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Reports: Surveysf SoldierOpenian
CONFIDENTIAL
War Dept
SURVEY OF SOLDIER OPINION
UNITED STATES ARMY FORCES IN
THE MIDDLE EAST
May 4-18, 1943
ORIGINAL RETIRED FOR PRESERVATION
Report Prepared Under the Direction of
United States Army Information Office
by staff assigned from
RESEARCH BRANCH, SPECIAL SERVICE DIVISION
SERVICES OF SUPPLY, WAR DEPARTMENT
June 14, 1943
Fronklin D. Roosevelt Library
DECLASSIFIED
DOD DIR. 5200.9 (9/27/58)
Date- 3-17-59
Signature- call L. speck
1
CONFIDENTIAL
CONFIDENTIAL
Extract from letter dated 14 June 1943 from Tayman P. Mauldin, Major,
Infontry (TD from Research Branch, Special Service Division) to Command-
ing General, USAFIME, Cairo, Egypt,
"1. The attached report is a Survey of Soldier Opinion made in AC-
cordance with instructions contained in a directive of April 22, 1943,
Hendquarters, USAFIME. This survey was made in order to get at a better
ORIGINAL RETIRED FOR PRESERVATION
understanding of Anglo-American relations, relations with local populaces,
ittitudes toward the war, and related militery subjects.
"2. Such studies are designed to provide Headquarters with informa-
tion regarding existing attitudes of soldiers pertaining to specific
subjects that may be of interest and value at a given time. This infor-
mation aids in the diagnosis of problems, present end potential, and
provides additional information for consideration when policy is deter-
mined.
"3. It is recommended that a continuing series of such studies be
made inasmuch as (1) conditions and attitudes are continually changing,
(2) all information desired cannot be obtained in any one study, and (3)
up-to-date factual and statistical information with particular regard to
Allied relation, relations with local populaces, attitudes toward recrea-
tional and entertainment activities, and related military subjects is
needed from time to time."
CONFIDENTIAL
CONFIDENTIAL
MAIN FINDINGS.
Attitudes of enlisted men toward the war.
Half the soldiers think that they would contribute as much to the
war effort. as a worker in a war job as they do now, but men in Fighter and
Bomber units feel that they are contributing most where they are. Thirty-
five per cent of the men indicate some dissatisfaction with their present
Army job.
ORIGINAL RETIRED FOR PRESERVATION
The Germans are regarded as excellent fighters, particularly by men
in combat units, but the Japanese are considered as only fairly good.
The Russians are thought to be the best fighters of all, with
Americans coming not far behind. The English are said to be better fight-
ers than the Japanese, but not as good as the Germans, Americans, or
Russians,
Six out of ten men think the war with Germany will be over within a
year, and 65% think the war with Japan will be over within a year and a
half.
Attitudes toward our Allies.
The majority of soldiers believe that England will fight to the
finish of this war, but after the war may or may not cooperate with us.
There is less optimism regarding friendly relations with the Russians.
Many Believe that the U.S. will be fighting either England or Russia with-
in the next 25 years. Most soldiers are skeptical of Egypt's sincerity
in its cooperation,
Seven out of ten feel there is ill fodling between Americans and
English, and about half the men indicate that they do not really like the
English.
Those who don't like the English aro:
1. The uneducated
2. Those who think American soldiers work harder than English
3. Those who think their officers don't like the English
4. Those who say the English brag as much or more than Americans
5. Those who think the English are critical of our part in the
war.
6. Those who say the English are not friendly
7. Those who have been in the Middle East for more than 6 months
CONFIDENTIAL
There is no significant difference in the friendship for Englishmen
of soldiers who have or have not:
1. been under fire
2. known any Englishmen personally
3. known Englishmen who have been under fire
4. been to parties attended by Americans and Englishmen
5. heard talks by officers about the English people
In addition, there is no significant difference between soldiers from
different sections of the United States as regards their friendship
ORIGINAL RETIRED FOR PRESERVATION
for the English,
Most American soldiers feel that the English are trying, are taking
the war seriously, can "take it", and are doing a good job, considering
everything.
