RUSSIAN ARMY

Nelson Evening Mail, Volume LXXII, 24 November 1938, Page 2

RUSSIAN ARMY

1 ANALYSIS OF STRENGTH STRIKING POWER UNCERTAIN 1 STABILITY OF STALIN REGIME LONDON, 18th November. Analysing the Russian Army, the Moscow correspondent of the “Manchester Guardian" says that during the last 20 years Russia has accumulated an excellent trained reserve of men between 18 and 35. because, in addition to the peoples of European Russia, those of Centra] Asia, the Caucasus and I Siberia, exempt during the Tsarist rej gime, have been subjected to compul- ! sory military service. There is no doubt that the Far East army is self-supporting, and that Russia ! could carry on a war on two fronts. The Army is well trained, but its striking power depends on whether the dictatorship could withstand the shock of war. It is probable that bureaucracy s brittle crust, cementing the regime, would crumble beneath national discontent if the fortune of war went against Russia. The Kremlin seems to realise this, and is doing its best to insist that any war involving Russia be fought on foreign soil. Consequently, if the battle front were pushed into Russia, the loss of prestige would destroy the Stalin regime. But if the Red Army made a good advance in the early stages of the w - ar, the Russian millions might carry all before them.