U.S. General Warns Of Soviet Strength

Press, Volume XCIX, Issue 29108, 21 January 1960, Page 13

U.S. General Warns Of Soviet Strength

NEW YORK, January 19.

The Commander of the United States Strategic Air Command (General Thomas Power) said today the Soviet Union could almost wipe out the entire American nuclear striking capability in only 30 minutes with 300 ballistic missiles.

General Power said that only about half of these missiles would have to be huge inter-continental ballistic missiles. The rest could be smaller intermediate range missiles. The commander of the nation’s nuclear bombing force spoke at a dinner meeting of the Economic Club of New York. General Power said that as of now the United States still had a large enough margin of overall superiority over the Russians to deter them from risking war, despite their spectacular technological advances. “Indications are that, if the Soviets decided to launch a surprise attack on this country today, they would have to rely mainly on their long-range bomber force,” General Power said.

“Evidently, this force has neither the size and quality nor the global support facilities and centralised organisation which give S.A.C. forces their unmatched strike capability.” Moreover, General Power said, the United States had an extensive air defence system against manned bombers which would provide sufficient warning of their approach to permit the launching of S.A.C. alert force before it could be attacked on the ground.

All-out Attack On the dark side of the picture, however, the United States must anticipate that the Soviet Union might have accumulated enough operational missiles for an all-out missile attack before the United States had an operation warning system that could provide reliable and adequate ■warning of such an attack, he said. General Power added. “ . • •

with adequate and timely preparations for meeting added demands for support, S.A.C. can maintain an airborne alert long and effective enough to bridge What could otherwise become the most dangerous gap In our military posture since Pearl Harbour.” Soviet missile strength shows

that the Soviet Union lacks sufficient power to justify a “rational decision” to attack the United States, according to the United States Defence Secretary (Mr The las S. Gates).

Immediately after Mi Gates’s report to Congress, the chairman of the Senate Armed Services Committee (Senator Richard B Russell) said in a statement: “At present I think we are strong enough to prevent an attack, except by a madman.” Mr Gates told committee members that on the basis of new information, United States experts did not now believe that Soviet superiority in inter-continental missiles would be as great as previously estimated. Mr Gates said that the balance of military power still was heavily in the United States favour even though Russia may enjoy at times a moderate numerical superiority during the next three years in long-range missiles. Opening Witnesses Mr Gates and the chairman oi the Joint Chiefs of Staff (General Nathan Timing) were the opening witnesses as Senator Russell s group opened its annual review of the nation’s defence position. Mr Gates’s testimony before the Senate group was heard behind closed doors, but an unclassified version of a prepared statement he read to the committee was given reporters. Mr Gates said Defence Department specialists believed that even a surprise attack by all the missiles the Soviets could muster would not suffice to destroy enough of United States retaliatory strike forces to enable a rational decision to attack the United States.

The recently announced plans bv the Soviet Union to cut its force.- by about 1,200,000 men and less tn ulance by the Soviets, did not affect the new United States military Budget or longrange defence planning, Mr Gates said.