Soviet Atomic Explosion Will Influence Defence Plans In United States

Otago Daily Times, Issue 27211, 14 October 1949, Page 7

Soviet Atomic Explosion Will Influence Defence Plans In United States

\ New Zealand Press Association—Copyright

Rec. 9 p.m. % NEW YORK, Oct. 12. The Russian atomic explosion occurred sooner than his military high command expected but the defence plans of the United States were well under way, said General Omar Bradley, speaking at Akron (Ohio) to-night.

General Bradley, who is chairman of the United States Joint Chiefs of Staff, said that what he termed the “ red atom day ’’ made it nedessary for the United States to review its rate of military expenditure and “ choose carefully the further armaments of defence.”

* General Bradley said the Russian atomic explosion preceded by several months the earliest estimates by the joint Chiefs of Staff ori when the Russians would have an atomic bomb. He also said his staff had made estimates of when Russia could have

a handful of atomic bombs, but of all the people of the earth, they arestudents of force and power in war, and should understand clearly the disastrous result of such a gruesome error.”

General Bradley said he hoped the Russians would see the difficulty and tremendous expense of atomic manufacture and join in international control of such a weapon. “ But military men must realise that we have worked out an orderly time table of preparations for atomic defence.”

General Bradley discussed two plans in a war—first, if atomic weapons should be used; and secondly, if both sides abstained from their use. General Bradley said that if the United States’ plea for international control of atomic energy was heeded, any attempt to over-run Europe would first touch the points of Allied bayonets in Germany. “If this becomes the case, then the army must be ready to repel a land hssault with sufficient tactical air power to gain and maintain local superiority over Red bombers and fighters.” General Bradley said that if the pleas,for the control of atomic energy were not. met with an honest agreement the blow might strike at the heart of industrial America. “If that is the case, we may have to invest our funds in guided missiles, a necessary radar screen for Canada, the United States and the Arctic, and the necessary fighter interceptor squadrons to dispel a long-range bombardment attack.

enough atomic bombs “ to influence the outcome of a modern war,” but he did not disclose that estimate. “They could be foolhardy enough to launch an atomic attack with only

“In either situation our navy must maintain control of the seas. It possesses that power to-day,” General Bradley concluded.