25.03.2021, 11:53
Ein bemerkenswerter Artikel im Magazin GUNS aus dem Jahr 1959. Gerade wegen der zeitlichen Nähe zum gerade erst ausgefochtenen Weltkrieg doppelt interessant:
“Where are Tomorrow’s Minutemen?”
“We like to think of ourselves as ‘a nation of riflemen,’ self-armed, ready and able to dash out any time and become an effective, fighting, guerrilla force in resisting any enemy who might attack our country.
“But is it true?
“Except for a very few widely scattered individuals — and possibly small groups in certain also widely scattered areas — no.
“We’re not ‘a nation of riflemen.’ Hardly 5 per cent of the men inducted into the armed forces for World War Two knew how to shoot a rifle even passably well. A stunningly high percentage had never so much as fired a rifle or handgun. And it is highly doubtful that as many as one of 100 of the men who were familiar with weapons knew enough about woodscraft to live off the land and fight effectively as guerrillas.
“If this seems to you to be a pessimistic appraisal, ask yourself this question: If this country were hit tonight and you were a survivor, what would you do?
“Involved in that question are these questions: Where would you go? With whom? How would you get there? What would you take with you? And what would you do, or try to do, after you got there?
“Time was, you remember, when the American colonies helped defeat invaders by the more or less individual efforts of the ‘Minute Men.’ Armed with gun skills and woods skills gained in Indian fighting and in getting meat for their tables, these men were a formidable force against the world’s finest soldiery. But times have changed, and men have changed with the times. How many men today could survive and fight under similar conditions?”
Where to go and how to get there would, in itself, be an insoluble problem for the average individual who hadn't done a lot of detailed and far-sighted planning. To that problem, the Civilian Defense organization could and should provide answers. But are Civilian Defense leaders thinking along these lines? If not. why not?
Why not set up, in integrated coordination with each local Civilian Defense group, local Home Guard units—call them Minutemen, if you will—-composed of men who have guns, know how to use them, and either have or stand ready to learn the woods skills and guerrilla fighting tactics needed for ''enemy harassment?"
As of now, of course, our government takes a very dim view indeed of any attempt to organize any armed force outside the formal categories of armed forces. The rule now is —dcu't do it! But . . . rules can be changed, if enough people set about to change them. Maybe it's time that men of good will and good courage began taking a long look at rules that just might, God forbid, make the difference between death and survival.
I was thinking the other day how I'd go about it, il such things were permitted. I'd begin, I think, by picking a hard core of sure prospects from among the men I know in local Rifle and Pistol Clubs, Legion organizations. and hunting groups. I'd want to know each man extremely well before I asked him lo join my cadre. I'd want to be very sure, first, that he believes in the things I believe in. I don't want any pink in this picture; after all, if the worst happens, my life may depend on the absolute loyalty of the men I choose.
I want men who own guns and know how to use them; but, on a par with that, I want men with some skill as woods-runners. Even a man who is loyal and brave and a dead shot can get you killed if he lacks woodscraft for this kind of hunting. I'd remember, though, that woodscraft can be learned; and if there was a man I wanted who didn't have it, I'd teach him.
Given a group of maybe ten good men and true, we'd meet and pick leaders. We'd also enact a set of by-laws. One such law would require every man to stand ready to produce on a moment's notice certain guns and certain quantities of ammunition. A rifle of tlie current U. S. military caliber would be a must, if only because military ammunition is easier to obtain in war time—might even be furnished.
A .22 rifle would be equally important, for use on small game for meat. A shotgun would provide additional food-getting values. And every man should have and know how to use a combat-caliber revolver or pistol.
I'd see to it that at least one man in my group was, or became, a radio "ham" and technician. If this bad dream of ours came true, there would be no power, no telephone facilities, no communications of any kind in many areas—or, at best, none available to woods-running riflemen without official insignia. It would be real nice if one of the boys owned a walky-talky. I see them advertised by companies dealing in war surpluses.
Whatever "inner circle" group you joined or formed, you would want first to join the regular Civilian Defense unit, whether they recognized your group or not. Members of Civilian Defense units are issued cards of identification which give the holder certain rights regarding movement from place to place in an emergency, and this alone would be essential. Anyway, any man fit to join my unit will be active in Civilian Defense in its other phases as well as this one. This is an obvious duty, and my men are not the kind who shirk duties.
... Of course, it will never happen. Il happened in a lot of countries, but those were foreign countries, not like our country. It can't happen here. . . .
