The New York Times Book of World War II, 1939-1945
Page 65
JANUARY 26, 1942
RUSSIAN UNIFORMS KEEP OUT THE COLD
High Boot of Felt Is Regarded as Important Factor In Red Army’s Winter Gains
Special Cable to The New York Times.
MOSCOW, Jan. 25—The battle dress that is serving the Russian Army so well this winter provides a maximum of warmth with a minimum of handicap to freedom of movement.
Most important from the viewpoint of warmth are the Russians’ knee-high boots of thick felt—“valenki”—which many foreign military observers regard as a prime factor in the present Russian victories. These boots, which appear to be clumsy and shapeless, are made of a single piece of quarter-inch-thick felt and nothing more. One weighs about a pound and a half. Soldiers wear no socks beneath the boots, but bind their feet in cloth. The valenki give excellent protection when soldiers are standing or sitting. The snow is dry during most of the Winter, so the boots do not get wet.
Soldiers on the move sling their felt boots around their neck and wear high boots that are slightly higher in front than in back and are relatively light, weighing a little more than a pound apiece. They are very broad in the toe and give the Russian soldier on the march a somewhat ungainly pace, but they undoubtedly are highly practical. Many men wear an extra sole inside the leather boots, which are called “sapogi.”
Red Army breeches are of quilted kapok or padded with down, and they vary in weight according to the passing. They keep warm the vital part of the leg just above the knee, which, if chilled, seems to affect the whole body. Underneath the breeches are worn coarse trousers of no particular standard quality or weight.
Over his vest and tunic the Red Army man wears a sheepskin jacket—“shuba.” The jacket used in action is about knee length, but longer ones are issued for other activities. The jacket, with the wool inside, weighs about nine pounds and is a comfortable garment. It is rather tight at the waist, but loose in the shoulders.
The Red Army fur hat varies in weight, the average being twenty ounces, but the design is standard. The hat is basin-shaped and it is thickly padded. There are broad flaps that may be worn turned up and tied over the top of the head, or turned down to cover the ears and cheeks and tied under the chin. Most of the hats are lined with lamb’s wool, but some are lined with thick woolen cloth. Officers’ hats, while no warmer than those worn by the men, are more smartly finished.
Gloves are not standardized. They are made of cloth or leather and have wool lining. The soldiers sometimes wear their own woolen gloves or mittens underneath the Army gloves, just as they often wear their own pullover sweaters.
Red Army troops in 1942.
JANUARY 27, 1942
ASSAILS NEGRO BLOOD BAN
Special to The New York Times.
ALBANY, Jan. 26—Assemblyman William T. Andrews, a Negro, read on the floor of the Assembly tonight a letter signed by E. Sloan Colt, from the Red Cross national headquarters in Washington, explaining why the Red Cross was refusing to accept blood from Negro donors for war purposes.
The letter stated that sufficient blood was being obtained from white donors and in view of the prejudices held by some against Negro blood, the Red Cross had adopted this policy, even though “there is no known difference in the physical properties of white and Negro blood.”
Mr. Andrews assailed the policy as a violation of the spirit of democracy.
The Assembly passed and sent to the Governor the Hanley bill permitting corporations to make contributions to the Red Cross.
JANUARY 28, 1942
SAYS MILLION WOMEN ARE NEEDED FOR WAR
WASHINGTON, Jan. 27 (AP)—More than 1,000,000 women will be needed as skilled workers in America’s arms and munitions plants this year, Sidney Hill-man, labor director of the War Production Board, estimated today.
“Airplanes can sink battleships,” Mr. Hillman said in a statement. “Women can build airplanes. War is calling on the women of America for production skills. The President has stated it is the policy of this government to speed up existing production by operating all war industries on a seven-day-a-week basis.
“Women will be called to work on the production of war materials in greater numbers than ever before.
“Women can do almost anything in wartime production. Here, as in England, they are already employed in airplane plants, ammunition plants, ordnance, fuse and powder plants.”
