Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1954-06-17
Writer Finds Pattern
Of War Much Like
That Of Decade Ago

Ssur ssaff Correspondent
CsRAFENWOEFIR, Bavaria
CIV MaiD .-On these she'll
pocked, foxhole-scarred rolling
hills of the Bavarian-Czech boz
der American infantrymen are
rehearsing the defense Of Europe
what they will do should
fiame-spurting armored columns
come without warning out OF the
East.
Fifteen square miles Of fields
and pine woods constitute the
training grounds Of the occupa-
ton forces for the terrible and
terrifying kind Of war which
archaeological developments have
made likely in the future. There
is an historic maneuver ground.
It was used by Germans in the
first world war. Here was train
ed the German "blue legion"
which fought in Spain, Rommels
Afrika Korps, Hitler's elite
guard regiments, Vlasov's rag
tag army of renegade Russians
and many other celebrated
groups of enemy troops in the
last war. Now pine-bough cam
ouflaged American tanks plough
over the fields and jet strafers
swoop low over the woodlands
War correspondents Of the last
war. flown here by Pan-Amer-
lean Always for a tour OF the
old battlefields, witnessed these
maneuvers accompanied with all
the thunder, smoke and f1asnes
of flame Of an actual battle. The
tnfantrymen are trained, under
live fire, carefully directed, OF
course, which is about as near
as it is possible to come to con-
ditions of actual conflict.
Terrain Ideal for ArmOr.
It is over this or very similar
territory that any invasion from
the cast probably would come
officers Of the European com
mand explain. The terrain Il
nearly ideal for amored war
with no very large expanses o
forest, relatively unobStructet
fields and a good road network
Among the innovations is
close liaison Of infantry and thu
air. During the last war air
ground liaison was an unprac
ticed technique and quite oftel
failed diSmally of its purpose
with conflicting commands whicl
at times did not talk the sam
language. Now the air supper
is an organic part OF the in
fantry division itself. Pilots Stll
come from and are trained b
the Air Force. All supportin
personnel in the squadrons, how
ever, are infantry soldiers. No
the strafing planes come silentl
out of the clouds, whereas be
fore the noise of their engine
gave enough warning for tn
enemy to find shelter if any we
at hand. The strafers bare
skim the treetops in their 10
swoopS.
New Grenades Stop Tanks.
In the demonstration, hov
ever, the bombs dropped fall
to explode-nobody could e.
plain why-and the maneuv
was checked by the umpires
a failure. But the instant tt
failure was apparent it was pc
sible with the new type of liais'
instantly to get the heavy gu
into action.
ANY future war almost o
viously will depend heavily
armor. The tanks, however, "
not have such an easy job wi
the new "energa" grenades wi
which the infantrymen practi
here. One of them is guarantee
to stop any tank ever built
date at a distance of 100 yar'
Actually its range is considerat
greater.
Atomic artillery played no ps
In the maneuvers, due both
the danger of irradiating t
countryside and to expen
Ways, times and places for usi
it, however, are explained
briefings of the troops 1t is
considered a miracle weapon
will greatly increase f1repower
smaller numbers Of men. T.
may work both ways, it was
planned, for il it Is in enel
hands it will cause more casu
ties and require more repla'
ments.
Answers Can Be Different.
This battle" of Grafenwot
has been in progress for M
than month already, with 9
ferent infantry units taking pr
Each is furnished with a ca
paign problem for which tn
is not, as in maneuvers at hol
any canned answers" Six
feernt battalions, for examl
recently met the same tact
situation in six quite differ
ways and each was lconside
correct under the circumStan
This is training above all in
resourcefulneSs and tmaginal
Of commanders.
But with all the innovatl