Pay and Savings: Enlisted men save more than half of their pay
but still have almost $30 per month free spending money. A considerable
number of men save little or nothing. Special means of savings which
thé Army provides are not widely used, with the exception of buying
insurance - only 40% buy borids each month, less than 10% deposit with
the Finance office, but about 80% buy insurance,
HOW THE INFORMATION WAS OBTAINED
The findings presented in this report are based on the answers of
2268 enlisted men, representative of all types of troops in the Middle
East, to questions submitted to them in the form of a written question-
naire during the period May 4-18, 1943. The questionnaire, in the form
in which it was administered, is given in the appendix to this report.
At each principal Army installation west of the Suez canal to Kairouan,
ORIGINAL RETIRED FOR PRESERVATION
Tunisia, a random cross section of men was drawn from the rosters of
units in proportions ranging from one in fifteen to one in four, de-
pending on the Size of the unit. Air Force and S.O.S. troops are repre-
sented in proportion to the total number found within the areas included
in this study.
The questionnaires were administered to the men in classes of 12 to
60. The men were told that their papers would not be identified. No
officers were present during the time when the questionnaires were filled
in - the class boing conducted by onlisted men specially trained for the
work. Responses scomed to demonstrate a spirit of earnest cooporation.
Internal cross-chocks on the reliability and franknoss of the replies
confirm the impression which the men give, in personal conversation, of
a sincere desire to answer questions frooly in this atmosphere of friendly
anonymity.
Part I, The Statistical Picture, contains the main findings of the
report. It is based on tabulations of the men's replies to the specific
items included in the questionnaire. Part II, The Free Comments, gives
supplementary material drawn from the comments which men made at the end
of the questionnaire in response to the statement, "If you have any
further remarks to make on any subject, write them below as fully as you
like."
Presentation: Differences between S.O.S. troops and Service troops
of the Air Forces were negligible. When differences between men in
Fighter or Bomber Groups on the one hand and S.O.S. troops and Service
troops on the other hand were found, they have been presented. If no
real difference was found, no attention was paid to this breakdown. In
like manner, differences due to education, rank, etc., have been indicated
where necessary. If no mention is made of such differences, one is to
assume that they do not exist.
CONFIDENTIAL
PART I
THE STATISTICAL PICTURE
The Job Ahead
1-5
ORIGINAL RETIRED FOR PRESERVATION
My Contribution To The War
6-8
Are Our Allies To Be Trusted To See this War Through? 9-12
American-English Friendship
13-20
Respect For The English
21-22
Desire To Know More About The English
23
Relations With The Native Population
24
War Department Pocket Guides
25
V-Mail
26
Numbered Telegrams
27
Pay And Savings
28-30
CONFIDENTIAL
THE JOB AHEAD - 1
The average American soldier is optimistic about the job ahead,
When asked to give their opinion of the question:
"About how much longer do you think it will take
us to beat Germany?"
ORIGINAL RETIRED FOR PRESERVATION
The men answered:
More
Less than
1 to 12
than
No
a year
years
13 yrs idea
61%
24%
9%
6%
These soldiers are not quite as optimistic about the early defeat
of Japan, though most feel that when Germany has been overcome, Japan
cannot hold out much longer.
When asked to give their opinion of the question:
"About how much longer do you think it will take
us to beat Japan?"
The men answered:
Less than
1 to 1 ≥
More than
No
a year
years
1
1 & years
idea
30%
35%
26%
9%
1.
CONFIDENTIAL
THE JOB AHEAD - 2
The average soldier thinks that the Germans are tough fighters.
"How good do you think the Germans are as fighters?"
