1961 - Speech, President Kennedy: Special Message To Congress, TRACK ONLY Pt. 5 of 10
Continued... In line with these developments, I have directed a further reinforcement of our own capacity to deter or resist non-nuclear aggression. In the conventional field, with one exception, I find no present need for large new levies of men. What is needed is rather a change of position to give us still further increases in flexibility.
20:20:12 Therefore, I am directing the Secretary of Defense to undertake a reorganization & modernization of the Army's divisional structure, to increase its non-nuclear firepower, to improve its tactical mobility in any environment, to insure its flexibility to meet any direct or indirect threat, to facilitate its coordination w/ our major allies, & to provide more modern mechanized divisions in Europe & bring their equipment up to date, & new airborne brigades in both the Pacific & Europe.
20:20:47 And secondly, I am asking the Congress for an additional 100 million dollars to begin the procurement task necessary to re-equip this new Army structure w the most modern material. New helicopters, new armored personnel carriers, & new howitzers, for example, must be obtained now.
20:21:08 Third, I am directing the Secretary of Defense to expand rapidly & substantially, in cooperation with our Allies, the orientation of existing forces for the conduct of nonnuclear war, para-military operations and sub-limited or unconventional wars. In addition, our special forces and unconventional warfare units will be increased and reoriented. Throughout the services new emphasis must be placed on the special skills and languages which are required to work with local populations.
20:21:47 Fourth, the Army is developing plans to make possible a much more rapid deployment of a major portion of its highly trained reserve forces. When these plans are completed & the reserve is strengthened, two combat-equipped divisions, plus their supporting forces, a total of 89,000 men, could be ready in an emergency for operations w/ but 3 weeks' notice--2 more divisions w/ but 5 weeks' notice--and six additional divisions & their supporting forces, making a total of 10 divisions, could be deployable w/ less than 8 weeks' notice. In short, these new plans will allow us to almost double the combat power of the Army in less than two months, compared to the nearly nine months heretofore required.
20:22:44 Fifth, to enhance the already formidable ability of the Marine Corps to respond to limited war emergencies, I am asking the Congress for 60 million dollars to increase the Marine Corps strength to 190,000 men. This will increase the initial impact & staying power of our three Marine divisions & three air wings, and provide a trained nucleus for further expansion, if necessary for self-defense.
20:23:13 Finally, to cite one other area of activities that are both legitimate & necessary as a means of self-defense in an age of hidden perils, our whole intelligence effort must be reviewed, & its coordination with other elements of policy assured. The Congress & the American people are entitled to know that we will institute whatever new organization, policies, and control are necessary.
20:23:43 One major element of the national security program which this nation has never squarely faced up to is civil defense. This problem arises not from present trends but from national inaction in which most of us have participated. In the past decade we have intermittently considered a variety of programs, but we have never adopted a consistent policy. Public considerations have been largely characterized by apathy, indifference and skepticism; while, at the same time, many of the civil defense plans have been so far-reaching and unrealistic that they have not gained essential support. Continued...
25May61; Presidential Speeches; Cold War;
NOTE: Any continuous 15 minutes of speech, 20:00:05 - 20:45:05 sold at per reel rate.
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1961 - Speech, President Kennedy: Special Message To Congress, TRACK ONLY Pt. 5 of 10 Continued... In line with these developments, I have directed a further reinforcement of our own capacity to deter or resist non-nuclear aggression. In the conventional field, with one exception, I find no present need for large new levies of men. What is needed is rather a change of position to give us still further increases in flexibility. 20:20:12 Therefore, I am directing the Secretary of Defense to undertake a reorganization & modernization of the Army's divisional structure, to increase its non-nuclear firepower, to improve its tactical mobility in any environment, to insure its flexibility to meet any direct or indirect threat, to facilitate its coordination w/ our major allies, & to provide more modern mechanized divisions in Europe & bring their equipment up to date, & new airborne brigades in both the Pacific & Europe. 20:20:47 And secondly, I am asking the Congress for an additional 100 million dollars to begin the procurement task necessary to re-equip this new Army structure w the most modern material. New helicopters, new armored personnel carriers, & new howitzers, for example, must be obtained now. 20:21:08 Third, I am directing the Secretary of Defense to expand rapidly & substantially, in cooperation with our Allies, the orientation of existing forces for the conduct of nonnuclear war, para-military operations and sub-limited or unconventional wars. In addition, our special forces and unconventional warfare units will be increased and reoriented. Throughout the services new emphasis must be placed on the special skills and languages which are required to work with local populations. 20:21:47 Fourth, the Army is developing plans to make possible a much more rapid deployment of a major portion of its highly trained reserve forces. When these plans are completed & the reserve is strengthened, two combat-equipped divisions, plus their supporting forces, a total of 89,000 men, could be ready in an emergency for operations w/ but 3 weeks' notice--2 more divisions w/ but 5 weeks' notice--and six additional divisions & their supporting forces, making a total of 10 divisions, could be deployable w/ less than 8 weeks' notice. In short, these new plans will allow us to almost double the combat power of the Army in less than two months, compared to the nearly nine months heretofore required. 20:22:44 Fifth, to enhance the already formidable ability of the Marine Corps to respond to limited war emergencies, I am asking the Congress for 60 million dollars to increase the Marine Corps strength to 190,000 men. This will increase the initial impact & staying power of our three Marine divisions & three air wings, and provide a trained nucleus for further expansion, if necessary for self-defense. 20:23:13 Finally, to cite one other area of activities that are both legitimate & necessary as a means of self-defense in an age of hidden perils, our whole intelligence effort must be reviewed, & its coordination with other elements of policy assured. The Congress & the American people are entitled to know that we will institute whatever new organization, policies, and control are necessary. 20:23:43 One major element of the national security program which this nation has never squarely faced up to is civil defense. This problem arises not from present trends but from national inaction in which most of us have participated. In the past decade we have intermittently considered a variety of programs, but we have never adopted a consistent policy. Public considerations have been largely characterized by apathy, indifference and skepticism; while, at the same time, many of the civil defense plans have been so far-reaching and unrealistic that they have not gained essential support. Continued... 25May61; Presidential Speeches; Cold War; NOTE: Any continuous 15 minutes of speech, 20:00:05 - 20:45:05 sold at per reel rate.