1940: Military Science

The military history of 1940 was the most important for many years, due to improvements in matériel and to new methods of use.

An army must have tactics corresponding to its armament. The plans and method of combat of troops must make the best use of the characteristics of its armament; every improvement should bring a corresponding change in combat methods. Tactics and armament should bear a close relation with the combat methods of the enemy, and equipment and procedure must be adapted to any modifications the enemy may make. The army which has to take into account one principal enemy takes into consideration all the characteristics of that opponent.

New Conception of Warfare.

In Europe 120 million people have been conquered, not by numbers, but by a wholly original conception of warfare, by the adaptation of new and specialized weapons to a radically new technique of fighting. Before the outbreak of the present European War, military thinkers pondered the lesson of the Spanish Civil War, and recent improvements, especially in aircraft, tanks, mechanized and motorized warfare. A minority believed that a sudden mighty rush of bombing planes could destroy an enemy's air force, then terrify civilians into panic by indiscriminately attacking cities, and thus win the war at once.

Especially in Germany military thought set to work on the difficult task of coordinating the use of the new and strangely assorted weapons provided by modern industry. Before the invasion of Poland General von Seeckt advocated or envisioned the first attack, a surprise, by air forces, manned largely by professionals permanently in the service and immediately available, which would first crush the air force of the enemy and then turn against the enemy's factories and ground organization, assailing troop concentrations and hindering mobilization by cutting communications. The attack initiated by the air force would be pressed with all possible speed by all available troops, i.e., the regular army. The more efficient this army, the greater its mobility; the more resolute and competent its command, the greater the chance of beating the opposing forces rapidly out of the field, of hindering the creation and training of further forces, of making the enemy sue for peace. The first attack over, the successful force, by drawing on its own reserves of men and materiel necessary to maintain its striking power, would try to prevent the newly formed masses of the enemy from forming well-equipped fronts.

The Spanish Civil War experiences enabled Germany to remedy discovered defects in tanks, airplanes, anti-tank defense and anti-aircraft defense. The Polish war proved the efficacy of the von Seeckt method. Germany's next thrust would probably be against France, with England possibly as France's ally. German weapons thus were developed to be most effective over short distances, and to pierce or overcome fortified or semi-fortified lines and areas. She increased the caliber of her artillery, anti-tank and anti-aircraft guns, as well as the armor thickness and size of tanks, rendering herself superior in most of these respects to her probable enemies. In the actual offensive, first her air force, then her tanks and mechanized and motorized organizations had most to do with her phenomenal success. Propaganda, 'fifth columns,' parachute troops and other devices materially aided. (See also EUROPEAN WAR.)

Use of Aircraft.

Let us examine the most improved aircraft of the belligerents, as used in modern warfare.

Germany.

'The German aircraft industry is organized in such a way,' General Udet stated, 'that if necessary its entire productive capacity may be concentrated on the manufacture of one single type.' Reports and pictures in newspapers show 'the largest aircraft factory in the world' somewhere in north Germany, the entire productive capacity of which is devoted to manufacture of Ju 87's. In speaking of the Dutch and Belgian campaigns, General Quade asserted, 'It was the Junkers Ju 87 dive bomber which broke the resistance of the enemies' armies; this machine will be the vital instrument in the defeat of Great Britain.' An estimate of the number to be made stated 6,000 were to be delivered by Sept. 1, 1940. The Junkers Ju 88K, latest of the German dive bombers, has two 1,200 h.p. Junkers Jumo 211A liquid-cooled motors. The crew is grouped together for improved fighting morale. Fuel tanks are in the center, bomb compartment behind. The Ju 88 is a highspeed, medium-sized, two-motored bomber, fitted with guns and military equipment. Its maximum speed is 315 m.p.h., its range 1,300 miles at 265 m.p.h. It carries a crew of three to four and has three gun positions (one in the nose, one above and one below the fuselage — no tail gun), armor plates, and self-sealing fuel tanks. The maximum height of service type, 30,000 feet, affords little protection against faster, more heavily armed fighters with higher ceiling, such as the 367 m.p.h. British 8-gun Spitfire. The German Blohm and Voss Bu 142 troop transport has four 880 h.p. BMW 132 H radial motors and a top speed of 248 m.p.h. at 13,000 ft. Its wing span is 96 ft. and it accommodates about 30 troops. The Messerschmitt 109, Germany's best-known fighter, has a top speed of 350 m.p.h. The Messerschmitt M.E. 110, a two-seat fighter, has two 1,150 h.p. motors, two cannon and four machine guns. The Heinkel He reconnaissance bomber, with a span of 74 ft. and a length of 59 ft., has two Daimler-Benz engines of 1,050 h.p. and a speed of 275 m.p.h. (top speed 236 m.p.h. at 13,000 ft.). It carries a crew of four, three machine guns and three movable machine guns. The Henschel Hs 126 has one 880 h.p. BMW 132 De motor; its span is 47 ft.; its length, 35 ft.; its top speed, 221 at 9,850 ft.; its crew 2. It has one fixed, movable machine gun.

