Evening star., 1954-08-15
Limited Atom War
its the Logical Answer to Red NibbIing,
Two American Army colonels Contend
BY EorI II. Yoss

The logical answer to creeping
Communist conquest Of the Korea
and Indo- China type Is limited
atom warfare or. more specifically,
United States retaliation with
tactical atomic weapons. II prop
erly advertised. such action would
not touch off the dreaded war of
humiliation.
These are the opinions Of pair
of United States Army experts
whose book on A-war is widely re-
spected among American military
authorities. Their theories are to be
published early next month in q
revised second edition Of their book,
atomic Weapons in Land Combat" !"
Col. George c. Reinhardt and 1t.
Col. William r. Kintner are the
authors.
Tactical atomic weapons to which
they refer are atomic artillery, the
small atomic bombs which can be
carried by flghter-type aircraft,
atomic warheads in guided missiles
delivered by all three Of the serv-
ices. and similar undisclosed devices
for directing small atomic explo-
sions at limited targets.
Apparently the two colonels are
confident that the administration
shares their basic views. They lead
their discussion with quotation
from President Eisenhower's Decem-
Der 1858 speech before the United
Nations where he said:
Atomic weapons have virtually
achieved conventional status within
our armed services"
In the opinion of the authors.
that comment also should end
speculation whether future war
will involve atomic weapons"
Atomic Lead Assumed
The Reinhardt-Kintner concept
assumes that the United States is
now superior to the Soviet Union
in tactical atomic weapons and
can maintain that superiority. It
also implies that the Kremlin
would be much less eager to
counter such strategy by hand
ing over atomic implements to its
satellites, as 1t now does with con-
ventional weapons.
The authors are well aware
that the first tactical atomic
campaign will be the hardest.
Popular revulSion against the
threat Of mass destruction Of life
and property is a powerful force
in this country, they acknowledge.
as 1t is in the rest of the world.
They pay tribute to this hui
manitarianism and would, have
the United States pledge itself not
to use A-bombs and H-bombs
against urban areas except in re-
taliation. They hope this would
melt home-front resistance to
their strategy and stif1e clamor
abroad.
Their scheme would confine the
use of atomic warfare to the bat
tlefield only If the Soviet Union
continues to compete on this Mar
guess Of Queensberry basis. IF the
kremLn or any other enemy were
to hit our cities. of course, the
wraps could be taken of immedi-
1 ate1y.
Thus the Strategic Air Com
mand would be our ace in the
hole instead Of our sole deterrent
to big and small Red aggression,
as 1t Is today.
The authors would be willing to
accept what restrictions limited
A-war imposes on attacking stra-
tegic targets, Of course, If the Reds
would reciprocate.
Two Advantages
They think two primary Ameri-:
can specialties, tactical atomic
weapons and maneuverability, could
neutralize the advantage the Com
munists are pressing with troop
strength. geographical position and
heavy mobilization. Disloyalty
among their peoples and inferior in
dustrial plants are disadvantages
the West can exploit, the authors
contend.
Like all military men, they warn
strongly against reducing United
States ground forces. They point