Mr. Hillman’s office has estimated that war industries will have to take on some 10,000,000 more workers this year, in addition to the 5,000,000 already employed, if war production goals are to be met.
Women were urged by Mr. Hill-man to prepare themselves immediately for the jobs they may have to take over. He called attention to the government’s defense training programs and State employment services and urged women with factory experience to register with the latter as soon as possible.
Twenty-year-old Annie Tabor working a lathe at a large Midwest supercharger plant, making parts for aircraft engines in 1942.
JANUARY 31, 1942
BRITISH CONCEDE FALL OF BENGAZI
Report Evacuation In Face of Superior Axis Force, Which Has Seized Many Supplies
By JOSEPH M. LEVY
Special Cable to The New York Times.
CAIRO, Egypt, Jan. 30—Despite courageous fighting by Indian troops, the jaws of a German pincers operation closed on Bengazi yesterday. Apparently greatly reinforced within the last few days, the Germans threw such numbers of tanks and mechanized infantry into the fray that British Imperial units in the immediate vicinity found themselves heavily outnumbered.
It is believed that before Bengazi was evacuated the Indians destroyed most of the supplies kept there. However, some anxiety is felt for the Seventh Indian Brigade, which was fighting south of the city, and part of it may have been caught in a German trap.
Using considerable numbers of tanks, two heavy Nazi columns had attacked the Seventh Indian Brigade well south of Bengazi. The strength of the attackers was so greatly superior that by Wednesday the Indians had to give ground. They fought bravely and clung to each position, but eventually they were driven back into the vicinity of the city itself.
DRIVE TO COAST ROAD
Meanwhile an even stronger Axis force reached Er Regima, sixteen miles east of Bengazi, and by nightfall Wednesday held the coast road north of the city. The Fourth Indian Division, which remained in Bengazi, was thus put into a dangerous position and it withdrew in a northeasterly direction, escaping the Nazi pincers but leaving Bengazi open for Axis occupation.
The Germans have yet to meet the large British forces operating outside the immediate region of the captured city, but considering Field Marshal Erwin Rommel’s tendencies toward optimism, it is held likely that he will attempt to move farther eastward, even at the expense of another battle.
The British lost considerable amounts of material and supplies, and the Germans picked up enough British gasoline to free them temporarily from pressing supply difficulties.
Yet Marshal Rommel’s achievement in capturing Bengazi is regarded as being of scant use except to help protect his northern flank if he chooses to attempt to fight his way eastward across the desert. The ease with which Bengazi itself may be outflanked by desert operations makes its value doubtful.
MEKILI MORE VALUABLE
The British will not give up Mekili, which, much more than Bengazi, controls the Jebel el-Achdar range, without a fierce struggle, and Marshal Rommel will have a considerable communications problem if he risks an assault. Whether he will try an immediate advance depends on the extent of his reinforcements, which, though quite enough to have overwhelmed the Bengazi defenders, may be insufficient to cope with the tremendous obstacles of a long desert advance.
A substantial German force still remains in the Msus area, between Bengazi and Mekili, but activity there yesterday was confined to patrol fighting. German detachments patrolling northeastward from Msus met British patrols and withdrew. The German units in this area probably will form the spearhe
ad of the Nazi drive if Marshal Rommel has not given up the idea of reaching the Egyptian frontier area.
JANUARY 29, 1942
U-BOATS CAUSE TEXAS BLACKOUT
Shipping Warned to Remain in Ports—Enemy Craft Signal in Gulf of Mexico
CORPUS CHRISTI, Texas, Jan. 28 (UP)—A complete blackout of a 100-mile strip of the Texas coast was ordered for tonight following an announcement by Captain Alva D. Bernhard, commander of the naval air station here, that two Axis submarines were reported operating off the South Texas coast.