Great Britain.

British Spitfire and Hurricane fighters are fast, powerful, single seaters, of rapid climb. Spitfire makes 367 m.p.h. Both are armed with eight forward firing fixed machine guns and are fast enough to outfly any enemy bomber. A fixed gun fighter cannot make broadside attack. A new type British fighter, the two-seater Boulton Paul Defiant, overcomes this deficiency by use of the power-driven gun turret, which houses a battery of guns operated by a trained air gunner. The Defiant is a low-winged monoplane with a single Rolls-Royce Merlin engine of over 1,000 h.p. and is fitted with a three-bladed controller pitch airscrew. All three of these planes have retractable undercarriage. (See also AVIATION.)

Comparative Air Strength of Great Britain and Germany.

In comparing the air strength of the belligerents, several factors must be considered: (1) The number of aircraft (including trainers), first line and reserves. (2) The quality of aircraft, including performance, design, construction, maintenance and materials used. (3) Production rate, including maximum probable in war time, and (4) Personnel available, in particular, pilots and ground crews.

Quality may be measured not only by performance, but by aeronautical research. Germany has extensive research laboratories manned by well-trained personnel. Most German machines are designed for rapid production, and the material is well used. The life expectancy of the German military plane is comparatively short, but this fact has evidently been carefully weighed. During 1939 her output totaled from 500 to 1,000 planes per month. It was largely increased thereafter. She was reported in 1940 to have 70,000 men in one factory and altogether about 400,000 men engaged in airplane production.

During 1940, Great Britain put forth every effort to increase and perfect her airplane production. At the end of the year she probably had about 60 to 70 per cent the number of planes Germany had; but by speeding production, by increased labor of her workers, by contributions from Canada, Australia, and The Union of South Africa and by purchases from the United States she may by the end of 1941 equal Germany's air strength. England's newest machines are of first quality but she has on hand a number of machines several years old. England had ordered by the end of 1940 from the best United States airplane factories 12,000 or more planes to be delivered as soon as possible. While the United States Government is pushing with all possible speed production of its own service, it is committed to helping England to 50 per cent or more of its total production.

Among types ordered, some thousands of which have already been delivered, are Harvards, Curtis fighters, Lockheed Hudsons, Douglas D.B.7's, Martin Bombers, Bell Airocobras, Brewster Fleet fighters, Consolidated Flying Boats, Grummon Fleet fighters, and Vought-Sikorski naval dive bombers. Toward the end of the year Britain had just begun to receive about 60 'Airacudas' from the United States. This plane, officially known as the YFM-1A, is a refinement of the YFM-1, which was a fast highly maneuverable five-place fighter capable of carrying bombs and of defending itself with guns firing to front, sides and rear. It had two liquid cooled Allison engines and pusher type propellers. The principal change in the new plane is the installation of retractable tricycle landing gear; more slender, it is faster than its predecessor and is equipped with a gyro-stabilized bomb sight. The American gyro-stabilized bomb sight is an intricate electric and mechanically operated machine, supposed to be superior to the sights originally in use by any of the belligerents. The United States still keeps secret its latest bomb sight.