ORIGINAL RETIRED FOR PRESERVATION
Fair
or Don't
Very good
Good
Poor know
54%
33%
9%
4%
Men in fighter and bomber groups have a little more respect for the
fighting ability of Germans than do men in service groups of the Air
Force and in Service of Supply units. For simplification, men in fighter
and bomber groups will be referred to as combat men and those in other
units as non-combat men. This simplification is accurate to the extent
that the reader keeps in mind that most of the men in fighter and bomber
groups do not themselves participate in aggressive action but their units
do. On the other hand, men in service groups and Service of Supply units
do not themselves participate in aggressive action, nor do their units.
"How good do you think the Germans are as fighters?"
Men in:
Fair
or Don't
Very good
Good
Foor know
Combat
59%
32%
7%2%
Units
Non-
50%
35%
10%
5%
Combat
Units
2.
CONFIDENTIAL
THE JOB AHEAD - 3
The Japanese aré not thought to be such tough fighters.
"How good do you think the Japanese are as fighters?"
ORIGINAL RETIRED FOR PRESERVATION
Very
Don
Good
Good
Fair or Poor
know
19%
32%
34%
15%
The above analysis gives one a picture of what the American soldier
in the Middle East thinks of the toughness of our two main enemies, and
also indicates his attitude rogarding the length of the war. The opti-
mism arises from many causes, but ono of these is his belief in the
ability of the Allics as fighters,
3.
CONFIDENTIAL
THE JOB AHEAD - 4
The Russians are thought to be the best fighters of all.
Americans think they are good fighters, though not quite as good
as the Russians. The English are thought to be better fighters than
the Japanese but not as good as the Germans, Russians, or Americans.
ORIGINAL RETIRED FOR PRESERVATION
AS FIGHTERS
Fair
or Don't
Very Good
Good
Foor know
Russians
68%
25%
5% 2%
64%
24%
2
10%
Americans
English
25%
42%
28%
5%
Men in combat outfits have a little more
respect for the English as fighters than do
men in non-combat units:
Men in:
Combat
Units
27%
44%
28%
1%
Non-
24%
41%
29%
6%
Combat
Units
4.
CONFIDENTIAL
THE JOB AHEAD - 5
In addition to confidence in the fighting ability of our allies, our
forces feel that our equipment is good and has played a very important
part in the war. For example, slightly more than 97% of our soldiers
stated that our equipment is "good" or "very good" and only a fraction of
one percent thought that it was "poor" or "very poor". To be sure, in
some instances there is criticism of specific items, but consi dering
equipment as a whole, the reaction was that America has suppled much good
equipment for the war effort. Almost 9 out of 10 men answered that our
ORIGINAL RETIRED FOR PRESERVATION
equipment has played a large part in the fighting of the war up until now,
whereas less than 7 out of 10 feel that our soldiers have played an im-
portant part in the fighting of the war up until now. Approximately 95%
of these men felt that our equipment is better than the English, though
many free comments were added to show that there is the greatest admira-
tion for some English equipment, particularly the Spitfire plane.
Confidence in the fighting ability of our own soldiers and of our
allies, and the strong belief that we have more and better equipment than
the onemy, are factors which help to create a feeling that the war is go-
ing well and will likoly end within another year and a half or two years.
5.
CONFIDENTIAL
MY CONTRIBUTION TO THE WAR - 1
A third of the soldiers think they are contributing a great deal
to the war effort, and an additional 50% feel that they are helping
some. Men in non-combat units are Ibes sure of their aid to the war,
though three out of four think they are helping some.
When asked the question:
ORIGINAL RETIRED FOR PRESERVATION
"Do you feel that you are helping in the war effort?"
-The men answered:
Men in:
Yes
e
Very much
A little
? No
Combat
Units
43%
46%
4
7%
Non-
Combat
25%
52%
7%
16%
But only 4 out of 10 feel that they are contributing more to the
war effort as a soldier than they would be ns a worker in a war job.
