Defense: Mr. Pacific

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Ideally, the U.S. would like to see Communist China ringed by nations with stable, anti-Communist governments, effective defense forces and good advance bases for U.S. use if needed. The defense forces should be strong enough to 1) maintain internal security, deter any land invasions until U.S. forces can be brought to bear if necessary; 2) provide an air defense and early warning system that will serve as an effective screen between China and the U.S. forces in the Pacific; and 3) provide small local navies for coastal patrol and antisubmarine warfare. The ideal is far from realization.

"We are the fire brigade," says Felt.

"Our job is to provide the mobility and flexibility.'' Operating from airfields and naval bases in Japan, Okinawa and the Philippines, Felt's regular U.S. forces can swiftly apply conspicuous deterrent force whenever the Pacific pot begins to boil.

As the Communists take any overt action, the fleet, the Marines, the Army and the Air Force, moving up like cavalry to positions along the island chain from the Philippines to Japan, may serve their purpose merely by their presence.

But to be effective, the threat must be no mere bluff. While the "forward strategy" forces move up, the plan calls for a major movement of men, planes and ships to advance bases, where supplies are already stockpiled.

Northern Threat. Felt's major full-scale threat lies to the north. In the north, from its Maritime province, the U.S.S.R.

operates its fleet of more than 100 submarines in the Pacific. Red planes, armed with nuclear weapons, can reach out to Korea and Japan or beyond to other U.S.

bases. North Korean armies—this time backed by aircraft operating from a fine complex of North Korean airfields—stand ready to sweep down the Korean peninsula.

In opposition, the South Koreans now field a large (535,000-man), effective army, U.S.-trained, U.S.-equipped, and led by U.S. General Carter Magruder (whose own First Cavalry and Seventh Infantry Divisions are manned 15% by Koreans).

The small Korean coastal navy is efficient.

In Japan, under the new Ikeda government, the 200,000-man self-defense force is steadily growing in capability. The Japanese navy, its biggest vessels destroyer-sized, is training toward the day when it will be able to seal the Sea of Japan against Russian subs from Vladivostok.

Japan's air defense radar system, with new U.S. equipment, is now 90% manned by Japanese. Japan is turning out Lockheed F-104 Starfighters in a large step toward self-sufficiency in air defense. Only the imponderables of political upheaval might upset the timetable.

Farther south. Okinawa (residually Japanese but U.S.-held) is an indispensable base and an integral part of the coastal radar screen. In any Communist offensive from the north, Okinawa would be a certain target of Red bombers. Okinawa's defense against high-flying bombers is excellent, and holes in its low-level defenses are being plugged.