Page Four
CLOUDBUSTER
Saturday, September 18, 1943
Strategy for Victory,.,
NEW COURSE
(Continued from page one)
from the bark of certain trees and
shrubs. After cutting long, thin
pieces they wove them together and
produced a stout line which none
in the group could break apart.
They showed how birds’ claws,
certain thorns and other make
shift hooks could be easily pro
duced. They continued on into the
discussion of certain plants and
ferns which can be eaten and some
which can be cooked to make a
reasonable facsimile of the much-
publicized spinach. They talked
of capturing birds and beasts with
snares; of getting fish from big
bodies of water by using a poison
which ruins the finny tribe but
doesn’t harm them for human con
sumption.
Just how the Craigheads have
crammed all such experiences into
their young lives seems almost im
possible but the fact remains that
they have done most of the tricks
they will teach the cadets. They
go out in the woods without arms
and food and survive. In the fu
ture they plan to take a group of
cadets a “good” distance from
Chapel Hill and leave them alone
as training for the time when they
must depend on their own
resources in the South Pacific,
Burma, or some other combat area.
Their book which is expected to
be released soon covers every type
of survival. Such topics as self
preservation in hiking, living off
land and sea, general survival
hints, orientation and travel,
water and how to find it under all
conditions, plant food, animal food,
fire making, shelter, subsistence in
special areas, environmental haz
ards, and dangers from snakes and
other animals. ’
“Every jungle or area has a
different type of danger,” say the
Craigheads. “Fear—not in the air
but on being forced down—^is one
of the basic dangers of a flier. If
they know what to be on the look
out for regardless of where they
are forced down, they can take
much better care of themselves.”
Started due to the urgent need
for naval fliers, shot or forced
down in the jungles or at sea,
the new course will guide them
back to civilization and help them
sustain life whether afloat on a
raft or fighting through dense
jungles. The trio of Lt. Kepler
and the Craigheads insist it can
be done and further assert that
many aviators have hindered
rather than helped their chances
because they didn’t know the
things they will shortly be taught
here.
By Ens. W. 0. Shanahan, USNR
Academic Department
The economy of effort which
brought about Italy’s collapse re
futes completely those critics of
Roosevelt’s and Churchill’s strat
egy who have been demanding ac
tion on a larger scale. With a force
that probably totalled less than
twenty divisions both in action and
in reserve one of the major mem
bers of the Axis was eliminated.
The Anglo-American success un
derscores the military maxim that
it is wise to attempt only those
operations that are consistent with
one’s strength.
Military campaigns must be
planned months, even years, in
advance. At the time of the Casa
blanca conference, when arrange
ments for action in the Mediter
ranean were completed, operative
possibilities were limited pri
marily by the lack of shipping
space. Neither Roosevelt nor
Churchill could foresee at that
time the phenomenal success of
war against the U-Boats, which
has destroyed ninety submarines
in three months. Hence their
plans were laid on the basis of a
smaller reserve pool of shipping
than is now available.
Since the movements planned in
1942 were perforce limited in na
ture the choice of North Africa
and Italy proved extremely fortu
nate. Our invasion of the French
possessions in North Africa was
a successful follow-up of the bril
liant British campaigns of 1941
against Italian colonial posses
sions in Africa. With the occupa
tion of Eritrea, Ethiopia, and
Somaliland, Axis forces in Africa
were represented only by the Ger
man Africa Corps. Our attacks
on Algeria and Morocco were di
rected less against the French
than against Rommel’s forces
standing behind them. The first
FOOTBALL
(Continued frcm page three)
W. L. Mabee and J. E. Douglas at
the tackles, F. W. Heflin and W.
C. Learned at the guards and C.
J. Kent at center. At the wing-
back position R. F. Howard is the
choice with Paul Hart at quarter
back, W. M. Moriarta at full, and
V. L. Cleari at tailback.
All are cadets.
Ensign William C. Jarnagin,
USNR, and Lt. (jg) Glenn F.
Presnell are assisting Coach Kim
brough. Jarnagin has charge of
the line and Presnell the backfield.
fruits of the operation waged
with limited resources were the
closing of the African theater of
war and the winning of security
for our middle east communica
tions.
Political fortune played into the
hands of our strategy by dealing
German hopes for ultimate victory
a mortal blow at Stalingrad. This
first serious defeat for German
arms increased the uneasiness of
Hitler’s lesser partners and great
ly promoted Italian war weariness.
The scope of the German retreat
from the Volga seems to have re
moved what lingering optimism
remained in Italy. Meanwhile our
forces had been consolidating
themselves in north Africa and
just as the Russian tide was ebb
ing, late in the spring, we were
able to push the Africa Corps in
to the sea.
Such a combination of ill-for-
tunes for the Axis made Italy
politically ripe for invasion. The
wisdom and shrewdness of our
grand strategy was now revealed.
We stood ready on the African
shore to exploit the failure of the
Axis’ designs in Russia. War is
waged to secure political ends and
it fell our lot to carry the war
home to the Italian people and ex
tinguish their flickering spirit of
resistance.
This object was achieved with
the residue of forces from the
Tunisian campaign. What may
prove to be the master stroke of
the war was the withholding of
the great invasion armies training
in Britain. Generalship has been
defined as the art of bringing re
serves into battle at the most op
portune time. If this definition
is correct we are gathering the
threads of victory into our hands.
A paralyzing power remains to
be released and the fear of this
blow has sent the enemy scurry
ing to his defenses.
SOFTBALL
(Continued from page three)
he had failed to touch second base
—and the fight was on. The three
runs counted, which placed the
Essex out in front, four to three.
After the argument subsided into
black looks and mutterings, play
was resumed. However, neither
team scored again, and the vic
torious Essex are now gunning
for the Lexington in next week’s
game for the championship.
In a somewhat less spectacular
game, the Satellites defeated the
Hospital Corpsmen, six to two.
Cadet Picnic,
Dance Scheduled
For Next Saturday
A picnic starting at 1600 on
Fetzer Field, and continuing right
on through the evening with a
dance at Woollen Gymnasium has
been planned for next Saturday
by the Welfare and Recreation
Office.
Cadets are urged to get dates
this week end for the affair which
will be the first of its kind held
at this station.
The Welfare and Recreation of
fice has promised good food, good
entertainment, and good dancing.
Besides there is no charge, so
make plans to be there.
The picnic will take the place
of the evening meal next Satur
day. There will be no evening
formation.
In case of rain the picnic will
be in the Tin Can.
GAGLIARDl
(Continued from page one)
has sung the leading roles in many
performances of “Faust,” “Ma-
non,” “Tosca,” “Traviata,” “The
Bartered Bride,” and other operas.
Mr. Gagliardi has been assigned
to the Public Relations Depart
ment of the Army for concert work
at military points. Tonight will
mark his first appearance here.
WRESTLING
(Continued from page three) >
cadet, and this places the partici
pant on an even basis with his op
ponent. Competition is keener,
more spirited. There are less
falls.”
All cadets except those in the
29th battalion are eligible to par
ticipate in the tournament.
The eligibility rule limiting a
cadet to one sport per week will
not be enforced against any par
ticipant who is a member of
another sports team and is enter
ed in the tournament.
For week ending next Saturday
the first six squadron teams send
ing the most men into the quarter
finals will be awarded four points
each.
Wednesday Movies
“Battle of Britain,” and “Quiz-
craft No. 4” will be the featured
films at the Pre-Flight showing
in Memorial Hall next Wednes
day evening. The movies start at
1930, and all Pre-Flight personnel
are invited.