Men in combat units feel that their present contribution is greater
than do men in non-combat units.
6.
CONFIDENTIAL
MY CONTRIBUTION TO THE WAR - 2
When asked the question:
"If it were up to you to choose, do you think you
could do more for your country as a soldier or as
a worker in a war job?"
The men answered:
ORIGINAL RETIRED FOR PRESERVATION
Men in:
As
As soldier
?
war worker
Combat
Unit
48%
24%
28%
Non-
Combat
37%
19%
415
Unit
A few of those who say that they could be doing more in a war job
are merely trying to emphasize their belief that war jobs are truly es-
sential to the war effort. However, the majority of these men feel that
their skills are not being used in the Army, and, therefore, believe
they are not contributing as much as they could. These are the men who
express dissatisfaction with their Army jobs. About one-third of all
the men express concern over their Army job, and answered the question:
"How well satisfied are you about being in your
present Army job instead of some other Army job?"
Satisfied
? Dissatisfied
65%
10%
25%
About five per cent more of mon in combat outfits are satisfied
with their jobs than are men in other outfits.
7.
CONFIDENTIAL
MY CONTRIBUTION TO THE WAR - 3
About one-fourth of the men say that additional men are needed to
do the work properly, and about a third say that fewer people are need-
ed to do the work properly. This indicates that some sections are over-
staffed and others are understaffed. An equal number of men feel that
they have too much or don't have enough work to do, about one in five
falling into each category.
ORIGINAL RETIRED FOR PRESERVATION
8.
CONFIDENTIAL
ARE OUR ALLIES TO BE TRUSTED TO SEE THIS WAR THROUGH?
The majority of soldiers feel that our allies can be trusted
to help win the war, but slightly less than one-half feel that they
will cooperate with us after this war. When asked to comment on
the statement:
"When Germany has been beaten, the English will
probably help us against Japan."
ORIGINAL RETIRED FOR PRESERVATION
The men replied:
Dis-
Agree
?
agree
77%
14%
9%
Thus it is seen that the large majority feel that the English
will continue to aid us even after Germany has been defeated. There
is less optimism so far as the Russians are concerned, and when asked
to comment on the statement:
"When Germany has been beaten, the Russians will
probably help us against Japan."
The men replied:
Agree
?
Disagree
44%
26%
30%
A majority of the soldiers are in doubt as to whother or not
Russia will participate in the war against Japan, or else definitely
bolieve that she will not,
9.
CONFIDENTIAL
TRUST OF ALLIES: = 2
Very few of the soldiers feel' that our Allies may turn around
and start fighting us after Germaby has been defeated, though 7% say
that England may do this, and 23% state that the Russians may. start
fighting us after Germany has been defeated. These sentiments are
reinforced when one considers the question,
ORIGINAL RETIRED FOR PRESERVATION
"Do you think there will be another war in the next
25 years or 80?"
The men said:
Yes
?
No
39%
43%
18%
The men were asked to state who would be fighting whom, if there
were another war, and the majority answered in terms of the United
States fighting either England or Russia, or of Russia fighting England.
This indicates considerable distrust of our present allies, and there
is much skepticism as to whether or not there will be cooperation be-
tween these countries after this war is over.
A specific question was ásked to get at the belief of soldiers
regarding post-war cooperation, and the following results were ob-
tainod.
"The Russians can be depended upon to cooperate
with us after the war. II
Agree
?
Disagree
448
40%
16%
10.
CONFIDENTIAL
TRUST OF ALLIES - 3
A larger proportion feel that England will cooperate with us
after the war.
"The English can be depended upon to cooperate with
us after the war."
ORIGINAL RETIRED FOR PRESERVATION
Agree
?
Disagree
51%
28%
21%
But at best there is much doubt as to the friendship and lasting
bonds that now tie the alllies together, Most of the soldiers feel that
the French will cooperate with us after the war, but in their free com-
ments they indicate that this cooperation will be for expediency reasons
only.
