United States Has Defence Worked Out

Chronicle (Levin), 14 October 1949, Page 5

United States Has Defence Worked Out

Received Thursdav, 7 p.m. KEW YORK, Oet. 12. The Russian atomic explosion occurred sooner than his military high command expected but defence plans were well under way, said General Omar Bradley, in a speech at Akron, Obio, tonight. General Bradley, who is chairman of the United States joint Chief of Staff, said what he termed "Red Atom Day" made it necessary that the United States review its rare of military expenditure and "choose carefullv "the further armaments of defence. " GeftSral Bradley said the Russian atomic explosion preceded by several months the eai'liest estimates by the joint Chiefs of Staff on when th« Russians would have the atomic bomb. He also said his staff made estimates of when Russia could have enough atomic bombs "to influence the outcome of modern war" but ho did not disclose that estimate. "They could be foolhardy enough to launch an atomic attaek with only a handful of atomic bombs but of all the people on earth they are students of force and power in war ancl should understand clearlj' the , disastrous result of such a gruesome error. " J General Bradley said he hoped the Russians would see the diflRculty and tremendous expense of atomic manufacture and join in the international control of such a weapon "but military men must realise we have worked out an orderlv timetable of preparations for atomic defence." General Bradley discussed two alternative plans in war — ffrstly, if atomic weapons should be used and secoudly if both sides abstained from their use. , ' General Bradley said that if the | United States' plea for international j control of atomic energy was heeded, j any attempt to overrun Europe would first touch the points of Albed bayonets in Germany. "If this becomes the case, then the Army must be ready to repel a land assault with sufScient taetical air power to gain and maintrain local superiority over Red bombers and llghters." If pleas for control of atomic energy were not met with an honest agreement, the blow might strike at the heart of industrial America. "If that is the case, we may have to invest our funds in . anti-aireraft guided missiles, the necessary radar screen for Canada, the United States and the Arctic, and the necessary hghter interceptor squadrons to dispel a loug range bombardment attack. In either situation our Navv must maintain control of the seas. It possesses that power today, ' ' F]eet Admirals Ernest Iving and William Ilalsey today denounced the atomic bombing theorv of warfare and asked Congress to strip Defence Secretary Johnson of authoritv to weaken United Rtafes naval power. Th«y attacked what they ealled "mistake'n .and overplayed" theories of iptercontinental bombing and said in any war the striking power must: be hurled not at citios but at enemy military forces.