Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1957-09-27


European countries sometimes
are puzzling to the men of
NATO who actually are build
ing the defense.
They believe it should be
clear to everybody that If the
Lost Of Three Articles
Communists cross the line
drawn by the North Atlantic
Treaty Organization. Europe
will be defended with nuclear
weapons, not conventional ones.
And it should be clear also that
the Allied Command will try to
keep the fighting from bursting
out into World War III-the
suicidal war that Europeans
fear.
Yet, at the same time, one
also finds uncertainties and
worries among the builders.
They discuss limited atomic
war among themselves and they
find they are not positive such
war would in fact remain
limited.
They worry about the size Of
NATO forces, knowing that the
nature of the forces is dictated
by national decisions to econo-
mize or to be secretive.
They wish the public knew
what NATO was planning in
Europe, but they fear to ex-
plain more when the Russians
are listening.
And they wish that more
people would give more thought
to sorting out the complexities
of strategy and politics that
make it so difficult to have an
effective. united European de-
tense.
Has Only Nuclear Arms
But whether it is desirable or
not, the European Command OF
NATO must fight its wars with
nuclear weapons. That's the
only power it has.
Some time ago the European
Commander asked his civilian
NATO chiefs what kind of de-
tense he would be ordered to
make: Conventional or nuclear.
He has never had his answer.
The North Atlantic Council
told him he could plan for"
an atomic war. but that the de-
cision whether to fight with
conventional or nuclear arms
has not been made.
In theory, when there is an
attack, the council will decide
what kind of defense to order.
But in fact, if it orders any,
thing but a nuclear defense, it
will get virtually no defense at
all. The European forces are
too weak in conventional arms
and too far committed to the
nuclear changeover to fight
anything but an atomic battle.
People in Europe who think
there still is a choice have not
been reading the statements
coming out Of NATO.
Uncertain on Size Of War
There is understandable un-
certainty in Europe, however,
about the size of the war NATO
would fight in Europe.
They hear statements like
this from the Supreme Allied
Commander for Europe. Amer
ica's Gen. Norstad: IF the
NATO line were violated. If
our alliance were attacked. the
great power of the Strategic
Air Command. as we'll as
the British Bomber Command.
would at once be brought into
play"
Europeans believe this means
that If any Communist soldiers
at all walk into Western Eu-
rope. Russia will be destroyed
by SAC and the V-bombers.
And they believe the Russian
long-range bombers and mis-
sileS will meanwhile destroy
European and American civiIi-
cation.
But NATO and SHAPE
(Supreme Headquarters. Allied
Powers Europe) spokesman say
this picture is all wrong.
SHAPE plans actually to meet
a threat with whatever power
is necessary to push it back.
IF they occupy a village
just inside Germany with a
platoon. one SHAPE officer
said, I'VE will send a company
to root it out. If they send a
regiment, we'll send a brigade
and so forth"
Somewhere rather early in
any progression OF size. atomic
weapons will become necessary
for the defense. But SHAPE
still plans to use small A-bombs
and use just enough to do the
job-to push the Communists
back where they came from. In
theory the war will stay small.
This has never been tried,
however, so it still can be
argued in SHAPE bull-sessions
that nuclear wars will not stay
limited.
"Integrated" Capacity
What kind of force is SHAPE
building?
II is what is called an "inte-
grated capacity army. 1t mas a
line Of conventionally armed
divisions stretched along the
frontiers. Interspersed among
these divisions are American
atomic support groups. They
are able to deliver atomic eggs
with cannon and missiles
wherever and whenever needed
A little farther back are tacti-
cal air units, both land and sea,
which also can pitch in with
atomic explosives.
The battle area would be