Saturday, March 11, 1944
CLOUDBUSTER
Page Three
Russian Annies
Contme March
By Ens. W. 0. Shanahan, USNR
Academic Department
The close of the third winter of
War on the eastern front finds the
Russian armies on the point of
driving the enemy from the last
bit of conquered Russian soil. More
than half a million square miles
of Russian territory had been held
by the Germans; less than a fifth
of this terrain now remains in
their possession. Yet wars can
not be won by the mere reconquest
of territory. The object of any
campaign is the destruction of the
enemy’s armed forces.
However, the loss of territory,
particularly if it contains valu
able resources, industries, or a
sizable population, may weaken
the enemy and contribute to his ul
timate defeat. And territorial con
quests may aggravate political
problems. If the Germans are
forced out of the Baltic states
their military support of Finland
might be weakened sufficiently to
permit a negotiated Finnish-Rus-
sian peace treaty. Nor is the ap
proach of the Russian army to the
Balkans calculated to calm that
long-troubled area. While these
prospects would undoubtedly con
tribute something to the Russian
^ar effort, only the defeat of Ger
man arms can bring the war in
Europe to an end.
Despite their steady westward
progress the Russian armies have
not been able to win a decisive
battle over the German army or to
inflict upon it a defeat comparable
that of Stalingrad. Nor has the
Soviet High Command been able
to break the unity of the German
Armies. This circumstance should
Serve to reemphasize the fact that
^be final overthrow of Germany’s
military system now depends upon
I'be success of the Anglo-American
invasion. Although the role of the
Soviet forces has been heroic, the
destruction of Germany’s armies
^"Wraits the full employment of
•^nglo-American power.
Neither of the giant opponents
®n the eastern front has been able
^ carry out its basic strategy. In
^941 the Germans hoped to de
stroy the Red army by a Blitzkrieg
unprecedented size and fury.
This method faltered when the
^nssian war industry and army
reserves made up the colossal
bosses suffered in the first six
Months of the war, and it failed
RUSSIAN ARMIES, page U
Undefeated in Winter Sports Program
UNDEFEATED IN 11 STARTS, the Mustang swimming team, pic
tured above, compiled the best record in the Winter Sports Program
just completed. First row, left to right: Cadets I. F. Crozier, J.
Jacobs, J. W. Woods, Ensign C. A. Miller, USNR, Squadron Director,
Lt. (jg) R. H. Paugh, USNR, swimming coach, and Cadets W. A.
Schafer, and V. L. Smith. Second row, left to right: Cadets H. F.
Ehlers, T. S. Gup, J. L. Kaufman, J. J. Ryan, B. F. Ewell, V. H.
Huston, F. X. Graves, and R. E. St. Clair. Third row, left to right:
P. G. Brady, S. Schoenberger, L. H. Burton, D. M. Keagy, A. R.
Fiorini, N. Banuard, L. Wanthouse, J. Keith, and D. P. Amidon.
... So0/( Review.,.
The Navy at War; Paintings
AND Drawings by Combat Ar
tists, Commentary by Hanson
Baldwin, William Morrow and
Company, N. Y., 1943, 160 pp.,
$4.00.
Five American artists were
commissioned and sent into thea
tres of action of the U. S. Navy
all over the world. They are Lt.
Comdr. G. B. Coale, Lt. D. C.
Shepler, Lt. Wm. F. Draper, Lt.
(jg) Mitchell Jamieson, Lt. A. K.
Murray, all U. S. N. R. The ar
tists convey more than the cold
detail of photographs, and trans
mit the feeling and spirit of the
action. Many of the pictures are
scenes in cabin and crew quarters,
on deck and on dock, which the
photographers pass by as common
place; they convey as much of the
Navy in action as the battle pic
tures themselves.
The drawings and oil paintings
cover scenes which range from
Marines in the jungle to Navy
gunners on the tundras of the
Aleutians, soldiers embarking in
New York to Arab coal passers
scuttling up the stone stairways
of the Oran waterfront. A two-
page spread is the mural by Lt.
Comdr. G. B. Coale, USNR, for
the Naval Academy, depicting the
bombing of the Jap carriers at
Midway. Another interesting
panorama by the same artist is
Pearl Harbor, with the ships in
position being attacked, on that
fateful morning.
Hanson Baldwin has given a
running account of the campaigns,
together with a brief account of
the battles which marked the
turning points. The average
reader for the first time will get a
comprehensive idea of the air and
sea actions near the Solomons
from August to December 1942.
The background and accomplish
ments of Midway, North African
invasion’, convoy and submarijie,
are set forth with an appreciation
of the difficulties overcome and
the great results to follow. A later
book will no doubt portray the
taking of the Gilbert, Marshall,
and Caroline Islands, together
with the Marines marking down
the streets of Tokyo.
This book, and scores of others
equally stirring, are at the War
Information Desk, University Li
brary; they may be taken out for
three days by officers and cadets
of the Pre-Flight School.
—R. E. C.
42nd Battalion
To Dance Tonight
In Pine Room
A Senior Battalion Dance for
members of the 42nd Battalion will
be held in the Pine Room of Lenoir
Hall this evening starting at 2100.
Music will be furnished by the
swing section of the Pre-Flight
band, and refreshments will be
served.
Dancing will end at 2400, and
liberty for the 42nd has been ex
tended to 0030, with taps coming
at 0045. Uniform for the cadets
will be service dress blue, able.
Cadets Ney, Ashley
Highest in 41st
Cadets K. C. Ney and E. Ash
ley, of 41-J-2, tied for highest in
dividual academic honors in the
41st Battalion with an average of
3.69. H. P. Cauchon, also 41-J-2,
was close behind with 3.67.
The highest grades in Naviga
tion were shared by Cadets L. P.
R. Huard, 41-1-1, and Ney with a
course average of 3.89.
In Communications, the out
standing platoon in Radio was
41-1-2 with 13.8 words per minute
(7.62 per minute in Blinker).
41-J-2 was highest in Blinker with
7.82 words per minute (13.6 in
Radio).
The outstanding platoon in ENS
was 41-J-2 with an average of
3.34.
Kingfishers Pace
Sports Program
This week’s Liberty Award in
the Sports Program will go to
the squadron with the highest
total points as of today.
Through Thursday morning the
Kingfishers were ahead with 18
points, while the Skyrockets and
Wildcats were tied for second
place with 16.
Other standings gave the Buf
falos, Vindicators, and Catalinas
14 each, the Mustangs 12, the
Coronados, and Buccaneers 10,
Mariners 8, and Helldivers and
Devastators 6 apiece.
Cadet Welfare Committee
New members of the cadet Wel
fare and Recreation Committee
chosen from the 45th Battalion are
E. T. Broadhurst, C. M. Jones, W.
Jurman, G. R. Hogger, and G. J.
Schafer.
Until You Drop Bombs—
Buy Bonds