FOREIGN RELATIONS, 1950, .VOLUME I


serves. These it must-think of, and I do not wish to seem oblivious to
the many tough problems it has had to -face, nor to the remarkable
record it 'has made 'in occupation in which we take pride. But its
thinking has not been, onthe whole, and in the upper ehelons, modern
and imaginative. This is.shown by its research, development, and pro-
curement policies. These have been 'forced on it by the budget, but the
budget would have been different had there been real drive and
conviction present."
  The main mission of the Army, if war comes, will be first to hold
lines, and this will continue to be its mission until rising strength
allows the mounting of an offensive. The holding of a modern line is
a complex matter involving armor, land mines, tactical air, anti-
aircraft, and such else.
  Here lies opportunity. It is an opportunity such as appears once in
a military generation.
  The Russians have 40,000 tanks. Their'whole program rests on these
and on masses of men, artillery and air cover. The tanks are the spear-
head and the focus. Many of them are heavy tanks,- and the best tanks
in the world by current measure.
  We have the means of rendering those heavy tanks obsolete,,of turn-
ing a great asset into a liability, of throwing the enemy preparations
into confusion and forcing upon him sweeping readjustments which
will take him years. We have the means in embryo in our hands now. If
we had been sufficiently alert we could have had them several years ago
but at least we have them now.
  There has been 'built and tested; ammunition -for a gun which can
penetrate, any 'armor a tank can carry.,'It can be used in guns ofhigh
precision and of adequate range. 'Moreover, it can be used in lightainexl-
pensive. guns, which can be used as squad weapons or carried in a jeep.
When, for the cost of one tank, 100 guns can be built which can destroy
it at a single shot at considerable range, the day of the tank fades. When
a jeep can meet a heavy tank 'and be a match for it, the day of the heavy
tank is done. All that is justified thereafter is the light vehicle armored
against machine guns and fragments. The main reliance for the break-
through, .the heavy tank, is countered.
  Whether we seize the opportunity or not depends upon whether we
live in the past or in the future. We will undoubtedly do the obvious:
speed up research and development in this area, develop new guns, new
vehicles and-ammunition. But really to seize the opportunity means to
put our backs behind it; to bring forward trial production, to conduct
maneuvers for evaluation and guidance, to cut red tape if it interferes
with progress. Moreover it means getting our Allies going, with their
own development, production, andt raining, with all the complexities
this involves under our system of foreign aid. There is .one thing sure.


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