But if it did happen ... I'd sure be glad I knew those ten woods-running riflemen! If there were enough of us—us "Minutemen of Tommorow"—there might be a tomorrow, even after the night of terror.
“Where are Tomorrow’s Minutemen?”
“We like to think of ourselves as ‘a nation of riflemen,’ self-armed, ready and able to dash out any time and become an effective, fighting, guerrilla force in resisting any enemy who might attack our country.
“But is it true?
“Except for a very few widely scattered individuals — and possibly small groups in certain also widely scattered areas — no.
“We’re not ‘a nation of riflemen.’ Hardly 5 per cent of the men inducted into the armed forces for World War Two knew how to shoot a rifle even passably well. A stunningly high percentage had never so much as fired a rifle or handgun. And it is highly doubtful that as many as one of 100 of the men who were familiar with weapons knew enough about woodscraft to live off the land and fight effectively as guerrillas.
“If this seems to you to be a pessimistic appraisal, ask yourself this question: If this country were hit tonight and you were a survivor, what would you do?
“Involved in that question are these questions: Where would you go? With whom? How would you get there? What would you take with you? And what would you do, or try to do, after you got there?
“Time was, you remember, when the American colonies helped defeat invaders by the more or less individual efforts of the ‘Minute Men.’ Armed with gun skills and woods skills gained in Indian fighting and in getting meat for their tables, these men were a formidable force against the world’s finest soldiery. But times have changed, and men have changed with the times. How many men today could survive and fight under similar conditions?”
Where to go and how to get there would, in itself, be an insoluble problem for the average individual who hadn't done a lot of detailed and far-sighted planning. To that problem, the Civilian Defense organization could and should provide answers. But are Civilian Defense leaders thinking along these lines? If not. why not?
Why not set up, in integrated coordination with each local Civilian Defense group, local Home Guard units—call them Minutemen, if you will—-composed of men who have guns, know how to use them, and either have or stand ready to learn the woods skills and guerrilla fighting tactics needed for ''enemy harassment?"
As of now, of course, our government takes a very dim view indeed of any attempt to organize any armed force outside the formal categories of armed forces. The rule now is —dcu't do it! But . . . rules can be changed, if enough people set about to change them. Maybe it's time that men of good will and good courage began taking a long look at rules that just might, God forbid, make the difference between death and survival.
I was thinking the other day how I'd go about it, il such things were permitted. I'd begin, I think, by picking a hard core of sure prospects from among the men I know in local Rifle and Pistol Clubs, Legion organizations. and hunting groups. I'd want to know each man extremely well before I asked him lo join my cadre. I'd want to be very sure, first, that he believes in the things I believe in. I don't want any pink in this picture; after all, if the worst happens, my life may depend on the absolute loyalty of the men I choose.
I want men who own guns and know how to use them; but, on a par with that, I want men with some skill as woods-runners. Even a man who is loyal and brave and a dead shot can get you killed if he lacks woodscraft for this kind of hunting. I'd remember, though, that woodscraft can be learned; and if there was a man I wanted who didn't have it, I'd teach him.
Given a group of maybe ten good men and true, we'd meet and pick leaders. We'd also enact a set of by-laws. One such law would require every man to stand ready to produce on a moment's notice certain guns and certain quantities of ammunition. A rifle of tlie current U. S. military caliber would be a must, if only because military ammunition is easier to obtain in war time—might even be furnished.
A .22 rifle would be equally important, for use on small game for meat. A shotgun would provide additional food-getting values. And every man should have and know how to use a combat-caliber revolver or pistol.
I'd see to it that at least one man in my group was, or became, a radio "ham" and technician. If this bad dream of ours came true, there would be no power, no telephone facilities, no communications of any kind in many areas—or, at best, none available to woods-running riflemen without official insignia. It would be real nice if one of the boys owned a walky-talky. I see them advertised by companies dealing in war surpluses.
Whatever "inner circle" group you joined or formed, you would want first to join the regular Civilian Defense unit, whether they recognized your group or not. Members of Civilian Defense units are issued cards of identification which give the holder certain rights regarding movement from place to place in an emergency, and this alone would be essential. Anyway, any man fit to join my unit will be active in Civilian Defense in its other phases as well as this one. This is an obvious duty, and my men are not the kind who shirk duties.
... Of course, it will never happen. Il happened in a lot of countries, but those were foreign countries, not like our country. It can't happen here. . . .
But if it did happen ... I'd sure be glad I knew those ten woods-running riflemen! If there were enough of us—us "Minutemen of Tommorow"—there might be a tomorrow, even after the night of terror.