One submarine was seen lying on the surface of the Gulf of Mexico fifteen miles south of Port Aransas by United States patrol craft. It submerged within ten minutes after another submarine, about four miles to the east, had released a smoke bomb to warn the first U-boat. The second vessel submerged almost immediately, it was said.
A patrol of twenty-one naval planes was established at once from the Corpus Christi base and Army planes from interior Texas points were ordered to the area.
The blackout was ordered from Rockport to a point thirty miles south of Corpus Christi.
Captain Bernhard said he was authorized by the Navy Department to release the information but that any further details would have to come from Washington. He said the submarines were “probably German.”
The first announcement of the presence of a submarine was issued at Port Arthur by Commander R. R. Ferguson, naval port director there, who warned shipping that a U-boat had been sighted fifteen miles off Aransas Pass. The pass leads between two shoals into Aransas Bay, fifty miles from here, and is 130 miles north of the southernmost tip of Texas.
Commander Ferguson said it had not been determined that the submarine was an “enemy” ship, “but it may be presumed it was.”
Shipping in this area alongshore is generally quite heavy and prior to the United States’ entry into the war hundreds of tankers put out from Texas seaports.
FEBRUARY 2, 1942
QUISLING RECEIVES TITLE OF PREMIER
German Commissar Terboven Installs Head Of the Puppet Government of Norway
By BERNARD VALERY
By Telephone to The New York Times.
STOCKHOLM, Sweden, Feb. 1—Major Vidkun Quisling was today proclaimed Premier of Norway by Reich Commissar Joseph Terboven. The new title did not change anything in Major Quisling’s status as puppet.
Symbolically, the ceremony took place in the sixteenth-century Aker fort of Oslo, which the Germans are using as a military headquarters and on the ramparts of which they execute Norwegians sentenced by their courts-martial.
The Norwegian capital was thronged with subordinate Quislings who came from every part of the country. All the larger hotels and houses were requisitioned for their use. There was but one exception. The building of the Royal Norwegian Automobile Club is occupied by the commander of the German troops in Norway, Col. Gen. Nikolaus von Falkenhorst, who, it is rumored, refused to allow one Quislingist in his residence.
OFFERS SUPPORT FOR ACTION
According to the summary of Commissioner Terboven’s speech issued by the Norwegian Telegraph Agency, he “produced hitherto documentary proof that Bishop Einar Berggrav of Oslo declared before the war that Britain was the enemy of Norwegian neutrality, while Germany was its friend.” Thereby, said Herr Terboven, the Bishop proved himself “a typical classical Crown witness in the question of the absolute righteousness of the policy of the Nasjonal Samling [Nazi party].
Apart from the fact that Bishop Berggrav is in no position today to confirm or deny the authenticity of this “documentary proof,” observers here point out that he led the joint protest of all Norwegian Bishops against the policies of the Samling, that courageously he has continued the struggle and that Quislingists make no secret of their intention to have his head at the first opportunity.
The German commissioner further compared the struggle for power of the German National Socialists with the attitude of Major Quisling’s party. He ended by declaring that “today this movement—the Nasjonal Samling—even from a purely numerical point of view is the strongest Norway has ever had.”
It is asserted here that the Quisling party membership does not exceed 30,000 while the old Social Democratic party in Norway had a minimum of 125,000 members.
QUISLING THANKS HITLER
Speaking in German, Major Quisling thanked “on behalf of the entire Norwegian people” Reichsfuehrer Hitler and Herr Terboven “for the under-standing they have shown for the deepest desire of the Norwegian people.” Then, in Norwegian, he turned toward his countrymen and said among other things that “our movement is the only lawful Norwegian authority” and that “the foremost aim of the national government is to make peace with Germany.”
As for Sweden, Major Quisling declared that as soon as possible a change would be made in the abnormal relations by which Sweden represents the “emigre government” in protecting Norwegian interests in foreign countries. But he promised to follow an “honest and sober policy” toward Sweden.
Observers here say that the whole ceremony was entirely unconstitutional. Major Quisling was not appointed Prime Minister by the King nor did he receive a vote of confidence from the legal parliament.
