are numerous and many
theories have arisen to account for the
Indians presence. Recently, it has been
proved that American natives can be
traced to Mongolian invasion into
North America by way Of Bering Strait.
It will be the task of the United States
Navy to prevent another such invasion
by an enemy possessing unlimited re-
sources in manpoWer. Seapower and
alrpower must counter the advantages
derived by an invader who is able and
willing to hurl land forces against us
In overwhelming numbers. The Amer
ican Navy stands between the hordes
OF Asia and the enemys foothold in
Northwestern America.
Land-based planes operating from
"unSinkable aircraft carriers will Join
numerically strong submarine forces in
their attempt to control the Bering Sea.
Flanked on the north by Wrangel Island
and on the south by the peninsula Of
Kamchatka, forces in Eastern Siberia
will be supported in their attack across
the straits The acquisition of the Kurile
Islands. with their occupation, has been
one Of the great diplomatic triumphs in
the last decade. Not only do the Kuriles
bar the way to the Sea Of Okhotsk, and
threaten the heart of Japan, but they
also offer bases whereon amphibiouS
attacks might be mounted on our Aleu-
tian Islands.
Let us consider, for a moment. the
Aleutian chain of islands that marks
the southern limits of the Bering Sea.
It stretches forth like protecting arm
through thirty degrees Of longitude. To
the southeast lies the Pacific Coast of
Canada and the United States. and to
the northeast is the peninsula and Gulf
OF Alaska. Successful defense Of the
Aleutians is vital, not only to strategic
control Of the North Pacific Ocean
areas, but even to the peace and safety
Of all Americans in Alaska, and Cana
dians in the Yukon and British Columbia.
1t seems reasonable to suppose that
amphibious operations in the Aleutians
can be foreseen which will eclipse any
heretofore conducted during World War
II. These islands must contribute to the
superiority of American sea and air
power in the Bering Sea.
Russia has never abandoned the dip
lomatic picture on the northwest coast
of North America. Annoyed by foreign
trade, the CZar issued an imperial edict
or ukase, in September, 1921, forbidding
foreign vessels to approach within one
hundred miles Of the coast Of Russian
America (Alaska) north of the 51st par
allel. This was not only an indefensible
assertion Of sovereignty over the high
seas, but 1t indicated that Russia was
prepared to push the southern boundary
Of what is now Alaska deep into the
Oregon Country. which Great Britain
and the United States then claimed
Jointly. Particularly significant was Sec
retary Adams blunt warning to the
Russian Minister in Washington:
IT told him specially that we should
contest the right Of Russia to any ter
ritorial establishment on this continent,
and that we should assume distinctly
the principle that the American conti-
ments are no longer subject for any new
European colonial establishments"
We find here. almost verbatim, the
colonization principle that appeared
in the Monroe Doctrine some four
months later.
In 1867 Russia had come to regard
Alaska as potentially valuable. However,
the Russians could not overlook the
fact that Alaska was breeding trouble
with the United States. Again, the Rus
slams fully realized that in the probable
event Of another war with Britain, their
arch enemy, nothing could prevent all
Alaska from falling an easy prey to the
ubiquitous British Navy. There are few
Americans today who. on any grounds.
will accuse Seward Of folly In having
bought this princely domain for one and
nineteen-twentieth cents an acre. Nor
has the last chapter been written. for
the Aleutian archipelago. with its stra-
logically located harbors and potential
air bases almost in Asia's back yard.
beckons, for veal or woe, to the Far East.
With the Inauguration Of the United
States defense program after the OUT
break of World War II, Alaska's poten-
tial strategic Importance was exploited.
The Alcan Highway was rushed to COM
pletion and new military and naval
bases were established. The possibility
Of an enemy drive toward the United
States through Alaska was realized when
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