Most of us think of heavy artillery as something that
destroys lives, We don't think of it as something that can save
lives. But it is the insistence of our Army on using heavy artillery
to such a great extent, on laying down bigger, heavier barrages than
had ever been laid down before, that has made almost every operation
in this war result in fewer casualties than were expected. So what
it really boils down to, ladies and gentlemen, is more heavy guns,
more ammunition for those heavy guns, as many and as much as the
Army’ needs--Oreeemore casualties, more American boys who won't come
homes

Most of us don't know much about the use of heavy artillery.
We think of heavy artillery as guns that shoot at something a long
way off, But that isn't always true. The barrage from heavy guns
is desperately important sometimes even in close=quarters jungle
fighting.

For instance, in the jungles of the South Pacific, where the
opposing’lines are often only a couple of hundred yards apart-~
two long, irregular lines of soldiers in fox-holes-=Americans on
one side--Japs on the other. Earlier in the war it was the prac- ’
tice of our Army to lay down a heavy barrage on the Jap's foxholes,
and then send our troops in to clean up what was left.

It was a good idea--except that sometimes it did not worki
Because the Japs were smart, and as soon as the barrage statted, |
the Japs would come out of their fox-holes and move forward, move *
inside the barrage, so that the shells were going over their headse

So General MacArthur's artillery-men changed their methods,
and moved the’ barrage back toward the Ancrican lines, keeping pace
with the Japs. Sometimes the barrage stopped only a few yards from
the American fox-holes. It worked--but only because the American
gunnery was accurate, and the American sholls accurate--in other
words, the American shells wore well-made and well-loaded with good
powder, If they hadn't been woll made and well loaded with good
powder-~if they'd been made hurriedly in plants where there wasn't
enough labor-=théy might not have dropped exactly where they were
supposed to drope They might have dropped on Americans instead of
on JapSe

A fow minutes ago I said that unless production was steppod
up, therc would bo a shortage of heavy guns and ammunition ‘tin a
few months", I wonder how many of you were thinking, whon I said
that, "Well, the war may be over in a few months." I think a good
many people have been telling themsclves that the war might be over in a

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