General MacArthur's programme was based on the thesis. that the Islands could be defended through a mass training programme in which every man would be a potential fighter. But the anomaly of the situation became apparent after, the Nazi invasion of the Low Countries lest May. Even though the islands Dossossed a huge trained army, this Would be helpless unless equipped with modern. arms. 'The. Philippine Army possesses a "navy" composed two 5-foot torpedo boats, a flying force of about 35 small planes, and rhe large coastal guns. Sr. Quezon frankly" doubted "his' government ould afford the cost of the armaments necessary to defend 7,000 islands.
First step in the new programme of ce-operation between the U.S. Army und the Commonwealth's armed forces was the announcement that the Philippine Army was strong. thening its forees in Mindanao, large island at the southern extremity of the arehiepelago and tess than 100 miles from Dutch Borneo. The US. Army maintain only a. small force Mindanao at' Petlit™ Barracks, Zamboanga.
Coineidental with, the revision of the Commonwealth's military. programme, the US, Army has subinitially strengthened its manpower and fighting equipment in the Philippines. Prior to, this year little new ow equipment had been sent to US. Army, posts here on the theory. that American armed forces would "be withdrawn from the islands in 1940,
Text read from the printed page and cleaned; old type leaves the occasional error.