New Army

Last week the most experienced army in the Western World held its most extensive maneuvers and brought to light some impressive intentions, though less impressive facts. The Mexican Army, various factions and counter-factions of which have taken the field in a score of revolutionary outbreaks in this century alone, has now become a unified weapon dedicated to, if not ready for, the defense of Mexico from any invader.

The plan and nature of the maneuvers, which employed 11,000 troops for a fortnight, was a key to the new destiny of the Ejercito Mexicano. The imagined danger was not an uprising, not a local revolt: a foreign power was supposed to be at tempting to invade Mexico. Significantly the invasion was supposed to come from Mexico's east coast, facing the stormy Caribbean and stormier Europe, rather than the west coast, which is said to have been thoroughly explored by swarms of Japanese "fishermen." A "Red" Army was detailed to defend the 6,000-foot great central plateau surrounding Mexico City from a "Blue" Army supposedly advancing from Veracruz. The Red Army, which was supposed to win and was therefore given a slight edge in numbers and equipment, also outwitted the Blues. First Red move was to slam partly motorized infantry and cavalry into the only two eastward passes --over the massif formed by the famous volcano Popocatepetl and by Ixtacihuatl, "the Sleeping Woman"--through almost roadless, thoroughly inaccessible country.

Then, with masterful use of cavalry, the Reds outflanked the Blues, who were concentrated at the town of Puebla. The Reds feinted an attack from the south, enveloped from the north. The maneuvers ended with a tactically foolish but visually exciting sham battle on San Juan Hill, north of Puebla. As planned, the Red Army won.

In almost every town in Mexico there is a Calle de Cinco de Mayo--Street of the Fifth of May--commemorating the Battle of Puebla, May 5, 1862. In that battle a Coxey's Army of Mexican irregulars defeated well-organized French forces of Napoleon III and postponed for a year the imposition of rococo Maximilian I as Emperor of Mexico. Last week a Fifth of May parade through the streets of Puebla capped the exercises. Almost 10,000 marched before Mexico's military-minded President General Manuel Avila Camacho, and the parade marked the first public appearance of some new U.S.-made, truck-drawn 75-mm. anti-tank guns.

Men and Materiel. Those guns stuck out like sore thumbs--for the maneuvers had brought out not only the Army's spectacular new function as an instrument of defense, but also Mexico's spectacular weaknesses. Mexico has only 42,000 first-line combat troops. There are some 60,000 additional Agraristas, country volunteers, armed with rifles by the Government. Yearly conscript classes may soon be added to the regular reserve.

Mexico has no planes which are less than five years old, altogether only 30 which can be sure of taking off. Only half a dozen were visible in the maneuvers. The total number of her anti-aircraft guns is one. She has six tiny (four-ton) tanks, whose armor plates could not withstand blasts from a .50-caliber gun. There is still, furthermore, a certain informality about the Mexican Army. In last fortnight's maneuvers, some of the Agraristas were barefoot. The traditional commissariat of the Mexican Army, consisting of wives, who go along to cook supper in earthen pots, fed even the regulars when they stopped to clean their shiny new Mendoza machine guns and Mauser-type mosquetones.

But though the Mexican Army is short on metal, it has plenty of mettle. Compact as wrapped wire, its men have phenomenal endurance. Its cavalry, mounted on fine-looking little sorrels, is its strongest branch. These excellent troopers, who can disappear into the mesquite like antelope and filter through the exploded terrain like goats, comprise 30% of the Mexican Army's personnel. Infantry accounts for 50%, artillery a paltry 12%.

The Army, thanks mainly to Manuel Avila Camacho when he was Minister of National Defense under President Cardenas, now has excellent esprit. The men are proud of their Army-built roads, irrigation projects, schools, hospitals, telephone lines, airports. Army posts. They have the respect of the people, and if local caciques cut up too roughly, the Army simply moves in and starts things running right again. Neat Army blockhouses (cuarteles) dot the entire countryside.

Planes, Plans and Personnel. The Army is divided into 33 zones of command, each under a general, and the older and less able among Mexico's other 300 generals are now on their way out.

Titular top man is Minister of National Defense General Pablo Macias, a tall, alert, coppery soldier who at 50 can still suck in his gut like a 20-year-old. Operations chief is 48-year-old General Salvador Sanchez, who is sharp of face and perceptions, and who clearly perceives that Mexico's greatest need is mechanization. Although the Air Force picture is not bright, the Air Force chief. General Roberto Fierro, is. One of Mexico's earliest pilots, he has more than 7,000 hours of flying time on his log, but he spends most of his time on the ground these days figuring out how to obtain planes.

In the past three years he has been licked by a strange situation. Canadian Car & Foundry Co. of Montreal undertook to manufacture under license some Grummans. Months rolled out, but no airplanes did. Then the company promised to build Gregors. Months passed. Then the company said it would build primary trainers. Months passed. Still no planes have been built. Aviation training, meanwhile, has gone ahead fairly well, thanks mainly to Colonel Luis Farrell, director of the Army flying school. With nothing but some ancient Fleet biplanes, which have peeled off 10,000 hours, and some Ryans, most of which have lately been washed out, Colonel Farrell has turned out over 150 adequately trained pilots.

The best hope of Mexico's Army is President Avila Camacho, who is first, last and meanwhile a soldier's soldier with a long record of persuading bandits and revolutionists to behave. After the maneuvers last week he said, with confidence which not even his Army's shortages could dampen: "There will never be any danger of an attack on the United States by any other nation through Mexico--or by Mexico."

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