Puzzling Breaking-up of Russian Army for Winter Quarters

Grey River Argus, 17 November 1948, Page 5

Puzzling Breaking-up of Russian Army for Winter Quarters

(Rec. 7.40) NEW YORK, Nov. 16 The Soviet occupation army of more than 300,000 men is breaking up, and marching into winter quarters, after six months’ concentration in army corps, according to an unimpeachable United States source, says the New York Times Berlin correspondent. The army has been concentrated since early last summer when the Russians imposed the Berlin blockade. The Times says the deconcentration of the army, which is the largest ground and air force in Europe, marks temporarily, at least, the end of a period in which the Soviet stood concentrated for action, as the tension between Russia and the west increased. Some American officers are frankly puzzled by the action, and think it is a possible indication that the Russians, no matter how belligerent their talk, never had intended to do more than talk in 1948, Western Union Defence Plan THE HAGUE, November 16. Major-General I. A. Aler, commander of the Dutch Army Air Force, has been appointed Netherlands Air Force representative on the Permanent Military Committee of the Western Union. It is believed that the Dutch Government considered that Holland’s chief contribution to five-Power defence would be in the provision of aircraft and technical equipment, the construction of air bases at strategic points, and participation in an international force. Lord Montgomery returned to London yesterday in a private aeroplane.