"The French can be depended upon to cooperate with
us after the war."
Dis-
Agree
?
agree
70%
22%
8%
In like manner, a majority have doubts about the cooperation of
Egypt after the war is over.
"The Egyptians can be depended upon to cooperate
with us after the war is over."
Agree
?
Disagree
41%
33%
26%
As many expressed it, the various nations will cooperate only in-
sofar as it is to their best interest to do so at a given time. There
is little or no feeling that the nations are being held together because
of ideals, mutual plans, or the like.
11.
CONFIDENTIAL
TRUST OF ALLIES - 4
In conclusion, one may say that the majority of soldièrs believe
that England will fight to the finish of this war, and after the war
may or may not cooperate with us. Many go so far as to say. that the
United States and England will fight during the next generation.
There is even less optimism as far as the Russians are concerned. The
majority doubt that Russia will help us to defeat Japan, and the majority
also do not believe that Russia will cooperate with us after this present
ORIGINAL RETIRED FOR PRESERVATION
conflict is over, In addition, a rather large percentage feels and be-
lieves that Russia and the United States may become involved in a war
ngainst each other within the next quarter of a century.
12.
CONFIDENTIAL-
AMERIOANMENGLISH FRIENDSHIP
Much has been said about American-English friendship, and the
lack of it, and careful study indicates that many soldiers feel that
all is not well between the two Allies,
When asked:
"Do you think there is much ill feeling between
ORIGINAL RETIRED FOR PRESERVATION
Americans and Eriglishmen?"
The men answered:
Yes
?
lio
71%
6%
23%
Individually, these soldiers say that they like the English better
than do American soldiers as a group, but this may be due to (1) their
concern over Anglo-American relations, or (2) their reluctance to admit
their own dislike of our allies.
When asked:
"How do you like the English?"
They answered:
Don't like
?
Like
39%
7%
54%
Those who say they do not like the English, or express doubt re-
garding their friendship, are extremely important in that they come
in daily contact with all the other soldiers and there is continuous
intermingling of their ideas, opinions and attitudes. Which group will
influence the other the more is not known, of course, but there is no
comfort in saying that only "slightly less than half" don't like the
English,
13.
CONFIDENTIAL
AMERICAN-ENGLISH FRIENDSHIP - 2
The more highly educated soldiers like the English better than do
those with very little or a medium amount of education. For example,
60% of men who have attended college say they like the English, where-
as approximately 52% of the men in other educational groups state that
they like the English - and there is very little difference between men
with a grade school education and those with a high school education.
Interestingly enough, almost 3 out of 4 men who have had any high school
ORIGINAL RETIRED FOR PRESERVATION
or college education like the English, but among grade school men only
63% say that they like the English. As education increases, the belief
that ill feeling exists between Americans and English also increases, but
most of this differential is observed between those with very little
education on the one hand, and those with a medium amount or a great deal
of education on the other hand.
Men in combat outfits are somewhat more friendly toward the English
than are men in non-combat outfits, but this differential is not very
great
When asked the question:
"How do you like the English?"
The men answered:
Men in:
Like
?
Don't like
Combat
57%
8%
35%
Units
Non-
51%
7%
42%
Combat
Units
A larger proportion of men in combat outfits than in non-combat
units also think there is ill feeling between the Americans and English,
but again the differential is not great, Though these differences are
not Large they are constant, and, therefore, worthy of attention.
14.
CONFIDENTIAL
AMERICAN-ENGLISH FRIENDSHIP - 3
There is no significant difference in the friendship for English-
men of soldiers who have or have not:
(1) been under fire
(2) known my Englishmen personally
(3) known Eng' ishmen who have been under fire.
ORIGINAL RETIRED FOR PRESERVATION
(4) been to parties attended by Americans and Englishmen
(5) heard talks by officers about the English people
In addition, there is no significant difference between soldiers
from different sections of the United States as regards their friend-
shi] for the English.
