UNITED STATES STRATEGY

Ashburton Guardian, Volume 70, Issue 46, 5 December 1949, Page 3

UNITED STATES STRATEGY

ADMIRAL SHERMAN’S FORECAST INCREASE SEEN IN NEEDS (N.Z.P. A.—Copyright) NEW YORK, Dec. 2. Atomic bombs and guided missiles, instead of marking the end of great navies, would increase naval requirements, said the United States Chief of Naval Operations (Admiral Forrest Sherman) to-night. Adfniral Sherman was addressing the cadets at the Annapolis Naval Academy.

“As far ahead as we can see the aeroplane,- submarine, guided missiles, and atomic energy, which have been claimed to mark the end of greater navies, will in fact increase naval requirements and result not only in the survival .but also the further development ‘of fighting ships,” he said 1 . Admiral Sherman said that * the shaping of future naval forces must take into consideration such things as the lessons of atomic bombing in Japan and atomic experiments at Bikini and Enitwetok,. as well as the significance of guided missiles and Soviet developments in the field at atomic explosions. Atomic bombs would not reduce the benefits that control of the sea brought in permitting the selection of time and place of attack. “As long as, we can control the sea we cannot be attacked except by airborne weapons,” he said, “and we can attack any target within reach of aircraft arid other weapons which we carry in our ships.” Admiral Sherman added that the possibility of enemy atomic bombing during naval operations in war meant that speed must be developed in preparing to attack, in moving and dispersing trops and supplies.. Heavy concentrations on the shoreline would have to be avoided by speed and dispersal, by the use of separate attack points, and by greater use of preliminary infiltrations.