At Taranto in November 1940, a British torpedo plane destroyed, or seriously damaged, a modern Italian battleship. The torpedo plane strikes at the unarmored hull under the water. Thus, the rapid success of the German army, simply stated, was due in large part to the employment of its artillery of the air — the combat airplane or dive bomber — in conjunction, of course, with the armored ground forces, at an over-all speed of fifteen miles an hour instead of about two, which was the average tempo of offense before mechanization.

Use of Tanks and Mechanized Ground Units.

The key to combat speed on the ground is the tank, a modern land battleship pulled by its own tracks. Its design is the result of a series of compromises, between weight of armor and speed. Tanks are generally grouped under three classes: the heavy (30 tons or more), the medium (15 to 30 tons), the light (8 to 15 tons). The light tanks have a highway speed up to 60 m.p.h. and a combat speed of 10-25 m.p.h. The medium tanks are slower on the highway, but about the same as the light machines in combat. The very heavy tanks move about 10 m.p.h. on the highway and 2-6 m.p.h. in combat. The 70-100-ton, 2 m.p.h. German or French tanks were made for position fighting, for clearing out heavy line positions or assaulting forts and heavy pill boxes. Heavies are good only for a 'break through'; they then turn out, for they cannot keep up with the mediums and lights which stream through the gap. The latest United States tanks are equal, and in many respects superior, to the latest German tanks. The United States rubber block track, besides affording quiet operation, makes 50 m.p.h. practicable. Superior transmissions, clutches, constant mesh gears and radial air cooled engines surpass any in Europe, but only our most recent models are as well armored or armed.

The light tank with 37 mm. gun has heavy armor, makes up to 40 m.p.h. speed and cleans out lighter anti-tank weapons. About 1,000 of these are in use or on order. The medium 23-ton tank has a crew of 5, a speed of 40 m.p.h.; it mounts one 37 mm. cannon, six 30-caliber machine guns for ground combat, and two anti-aircraft 30 mm. machine guns. Medium tanks form the heavy offensive unit of the new armored division. With armored Divisions or tank brigades go supply, engineer and maintenance units.

The French were astonished to find that their best 37 mm. high velocity anti-tank weapons failed to pierce the German light tanks, and they had few 75 mm. ones mounted for flat trajectory tank defense. The Germans had armored their tanks with armor 1½ to 2 inches thick. The United States tank is armored with face-hardened, rolled armor plate, but this can only be worked flat.

The United States scout cars sneak along back roads in pairs, cut through fields and prowl ridges, radio back to headquarters information of the enemy, blocks, mined fields, etc.; lightly armored, they stay several hundred yards apart so that both may not be ambushed. They maneuver 5 to 100 miles ahead of combat units. They weigh 6 tons, travel 60 m.p.h., carry two 30 caliber machine guns and one 50 caliber machine gun. The United States has 1,054 under contract. New models are turreted.

The combat car (10 tons) makes 50 m.p.h. and has a four-man crew.

The half track personnel carrier moves machine gun crews into captured territory; it is lightly armored and has a speed of 40 m.p.h.

The Navy contracted, on Nov. 15, 1940, for 200 new type amphibian tanks, each capable of carrying 36 marines, fully equipped, over land or water. This tank is 25 feet long, about 9 feet wide, weighs 7½ tons, goes 23 m.p.h. on land and 10 m.p.h. in swamp or water, and is used for landing troops. A large number of tanks are equipped with radio, to communicate with aircraft or headquarters. Employment of the mass of tanks is characterized by distribution in depth and close liaison with the infantry. In addition to combat, reconnaissance and command vehicles, it must have its own infantry equipped with motorcycles or transported with multi-wheel or track laying tanks. In this force the infantry is the supporting arm.

Total Organization and Use of Military Units.