Soldiers who come overseas in an English boat dislike the English
more than do others.
"How do you like the English?"
Came
Over-
Don't like
?
Like
Seas
in
44%
6
50%
English
Boat
Others
35%
7%
58%
More than 9 out of 10 who came overseas in an English boat thought
the food was very poor, and this probably contributes much to their
dislike of the English. Many comments were made on the questionnaires
and to the interviewers to the effect that the food was very, very poor,
but the English crew and officers aboard ship had good food. They do not
understand why English ships carrying American soldiers from the United
States should not have ns good food for them ns other ships do, Quite a
number of these men had also travelled part way on an American ship, and
their comments indicate that they thought the food was much better a-
board the American ship, Most of these men made their trip across the
seas several months ago but the impressions they formed while coming
15.
CONFIDENTIAL
AMERICAN-ENGLISH FRIENDSHIP - 4
across have remained, and bitterness has developed. To be sure, this
considerable criticism of the English, and the food, may be a ration-
alization, but there is no evidence to that effect. On the other hand,
the repeated criticism of treatment while aboard ship was found time
nd time again in personal interviews, free comments, and finally is
noted in the statistical analysis. It would seem, therefore, that to
the men this is an important matter.
ORIGINAL RETIRED FOR PRESERVATION
Those who think American soldiers work harder than English
soldiers do not like the English.
When asked the question:
"How do you like the English?"
The men replied:
Those who say:
American
Don't like
?
Like
soldiers
work
54%
6%
40%
harder
English
soldiers
work
29%
4
67%
harder
16.
CONFIDENTIAL
AMERICAN-ENGLISH FRIENDSHIP - 5
Those who think the English brag more than do Americans do not
like the
When acked the question:
ORIGINAL RETIRED FOR PRESERVATION
"How do you like the English?"
The men answered:
Those who say:
English
Don't like
?
Like
brag
more
55%
E%
37%
Americans
brag
28%
4
68%
more
Those who think the English are critical of the part our equipment
has played in the war do not like the English. The question was asked:
"What part do the English think our equipment has
played in the war up until now?"
And the men could reply. "an important part," or "an unimportant
part." In the latter case, the answer was considered as criticism of
our equipment, either of quality and/or quantity. Dividing the men
into two groups, (1) those who think the English are critical of our
equipment, and (2) those who think the English are not critical of
our equipment, one finds the following distribution to the question:
17.
CONFIDENTIAL
AMERICAN-ENGLISH FRIELDSHIP - - 6
"How do you like the English?"
Those who say
the
are:
ORIGINAL RETIRED FOR PRESERVATION
Don't like
?
Like
Critical
55%
6
39%
Not
34%
5
61%
Critical
Our soldiers do not like criticism of their part in the war effort,
and this was rather evident in many remarks found in the free comments as
well AS being clearly demonstrated by the answer to questions such as the
above.
Those soldiers who feel that the English are as friendly or more
friendly than Americans, like the English very much more than those who
feel that the English are less friendly than are Americans.
When asked:
"How do you like the English?"
The men answered:
Like
? Dislike
Soldiers who think
the English are as
BU%
6%
14%
friendly as
Americans
Soldiers who think
Americans are more
40%
7%
535
friendly than the
English
18.
CONFIDENTIAL
AMERICAN-ENGLISH FRIENDSHIP - 7
Though the American soldiers appear critical of the English be-
cause of their lack of friendly overtures, there is considerable
evidence that the American soldiers are not willing to go out of their
way to be friendly with the English. For example, 45% say that they
would not go to a party or social meeting attended by both American
and English soldiers if given the opportunity. This would indicate
that they are to some extent responsible for the lack of friendship be-
ORIGINAL RETIRED FOR PRESERVATION
tween these two nationalities, or if not responsible, at least they are
not willing to go to any trouble to better relations. However, Americans
believe that they are naturally more friendly than are the English.
