NUCLEAR WAR

Press, Volume C, Issue 29514, 16 May 1961, Page 14

NUCLEAR WAR

Shute’s View ‘Exaggerated?

(N.Z Press Association) AUCKLAND. May 15. The picture of the effects ot nuclear war painted by Nevi! Shute's "On The Beach” gave an exaggerated impression, said General Herbert B Powell, commanding general of the United States Continental Army Command, in Auckland today “We don’t want a nuclear war, but if we do have one. then the individual fighting man will probably be more important than ever before," he said In New Zealand for celebrations commemorating the Battle of the Coral Sea tn 1942. General Powell said that the reconstruction of areas devastated by nuclear warfare would fall on the individual soldier. "Whether you put your soldier in a ship or an aeroplane, sooner or later he must go down on the ground settle there and fight there." General Powell said “Warr nearly always seem to involve some bit of real estate—that’s why your soldiers must get down there ”

The United States pictured conventional wars tn the future—without the use of any atomic weapon? General Powell said But she had to be prepared to fight a nuclear war just the same. The last 10 years, beginning with the Korean War. indicated a pattern of conff'et which would probably last in*n the fu’ure. he said “The Battle of the Coral Sea stopped an aggressive threat to des’roy our way of life.” he said. ‘We must be prepared to defend it."