The German army is organized in such a way as to make maximum use of its airplanes, tanks, motorized Infantry, Artillery and Supply. The light mechanized divisions are composed of: Motorcycle infantry and machine guns, armored cars, light tanks, horse cavalry, horse artillery and artillery (in trucks). A heavy mechanized or Panzer Division is a mechanized force of all arms, approximately 14,000 men, with 3,000 motor vehicles of all types.

The Panzer Division has 3 echelons: (1) A reconnaissance echelon which is a motorized reconnaissance battalion with 50 armored cars, a motorcycle infantry company and supporting weapons. (2) A shock echelon organized as a tank brigade with about 450 tanks. (3) A ground holding echelon organized as a motorized infantry brigade, with two motorized infantry battalions in armored cars, one motorcycle battalion, one medium howitzer artillery regiment and appropriate engineer, signal and anti-tank units.

The motorized division is organized like the horse and foot divisions except that it contains one organic mechanized reconnaissance battalion. It is provided with one-ton half track vehicles serving the heavy infantry weapons, the heavy machine guns, mortars, infantry howitzers, and anti-tank guns. Recently, motorized and mechanized divisions have been organized into a mechanized corps consisting of two mechanized and one motorized division. Mechanized troops are infantry, artillery and cavalry which use motorized matériel in battle. Motorized troops are infantry, artillery and cavalry which use motor transport to get them to the battlefield but dismount to fight. Three-quarters of the German tanks are organized in the Panzer and light mechanized divisions. The remainder are formed into GHQ tank regiments for close infantry support. We give below the make-up of fundamental combat units as exemplified by the organization of the German Army:

The basic Infantry Division, of which the greater part of the Army is comprised, is made up of:

1 Infantry Brigade of 3 Regiments

1 Light Artillery Regiment

1 Division Reconnaissance Unit

1 Anti-tank Battalion

1 Anti-Aircraft Group

1 Pioneer Battalion

1 Signal Battalion

And administrative services.

The Infantry Regiment has:

3 Infantry Battalions

1 Intelligence Section

1 Heavy weapons Company

1 Anti-tank Company

1 Ammunition Column

The Artillery Regiment consists of:

3 Battalions of 105 mm. Howitzers

1 Battalion of 150 mm. Howitzers

Each Battalion consists of 3 batteries of 4 guns each. The anti-tank battalion has 3 companies of 13 guns each. In the field, to each anti-tank battalion is added a company of anti-aircraft guns.

The rapid conquest of most of Europe, especially of France, by the German army under this type of organization was astonishing. Germany's weapons were also the best, and her leadership was the best. The essence of the German doctrine was offensive combat, mass employment of men and matériel, boldness, aggressive spirit, surprise, ruthless exploitation, and unity of action by all arms under a single will.

Every effort was made toward helping the infantry advance. Air attacks were directed first on the enemy air force, then on routes of communication, to prevent the movement of reserves and supplies and to disrupt communication.

On May 14-15, 1940, it was aircraft which furnished the preponderance of supporting fire for infantry and armored forces attacking the Meuse; the Belgian Ardennes has few roads and these were so crowded that artillery in sufficient force could not advance. Tank battalions or regiments were sometimes employed as accompanying or supporting arms when they were needed to reduce hostile resistance and when the terrain was favorable. But they are generally used on enveloping or encircling missions, or as mobile, hard-striking, exploitation forces to push through gaps and soft spots and continue the assault deep into the enemy's rear, destroying communications, reserves and command systems, preventing retreating units from re-forming, and thus turning tactical success into strategic victory. This was shown in the Sedan-Mézières area penetrated by the combined action of all arms including tanks; after penetration one armored corps struck westward from Sedan to Rethel; another westward from Mézières-Charleville and on toward the channel. The Germans habitually devise methods and constitute combat teams appropriate to the specific mission. Special purpose units have been created such as parachute Battalions and air landing infantry. After the first surprise, the defenders were on guard and air infantry accomplished little. Cooperative effort is infused into the training of groups and individuals, so that fullest cooperation is realized among all troops and agencies. The German principle seems to be that the infantry is the main arm. 'If our aviators and tanks have succeeded in utilizing this tactical principle to such good advantage that in many places the infantry has encountered a crushed foe, it proves that our troops of all arms have been properly trained and not that the importance of the infantry mission has diminished.' (See also EUROPEAN WAR.)

