Bradley Testifies
U. S. Not Ready
For Showdown
MacArthur’s Proposals
Would Involve 9 At
Wrong Time and Place
WASHINGTON, ifiP)—Geaewrt
Omar Bradley testified Tuesday
the United States is oat ready
for a “showdown” with Russia
and would not risk world conflict
by adopting Gen. MacArthur’s
Korean war proposals.
Making plain he considers Rus
sia (to be this country’s real foe,
Bradley said MacA®thur’s pro
posals for direct blows at Red
China “would involve us in (the
wrong war, at (the wrong place,
at the wrong time and with the
wrong enemy.”
Bradley, chairman of the Joint
Chiefs of Staff, told senators he
knows some critics are “impa
tient” with the administration’s
plan to fight a limited war in
Korea and are calling for a
“showdown” with the Soviet
Union. Bradley then added:
“From a purely military view
point, -this is not desirable. We
are not in the best military posi
tion to seek a showdown, even if
it were the nation’s desire to for
feit the chances for peace by pre
cipitating a total war.”
Bradley also said the joint
chiefs — top military planners of
the Army, Navy and Air Force—
believe Gen. Mac Arthur’s propos
als would increase “the risk of
global war.”
He declared, too, that they are
in a better position than MacAr
thur to assess the risk of general
war and to judge of the country’s
military resources.
Bradley forecast that some crit
ics would say, “Why are the joint
chiefs of staff advertising the fact
that we are not militarily in a
position to have a showdown”
with Russia.
“Our capabilities are not un
known to the Communists,” he
went on. “They are apt students
of military power, and fully real
ize that although we are not pre
pared to deliver any ultimatum,
we could hurt them badly if they
attacked us or our friends. They
also know that with our potential,
and the strength of our allies, in
the long run they could not win
a war with a United States that
is alert, and continuously pre
pared.”
He added: “Korea, in spite of
the importance of the engagement,
must be looked upon with proper
perspective. It is just one engage
ment—just one phase of this bat
tle that we are having with the
other power center in the world
which opposes us and all we
stand for.”
“As costly as Berlin and Greece
and Korea may be ,t.hey are less
expensive than the vast destruc
tion which would be inflicted
upon all sides if a total war were
precipitated.”
IK.K. I
Public Library |
Open <j>
Fridays—7:30 to 0:00 P#M* |
Saturdays—2:30 to 4:00 P.M. x
"*>•
... . CJ
%
*
k
■
i
• .*
. .
••
Say what you like about Americans vast power to produce
. . . tanks, aircraft carriers, howitzers, bombers, steel. Talk
about assembly lines and drawing boards . . . rockets and
guided missiles. They re all vital. We could not win
without them.
But there is one thing more important still.
Weapons are useless without the fighting man who can use
them ... the American fighting man, with his long tradition
of stubborn courage that has won so often against black odds.
Weapons are useless without the combat soldier, the sailor,
%
the airman, the marine . .. the man who takes them where
freedom is threatened. He is the man of the year . . . the
American fighting man whose stand against aggression hai
given new hope to millions, everywhere in the world.
On this Armed Forces Day, we salute this man of the year
... the American fighting man, powered by the same quiet
determination that brought his ancestors through many
dark days in (he past.
Without him . .. arms would be useless steel.
. \
* » / * m .
ARMY-NAVY* AIR FORCE* MARINES
Vefenders of Freedom f
• , ^
NORTHERN COMMERCIAL COMPANY
CARRINGTON & COMPANY
NOME DRUG STORE
NOME HARDWARE