U.S. At War: New Plans

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In Paris, a truck-driving G.I. read a Stars & Stripes headline: STIMSON SAYS HE'LL RECHECK TO SEE IF THE ARMY CAN BE CUT. Muttered the soldier: "He goddam better."

For G.I.s in the Pacific there was only one question: "Who occupies and who goes home?"

In Washington, the Army had stubbornly insisted right up through the atomic bombing and Russia's entry in the Pacific war that it could not cut its strength. This week the Army made some new plans. The details were not disclosed, but the post-V-J day policy lines were drawn:

¶Men with 85 points or more will be rapidly discharged. One top-ranking Army officer said that 90% of the 550,000 with 85 or more points would be out of the Army or in process of discharge within ten days.

¶ A more generous point system will be adopted (perhaps within a week).

¶Troops home from Europe and on furlough preparatory to redeployment will not be sent to the Pacific. One or two divisions already assembled on the West Coast for Pacific service will go as planned. Troops assembled in Europe for direct transport to the Pacific will come to the U.S. instead.

¶ In all, as many as 5,000,000 might get discharges within a year. An occupation army of at least 1,500,000 will be needed for Japan—under General of the Army Douglas MacArthur. Occupation in Europe will require at least 300,000 U.S. soldiers.

Selective Service had no plans, no orders. The draft will not be ended until President Truman or Congress proclaims "termination of hostilities." Best Washington guess was that such a proclamation would not be made for three months. By law, the term of a draftee lasts until six months after hostilities have ended. Thus all inductees with less than 85 points could be kept in service for nine more months, and Selective Service would keep on drafting for at least three more months.

Problem & Promise. The Navy had no immediate plan at all for demobilization. It appeared that there could be no large-scale Navy releases for at least six months. Faced with the tasks of policing great areas, of supplying and transporting, the Navy had set no time for letting men out of service. But a Navy spokesman promised: "When the time comes we'll get them out in a hell of a hurrv."