Command is widely decentralized to admit of the initiative of junior subordinates. The Germans achieved their victories under favorable auspices: a superior preparation; surprise for their aircraft; scarcity of enemy weapons capable of countering the armaments in which they were chiefly superior.

THE UNITED STATES

Remedying of Military Deficiencies in the United States.

In the spring of 1940, when the Nazis took over Denmark in a day, Norway in twenty-three days, the Netherlands in five days, Belgium in nineteen days and France in thirty-eight days, a great light dawned on the United States — a fear that the British fleet might possibly be captured and that war might soon come to this hemisphere. Facts often stated by the Army and Navy were suddenly 'discovered' by the governing powers. We lacked powder factories; we needed outlying strategic bases for air power and the Navy; we lacked, in sufficient quantity, many of the raw materials needed in war industries not obtainable at home, such as tin, rubber, manganese, etc.; we were short of tanks, anti-aircraft and anti-tank guns, of the Garand semi-automatic rifle; airplanes were not being turned out with the rapidity desired and possible. The scare was widespread.

Congress, though it was an election year, appropriated tremendous sums — raised the 11 per cent increase in the Navy of $655,000,000 over four or five years to 70 per cent in naval combat tonnage, the construction cost of this huge 'two-ocean' navy to be about $5,000,000,000. Bills for increase in army and air forces brought the grand total of authorized military expenditures up to $15,000,000,000. Plans for army increases in men and matériel were greatly extended. Further reorganization shown desirable by experiences of the European War was accomplished. Recruiting for the armed forces was too slow to meet the apparent needs of the services.

Conscription, as used in the first World War, was contemplated, discussed, found popular and passed with little opposition; both political parties favored it, and also the giving of all possible help to England, short of war. Men between the ages of 21 and 35 inclusive were registered — about 17,000,000. From these are being chosen increments needed to form an army of about 1,300,000. Land has been purchased for maneuver grounds and cantonments are being constructed. The National Guard was called out for a year's practice in maneuvers and training. (See NATIONAL GUARD.) Practically the whole regular army is constantly in maneuver camps. Puerto Rico was largely reinforced and air and naval bases were established in Alaska. Sites for air and naval bases were obtained from England and are being established in Newfoundland, Bermuda and several other points covering Panama Canal defense.

The Fleet: America's First Line of Defense.

Our Navy, according to Secretary of the Navy Knox, is the most powerful in the world and a 'blue water' navy ready to fight at once. The new bases acquired from England and now being equipped, the new Puerto Rican base and the air and naval bases in Alaska and the Aleutian Islands render our sea defense much more powerful than it was a year ago. Our largest battleship, 45,000 tons, will not be finished and ready for joining the fleet before 1943-45. Japan's fleet is not built for long-distance war and little threat seems expected in the Pacific. To help guard the United States until the fleet is ready in the Atlantic, the Navy, with the assistance of Army long-range bombers, relies on huge new warplanes to patrol the Atlantic. These planes can fly half way to Europe in search of enemy surface craft, send back by wireless alarm of any hostile threat and make attacks on enemy ship concentrations and aviation depots. These naval planes are coming off the assembly line in large volume. Huge contracts are in the process of execution for long-range patrol bombers for quick production pending the completion of our two-ocean Navy. Bases acquired from the British under the destroyers trade deal (Newfoundland, Bermuda, the Bahamas, Jamaica, Antigua, Santa Lucia and British Guiana) and probably other bases which will become available in Latin America, in addition to ports under the American flag, will be used by the new fleet of bombers. These new flying boats are much like the clipper planes flying between the United States and Portugal. They have only about one half the tonnage, but carry heavy defensive armament and a formidable load of bombs at a cruising speed of over 200 m.p.h. Even if half the patrol bomber output is sent to the British, several hundred will be ready for hemisphere defense in the next twelve months.