Though they will not make a studied effort to win the friendship of the
English, they feel that they do their part in meeting other peoples half
way. Most soldiers do not feel that the English soldier is making an
effort to be friendly. This is shown by their reply to the statement:
"The English soldiers are going out of their way to
help the American soldiers and show them a good time.
Agree
?
Disagree
13%
15%
72%
There is a positive relationship between soldiers liking or not
liking the English and their own opinion regarding their officers'
attitude toward the English. For example; when asked:
"How do you like the English?"
The men answered:
Don't
Like
? like
(Soldiers who say
85%
4
11%
most of their officers
like the English).
(Soldiers who say most
of their officers don't
like the English).
30%
4
66%
19.
CONFIDENTIAL
AMERICAN-ENGLISH FRIENDSHIP - 8
Dislike for the English increases as length of service in the Middle
East increases,
When asked the question:
ORIGINAL RETIRED FOR PRESERVATION
"How do you like the English?"
The men replied:
Time in
Middle
East
Don't like
?
Like
6-12 months
43%
7%
50%
0-6 months
33%
7%
60%
20.
CONFIDENTIAL
RESPECT FOR THE ENGLISH - 1
Less than 10% of the soldiers feel that England is trying hardest to
win the war, whereas larger proportions of the men feel that not only
Russia and the United States but also China are trying harder than England
to win. Many of these men feel that Russia and China have made the great-
est shcrifices of any of the Allies in this war, and, therefore, reason
that their efforts are greator. Many soldiers feel that the United States
ORIGINAL RETIRED FOR PRESERVATION
is able to contribute more equipment and necessary war supplies than
other countries, and is trying hardest to win in that she is endeavoring
to produce as much as possible.
Most soldiers feel that:
"The English are doing as good a job as possible of
fighting the war, considering everything."
Agree
? Disagree
77%
10%
13%
Only one soldier in five feels that the English are taking it easy
in their war effort.
"The English are taking it easy in their war effort
in the hope that America will win the war for them. If
Agree
?
Disagree
19%
15%
66%
Seven out of ten Americans believe that:
"The English can take it on the chin and come back
for more, If
Agree
?
Disagree
70%
132
17%
21.
CONFIDENTIAL
RESPECT FOR THE ENGLISH - 2
Many soldiers feel that the English people are taking the war a
lot more seriously than most Americans, and men in combat units feel
this to a greater extent than do other soldiers.
"The English people are taking the war a lot more
seriously than most Americans do."
ORIGINAL RETIRED FOR PRESERVATION
Men in:
Agree
?
Disagree
Combat
Units
51%
14%
35%
Non-
Combat
Units
40%
17%
43%
These signs of confidence in and respect for the English are par-
tially offset by the belief that the English are seeking new territories.
"The English will probably try to get more territory
for themselves out of this war."
Agree
?
Disagree
56%
20%
24%
It has already been pointed out that our soldiers feel that the
English are "good" fighters, but not "very good" fighters. The above
analysis shows that by and large the American soldier believes that
the English are trying, are taking the war seriously, can "take it",
and are doing a good job, considering everything.
22,
CONFIDENTIAL
DESIRE TO KNOW MORE ABOUT THE ENGLISH
About half the soldiers have heard talks by their officers about
the English people, their customs, and how they are carrying on the
war. Those who have heard such talks are more desirous of hearing
additional talks than are those who have not already heard some. About
half the men would like to hear more talks about the English. Four out
of ten men would like to hear talks by the English about their own people,
ORIGINAL RETIRED FOR PRESERVATION
customs, etc. There is no indication, however, that having heard about
the English is conducive to a feeling of friendship for them. This is
not surprising in that a large number of the soldiers feel that most of
their officers don't like the English. It may be that their impressions
have been derived in part from the attitude of their officers.
23.
