Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1959-03-12
No Ground War

President Eisenhower has said
something which makes sense and which
needed saying-that 1--WE certainly are
not going to fight ground war in
Europe"
This may jolt those, including some
Of Mr.. EiSenhower'S congressional critics,
who profess to think that we could put
the Russians in their place If we had
only few more divisions to threaten
them with. This is ridiculous, and no
one knows it better than the Kremlin.
The Russians have ITS divisions,
probably better equipped than ours,
within relatively easy striking distance
Of Berlin. Suppose we could throw our
whole ground combat force-say IS
divisionS-in against them. What would
happen? In all probability the Ameri-
can forces would be slaughtered in
hopeless and foolhardy military adven-
ture. A campaign of this nature may
appeal to the critics, including Louisi-
ana's Senator Long, who is chattering
about possible impeachment of the
President. But Mr.. Eisenhower, we
think, is entirely right in stating firmly
and clearly that he has no intention Of
sacrificing United States forces in any
such unequal contest.
The crystal clarity of the Presidents
comments on this point, however, was in
notable contrast to the murkineSS of his
subsequent observations. For If we are
not going to fight a ground war in
Europe, there remains the unacceptable
question: How will we protect the West
ern position in Berlin and Germany?
This is not rhetorical question, for the
President reiterated his previous decla-
ration that "the United States and its
allies have announced their Arm inten-
ton of preserving their rights and re-
sponSibilitieS with respect to Berlin"
Does this mean, he was asked, that
we are prepared to fight nuclear war
If necessary to defend West Berlin? Mr..
Eisenhower covered the waterfront in
answering that one. He said he didn't
know how we could free anything with
nuclear weapons, meaning, presumably,
that in a nuclear war Berlin, and much
besides, would be destroyed. He said the
Russians would have to initiate real
hostilitieS," if this is to become reality,
and added that he didn't believe anyone
would be SenseleSs enough to push the
Berlin issue to such a showdown. Pressed
for a more specific explanation of the
alternative to ground war, Mr.. Eisen-
hover said you have got to 60 to other
means" And then he concluded on this
note: IT didn't say that nuclear war is
a complete impossibility." Such war,
he said, would be self-defeating thing
for all of us. Yet I'VE have got to stand
ready and say we will do what is neces-
sary to protect ourselves, but We are
never going to back up on our rights and
responsibilities"
This is high in fog index. If it
means anything, however, it must mean
that we are not going to be drawn into
European ground war, but will fight
instead, if forced to fight, with all suit
able weapons, including nuclear weap-
ons, in our armory. If this actually is
the Presidents purpose it is understand
able, perhaps, that he would not want
to spell it out at news conference. In
some appropriate way, however, Mr..
Eisenhower ought to make himself en-
tirely clear to Mr. Khrushchev. There
should be no room for doubt with re-
Spect to our intentions.