The new 20-ton Martin planes are being produced very rapidly. In addition to being exceptionally fast, the Martins, known as PBM-1, have wings that thrust upward from the root to place engines and propellers out of reach of the water in rough seas. Armor for crew protection surrounds the bridge and gun stations. An improved system of storing and dropping bombs is installed. Self-sealing gasoline tanks are insurance against fire from bullet punctures or loss of fuel.

A third series of locks is under construction at the Panama Canal Zone, which is guarded by a system of anti-aircraft batteries, coastal artillery, and planes.

The Air Force: America's Second Line of Defense.

The present German air force was built primarily to fight in Europe. To hop across the Atlantic from West Africa and seize South American bases, the Germans would have to build suitable planes. A new building program is a question of years rather than months. If in our defense naval vessels were insufficient, long range bombers would have to be depended upon to break up a German cross-sea movement. Our ship-based air force, which is considered to be the best in the world, could leap Central America to reinforce our Army planes on either side of the continent and in addition to reinforce the Navy's shore-based, long-range patrol bombers which have a cruising radius of over 1,000 miles.

The method of command of our Army and Navy air forces is approved by the best officers of both units after years of study and experience, reinforced by the lessons of the present European War. The British, recognizing the deficiencies of their method of air command, are giving the army its own aviation unit, but are not creating a special army air arm like that of the Royal Navy. There has been lack of coordination between the Army and the R.A.F. coming from lack of understanding of each other's needs, requirements and problems. The Germans got maximum service out of their air force by utilizing it synchronously with the navy during the invasion of Norway and as an attacking arm of the army in Flanders and in France. When French and British planes were off raiding with inconclusive results, the famed German Stukas were dive-bombing the Allied front lines, making or clearing break-through holes (in the manner of superior artillery) for the tanks, the men of the Panzer Divisions, and the Infantry in trucks or on foot. In the United States Army the Air Force is under the Commander of the armies in the field, as it should be. It can be used on important missions of great distance and for long periods, but when vital battles are being fought by the ground forces, no airman should be left to decide whether or not he should participate. In addition to carrying out its own long-range missions, under direction of the Commander of the armies, our air service must act with the ground troops in a single well disciplined team. The battles in France proved the air force must be used as an adjunct of the Infantry, assisted by tanks and artillery, if maximum results are to be obtained. The bomber has this advantage over artillery: it can range farther and break up concentrations beyond the range of artillery formed or forming for counterattack.

The Army: America's Third Line of Defense.

On July 1, 1940, the United States Regular Army totaled 270,000 officers and men, with 251,000 others in the partially trained National Guard. The United States suddenly awakened to the fact that we must have a trained and adequate army at home to take over in case of disaster or injury to the Fleet or Air Force. One great lesson of the German blitzkrieg of Europe is not to put trust in only one kind of defense or attack weapon, but to have something of everything in proportion indicated by the situation in space and time. Each weapon has its power but also its limitations. The Germans provided all the weapons of attack so that another might come into action before the limitations of the preceding one, or ones, were felt. They did not believe an all-out bombing attack would win a war in a few days. They used the airplane not only as a bomber of distant objectives but for reconnaissance, for troop transport, and finally as a substitute and supplement for light artillery, machine guns and heavy artillery. Instead of depending on an artillery barrage to prepare the way for troops, the Germans sent dive-bombing Stukas out as their first offensive wave. But since the Stukas could not hold ground the tanks and armored cars had to come into action, sometimes in advance of foot (and motorized) Infantry, sometimes through holes already opened by the Infantry moving behind the Stukas. But tanks, too, have their limitations: they can be cornered and put out of action unless overtaken and protected by the Infantry. So the Germans moved their Infantry in trucks when roads and available trucks permitted and also trained two million of them to endure long marches, under pack, and fight on foot with rifle, mortar and hand grenade. Even the armored, or Panzer Divisions had, besides 450 tanks and armored cars, a brigade of Infantry. This Infantry was carried on motorcycles or trucks, but had to be prepared to fight on foot.

