NOTES ON THE WAR NEWS

Evening Post, Volume CXXX, Issue 84, 5 October 1940, Page 12

NOTES ON THE WAR NEWS

AMERICA AWAKE

HER DEFENCE NEEDS

PRESENT AND FUTURE

Almost every day cables from the United States of America tell of an intensification of America's defence measures. While Britain holds democracy's fort against the totalitarian Powers, America prepares to meet any challenge that may be made against her. Both President Roosevelt and his Republican rival for the post of Chief Executive, Mr. Wendell Willkie, are convinced that there exists a very real threat to the nation's security and they are determined t8 take all measures necessary to meet it. Since the-outbreak of war, and even long before, President Koosevelt has made no secret of his detestation of the totalitarian way of life, and had warned the people of America of the dangers he sees ahead, but it was not until the smashing successes of Hitler's forces in the middle of this year that the public of the great western democracy fully awoke to the seriousness of heir situation. America became nervous. Four months before the outbreak of ;he war, Great Britain fell into line with the other great European Powers arid conscripted her man-power. America, secure in what at that time appeared to be her isolation from the likely scene of conflict, was content to do nothing. America Takes Stock. Then, when Hitler's forces swept hrough the Low Countries and France o most of Europe's Atlantic seaboard, he American people took stock of their situation. They found, in the main, two things: that their country possessed the second largest fleet in the world, and one of the smallest armies in the world. And they realised that the scope and power of-European warfare made these efforts seem inadequate. On June 10, just after Italy had enered the war to share in the spoils which then seemed within such easy reach, President Roosevelt made his historic declaration that America would make available to the Allies— France was still in the struggle—all the material resources she could spare. But he went further than that. He called on the people of America to look to their own defence needs, President's Call. His words are worth repeating. "This day," said the president, "we send forth our prayers and hopes for those beyond the seas who are maintaining with magnificent valour their battle for freedom. We will extend to the opponents of force the' material resources of this nation, and simultaneously harness and speed up the use of those resources, in order that we will have the equipment and training equal to the task of any emergency and for every defence. All roads leading to the accomplishment of these objectives must be kept clear. I call for an effort of courage, sacrifice, and devotion." Immediate Action. Roosevelt's rallying call was followed by immediate action. Eight days ifter his speech the House Naval Committee adopted unanimously a recommendation by the Chief of Naval Operations, Admiral Stark, to provide for an increase in the fighting fleet of 70 per cent., thus giving the United States the most formidable fleet in the vorld. Then, a day later, came the first sugjestion from President Roosevelt that he was contemplating some form of compulsory service, and on September 14 the Burke-Wadsworth Bill, bringing peacetime conscription to America for the first time in history, was finally approved. ' . Needs of the Future. Writing at the end of August, an American commentator discussed the strength of America's defences at that time and the needs of the future. "To defend itself on domestic or foreign soil," he said, "America needs a fighting force equipped for totalitarian war. Primarily, the problem of American defence is one of mobilising manpower. Neither industry, now being geared to the needs of defence, nor the fighting forces themselves can hit the pace required by the defence programme without the mobilisation of additional man-power. "On the supply of labour at the disposal of the war industries, official figures are not published. But the present strength and the authorised strength of the fighting forces are public knowledge. The Navy's personnel consists of 156,500 officers and men; the planned strength is 182,000. For the Army corresponding figures are 242,648 and 375,000; for the reserves 157,000 and 192,000; for the National Guard 245,500 and 251,000. Two thousand eight hundred fully trained pilots fly lor the Army; 2602 for the Navy. Total Effectives. "The total effectives of all branches are 650,000, with approximately 100,000 planned and authorised additions. Such is the inventory of U.S. Man-power under arms or available for service at short notice. Measured by the standards of the great military Powers of Europe these figures are small. The forces of the United States seem especially small in view of the vast areas in which they must operate. Just what these areas may prove to be is still uncertain. "But General George C. Marshall's recent suggestion of a 100,000-man increase in the Army's enlisted strength took into consideration the requirements for (1) garrisoning outlying bases in the Caribbean and the Pacific; (2) dispatching an expeditionary force in case of invasion from abroad and 'fifth column' troubles anywhere in this hemisphere! and (3) repelling enemy, attempts at landing on U.S. soil. The U.S. navy and its air force would have something forceful to say about such attempts. But General Marshall's proposal of nine modern infantry divisions, one cavalry, and one mechanised division provide a field force sufficiently strong to deal with whatever force another Power could transport across either ocean today. iWhat of Tomorrow? ** Today'—-but what of tomorrow? It is up to the fighting services to envisage all possible combinations of hostile Powers and all possible emergencies. After the Allies' reverses in the Lowlands, many theretofore improbable situations won the attention of matter-of-fact American defence experts. "At this moment the South American nations can put no more than 300,000 first-line troops in the field, and H SQol gnslysif e| hemisphere strategy

indicates that responsibility for the i defence of the whole American [hemisphere may rest squarely on the United. States," ' . •,. .