U.S. DEFENCE PLAN FOR NEXT 50 YEARS

Gisborne Herald, Volume LXXV, Issue 22759, 4 October 1948, Page 5

U.S. DEFENCE PLAN FOR NEXT 50 YEARS

(N.Z.P.A.—Reuter— Copyright.) (10 a.m.) Washington, Oct. 3. The United States High Command has drafted a 50-ycar defence programme based on the belief that Russia will have an atomic bomb by 1952, and that continent-jumping atomic rockets will be ready by 1977.

The Army, Navy and Air Force staff chiefs believe that the atomic age defence needs will develop in three civilisation-threatening phases during the next half-century. They will ask the next Congress for 15,000,000,000 dollars to spend on the first phase of defence in the fiscal year 1950. The three phases are: 1. Now until 1952 when the joint chiefs expect Russia to have an atomic bomb. In this phase the United States can develop overwhelming superiority in the air and at sea, but will find it hard to compete with the Russians’ land power —estimated at more than 3,000,000 men under arms. 2. From 1952 to 1977. This will be the critical period during which Russia, and possibly other countries, can develop atomic weapons and long-range strategic air forces capable of bombing the United States cities. 3. From 1977 on. In this phase the chiefs of staff expect the development of inter-continental rockets equipped with atomic warheads, aeroplanes travelling several times the speed of sound, gas clouds and possibly death rays and other fantastic weapons.

This is the period that the military leaders believe in which civilisation will be in danger of annihilation. The present staff planning is aimed at, first, providing sufficient immediate military power to back up the United States diplomats in negotiations with Russia; and, secondly, building up the American forces for Phase 2 when Russia has art atomic bomb.

The joint chiefs have made basic decisions for the three phases and have assigned to each service its fundamental defence tasks.