Our Army is now being expanded as fast as possible in accordance with these principles. Conscription, now in effect, will in five years provide us a trained reserve of about 5,000,000. The Regular Army has again been largely increased. The National Guard has been called into service for a year's training. Airplanes, tanks, anti-aircraft guns, anti-tank guns, heavier artillery, new mortars, munitions of all sorts are being produced at the greatest speed. Thousands of factories are going full blast, many working three shifts a day. New factories are being built.

The Army has been reorganized to profit by the lessons of the European War. Commanders and staffs have been designated for the four armies and given training duties to prepare for field service. Corps Area staffs do the 'housekeeping,' supply and administration, to leave the troops free for training.

In addition to the 1st and 2nd armored divisions, two more have been organized, and six more are to be organized later. Ten new tank battalions are to be formed for G.H.Q. reserve. In the new Infantry Regiment an Anti-tank Company replaces the Antitank platoon — a division reconnaissance troop is added. The quota of 81 mm. mortars and 50 caliber machine guns has been doubled. Three active 60 mm. mortars are assigned to each Infantry Company. The Field Artillery of the Division is organized into a Group Headquarters and Headquarters Battery and four self-contained Battalions (3 direct support Battalions) to be armed with 105 mm. howitzers, the 4th Battalion with 155 mm. howitzers. The General Support Battalion contains an Anti-tank Battery of eight 75 mm. guns.

Further Defense Measures.

Aside from our schools for training quickly and efficiently new officers or those in need of refresher courses, we are now turning out munitions at a fast rate.

The planes we have sent to England have proven excellent in many respects, but the English have found means of increasing the fire power and added machine guns, gun turrets and landing gear more suited to the rough landings forced by combat, as well as larger caliber guns when necessary.

British officers in the United States are giving us the benefit of their experience. Captured German planes are taken apart and studied, and valuable improvements are copied. From them such devices as the self-sealing gasoline tank and increased armor to protect the crew have been obtained. New research laboratories are aiding in the quest for improved weapons. A new 790-foot, 400-mile per hour wind tunnel gives the engineers far more accurate data on certain aerial research problems than the former smaller models. Pursuit ships are tested for speed, dive performance and maneuverability; bombers for speed, long-range performance and bomb-carrying capacity; transport ships for load carrying and range.

A Parachute Battalion has been organized and is in training, soon to be followed by practice in moving large forces of Infantry by troop-carrying airplanes. A plane capable of carrying over 100 soldiers is nearing completion.

Among military problems being studied are the camouflage of airdromes, the creation of artificial fog and chemical smoke, and methods of camouflaging anti-aircraft guns, artillery emplacements, tank-traps, and even planes. (See also PHOTOGRAPHY.)

As the United States is securing the most modern airplanes, anti-aircraft guns, anti-tank guns and artillery, so the tanks now being turned out are completely equipped and up-to-date. Ample armored forces are planned for the new army which may require many more than the 6,000 tanks now contracted for or about to be contracted for.

The armored forces will comprise motorcycles of a new design; new and more powerful Diesel-driven tanks armed with 75 mm. guns; two new types of armored personnel carriers; 105 mm. howitzers towed by half tracks, and many types of armored vehicles hitherto unknown in this country.

The expansion to four armored Divisions and ten G.H.Q. tank battalions as scheduled means a strength of 84,000 men and 20,000 vehicles. Each of the 4 armored Divisions to be complete within the next 12 months will have 11,500 men, 19,000 weapons, 2,500 vehicles. Of these vehicles about 400 will be light and medium tanks in ratio of 1 medium to 2.5 light. Each of the G.H.Q. tank battalions has about 54 light or medium tanks and 600 officers and men.

An armored force school is now in operation and has 225 officers and 1,668 enlisted men in specialty courses of from one to three months. About February 1, 1941, the school was expanded to about 5,000 students and was graduating 500 men a week as motorcycle riders, tank engine mechanics, radio operators, and other skilled military personnel.