THE GERMAN ARMY

Evening Post, Volume CXXVI, Issue 78, 29 September 1938, Page 8

THE GERMAN ARMY

A YOUTHFUL FORGE

STRENGTH & WEAKNESSES

SHORTAGE OF RESERVES

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Herr Hitler claims that today Germany possesses "the most modern army, the best air force, and the best* anti-tank arms in the world." And examination of the general situation of the armed forces of the Reich, in the light of such data as is available, goes a long way towards supporting his claim. Wars are not won by armies alone, and Germany's position presents certain serious weaknesses—defects so serious that it is amazing that she can pursue an aggressive course. But from the purely point of view the German army is a deadly weapon and one well equipped. Of its quality (unlike the companion Fascist State) there is no doubt. Provisional estimates of its strength made early this year set this at about 800,000. To this must be added the trained reserves, the first of which completed their army course of two years at the beginning of the present year, the forces gained when Austria was absorbed and any additional units which may have been created since Herr Hitler announced last February that the army was to be expanded once again. These, it would appear from recent advices, raise the total to somewhere about 1,250,000' men, possibly 1,500,000 men; certainty is impossible. EXTENDED THIS YEAR. Up to the beginning of this year the army existed as thirteen corps—36 infantry divisions, at , least three "armoured" (mechanised) divisions, a brigade of horsed cavalry, a mountain brigade, and a 'light" brigade. A decree issued at the end of March raised the total strength to 18 corps, creating two new corps in Austria, with headquarters in Vienna and Salzburg. A fourteenth corps had meantime been organised with headquarters, at Magdeburg, and is believed to be a motorised body. It is held that Germany's goal was at least nine motorised divisions, and with the organising of Ifee Fourteenth Corps this goal was probably in sight. These motorised divisions'consist of light tanks, armoured cars, motor-cycle units, mechanised infantry, and artillery detachments. A tank regiment consists of approximately 750 tanks and German plans are understood to be to use them plentifully, at least 50 or 60 to the kilometre. But, as Herr Hitler implies, Germany believes that she has the tanks of other Powers checked with her anti-tank organisation, which is among the best in the world and consists of 72 37 mm. guns assigned to each division, mounted on a low carriage for concealment, and probably supplemented by now with guns of 47 mm. The land mine is to be used extensively against opposing tanks. ;; FEW HEAVY TANKS:'''"'.'

Germany has "also 8-ton light; tanks, which can do from 20 to 30 miles an. hour, but her medium and heayy tanks are believed not to be very numerous, though a 16- to 20-ton tank has been in production. Her work in this field has been hampered by the need (only re^cently filled) 'to build up a new automotive industry. In artillery Germany has equipped herself largely with howitzers, but lacks medium artillery, and is probably still short of artillery for mass operations. Those who remember the instances where British forces employed one gun to five or six yards of front in the last war will realise what shortage of guns means. She is believed to have enough small equipment (rifles, bayonets, machineguns, uniforms, etc.) for about 3,000,000 men. But She has not the men to wear them. An army bf 2,000,000 could be put in the field at once, and another 750,000 after a few months, but they would not come up to German training standards nor woujd they be equal to the fully-trained men of France. The present aggressive move was probably foreshadowed last year when she began turning out classes as rapidly as possible, giving an eight, weeks' course to all men under 45 (under 55 in Prussia) and calling up World War veterans for a refresher course, these men forming an extra battafion with each of the 100 German regiments.

A FRENCH ESTIMATE. A French estimate of the strength of, German man-power as at the end of I 1937 was 900,000 well-trained men, 250,000 partly-trained men, 600,000 of j the old Landwehr units,. 900,000 men trained in semi-military units (Black Shirts and Brown Shirts), 250,000, veterans semi-trained, and 4,450,000 veterans who have received no "j fresher course of any kind. Jhe 1901----13 classes (the men born in those years) have received only eight weeks ! training for the most part, as far as can be discovered, though many_ of them have been members of the Nazi semi-military units. Major-General A., C. Temperley, military critic of the! "Daily Telegraph and Morning Post, who was invited to the German man-| oeuvres last autumn, found evidence of the thing which has struck all ob-j servers—the shortage of reserves. Some I of the commanders had used up all their divisions by the second day; evidence of an offensive psychology and of the sheer limitation of the number of men available for the manoeuvres. In addition there is an extreme shortage of officers. Various sources estimate that the German army had only one-third of the officers it needs when this year began, and in v April General Keitel announced that all retired officers must place themselves at the disposal of the armed forces. The new German army is a young force, for under the Treaty of Versailles it was not allowed any tanks, any aeroplanes, any anti-aircraft guns, or any guns larger than 10.5 centimetres (4.2 in). It is universally regarded as pledged to a war of machines, with great use of aeroplanes, and an effort to gain high mobility and great speed of manoeuvre. It .is controlled by a General Staff which is held to be one of Germany's great strengths.