Herr Terboven, who apparently will remain in Norway as chief of the German civilian administration and Major Quisling’s adviser, will continue to rule the country from the background. It is presumed that, realizing that the struggle against Norwegian opposition will become more bitter, the Germans have decided to have Major Quisling ready as an eventual scapegoat.
Vidkun Quisling, Premier of Norway’s puppet government.
FEBRUARY 15, 1942
10 WEEKS OF PACIFIC WAR SHOW JAPAN UNCHECKED
Tottering Singapore Gives Foe Access to Rich Indies And Indian Ocean
By HANSON W. BALDWIN
WASHINGTON, Feb. 14—Ten weeks ago today at Pearl Harbor the Japanese won their first major victory of the war. Last week, as thousands of fanatical little fighters swarmed across the Johore Strait on to Singapore Island they had won their second great victory—one with unpredictable implications—and the second phase of the Pacific war was ending with the Malay barrier breached and the strategic picture for the United Nations somber with defeat.
Within ten weeks the Japanese have swept to astounding triumphs. The bitter cup of the United Nations is almost full. But not to overflowing. For, to put it baldly—and that is what the people of the United Nations need, bald, frank, pitiless truth—the worst is yet to come.
There can now be no doubt that we are facing perhaps the blackest period in our history. The escape of the Scharnhorst and Gneisenau, the success of the German drive in Libya, which is developing into a determined and ruthless offensive, the impending Nazi offensive in Russia, and the increase in ship sinkings in the Atlantic add to the gloom of the Pacific picture. But the threats in Europe are still largely potential; in the Pacific the headlines of the newspapers have recorded their actuality.
ORIENT PICTURE IS BLACK
Singapore was the keystone of the Malay barrier. Amboina, advanced naval and air station for Surabaya in Netherland Java, has gone. Most of the ports of Borneo, with their oil fields, are in enemy hands. The Celebes have gone. The Japanese have forced a crossing of the Salween River line in Burma and are on the road to Rangoon. The picture in the Orient is black.
Singapore’s chief importance was not only as a key bastion in the Malay barrier. It was the only major naval and air base available to the United Nations in the entire Far East. Its value in this respect had been largely nullified ever since the Japanese offensive down the Malay Peninsula drove within fighter-plane range of the $400,000,000 base.
But not only was it thought to be a strong point defensively in the Malay barrier line, but as long as it remained in the hands of the United Nations it was a potential springboard for offensive operations against Japan, the kind of operations that alone bring victory. It was the only port between Calcutta, India, and Sydney, Australia, that had
drydocks large enough to accommodate large men-of-war—battleships and carriers—and it possessed at least four air fields.
DRYDOCK MAY BE SAVED
The British may have been able to save something from the wreckage of disaster. The drydocks may have been towed to safety rather than destroyed. But the possibility is unlikely.
As it is, Surabaya, a second-class naval and air base on the island of Java, is now the only principal base available in the theatre of operations, and it has already been bombed several times. And Java is now the final citadel of Dutch resistance in the Netherlands Indies.
It is the most heavily defended of the Indies; there are probably the equivalent of two to four divisions, plus supporting troops (Netherland and native) on the island, and the principal Netherlands Indies air bases and air forces are there. The small forces of the Netherlands Indies Navy and of our Far Eastern naval forces are available for its defense, and behind it lies Port Darwin and the great subcontinent of Australia, now becoming a base of supplies for our Far Eastern operations.
British soldiers taken prisoner by the Japanese in Singapore, 1942.
FEBRUARY 9, 1942
Editorial
THIS IS AN AIR WAR
The American Army alone, it is announced, plans to create a 2,000,000-man air force. Such an Army air force would compare with a reported strength of 1,000,000 to 1,250,000 in the Nazi Luftwaffe and of about 1,000,000 in the British R.A. F. In addition to the Army’s plans. the Navy is preparing an immense air arm of its own.