CONFIDENTIAL
RELATIONS WITH THE NATIVE FOPULATION
Almost seven out of ten men indicate an interest in visiting in
the home of educated natives of the countries in which they are sta-
tioned, and the remaining 3 men are not interested. Two-thirds of
the men have heard talks by their officers about the natives of the
country in which they are stationed, their customs, and how they are
carrying on the war. One-third of the men are not interested in hear-
ing more talks, and 10% of them indicate that they are undecided about
ORIGINAL RETIRED FOR PRESERVATION
wanting or not wanting to hear more about the natives.
The vast majority are aware of Egypt's non-belligerent status in
this war, though one out of ten says that Egypt is actively fighting
with the allies. AS has been pointed out in an earlier section, about
6 out of 10 men have doubts as to whether or not the Egyptians will
operate with us after the war is over.
One of the primary obstacles to improved understanding of the native
peojlas in the Middle Last is the language differential, and American
soldiers are not doing a great deal to better this situation. Sixty per
cent say that they do not know more than a dozen words of the language
spoken by residents of the country in which they are stationed, and only
2% know more than 50 words. This laok of interest and effort to become
acquainted with another language is an objective measurement of real
interest in the peoples - and the result is not encouraging.
When asked the question:
"Do most of your fellow soldiers try to make friends
with the native population?"
The men answered:
Yes
?
No
44%
24%
32%
This would indicate that there is some interest on the part of
American soldiers in improving relations with other peoples, and in
getting to know mòre about them, but there are large numbers who do not
share this interest.
24.
CONFIDENTIAL
WAR DEPARTMENT FOCKET GUIDES
One one-third of the soldiers have read the War Department pocket
guides to Egypt or North Africa, but of those who have read them, less
than ten per cent say that it did not help them to understand the people
Letter. Many favorable comments were written about these guides, though
the most frequent comments were, in effect, "get them to the men".
ORIGINAL RETIRED FOR PRESERVATION
25.
CONFIDENTIAL
V-MAIL
V-mail is not popular with soldiers. Evidence for this is:
81% say V-mail is loss personal than regular mail.
31% say V-mail is not clear and is hard to read.
92% prefer regular mail because one can write as
much or as little as one pleases in a given
letter.
ORIGINAL RETIRED FOR PRESERVATION
63% say that regular mail is just as fast as V-mail.
95% say they prefer regular mail.
But when a time differential is introduced, the slight preference
for V-mail increases. If given a choice of a V-mail two weeks after
it was mailed or a regular letter three weeks after it was mailed, 21%
profer V-mail. If the choice is a V-mail two weeks after being mailed
or a regular lettor four weeks after it was mailed, 45% say they would
prefer the V-mail, but even in the latter case, a majority still prefers
regular mail.
It is not surprising that V-mail is not popular when the majority
finds that it is not faster than regular mail. Arguments concerning
shortage of space, time differential, etc., are not convincing when ex-
perience proves the space is provided and the time differential is very
little or non-existent.
26.
CONFIDENTIAL
CONFIDENTIAL
NUMBERED TELEGRAMS (CABLES)
Four out of ten men have never used the numbered telegrams, but
less than two out of ten state that they don't like this system of
sending messages. Many suggested that additional choices should be
included in the prepared messages, and this would probably increase
their popularity. Some complained of not having facilities to send
these messages, but considered as a whole the soldiers like them,
and their only frequently recurring request is that additional mes-
sages be added.
ORIGINAL RETIRED FOR PRESERVATION
27.
CONFIDENTIAL
PAY AND SAVINGS - 1
How much of his pay does the unmarried enlisted man in the Middle East
save?
Unmarried enlisted men, on the average, are saving a fairly large propor-
tion of their pay - varying from 54% for privates to 72% for corporals,
but one man out of ten saves nothing.
ORIGINAL RETIRED FOR PRESERVATION
Privates
(pay $60) saved $32 monthly - 54%
PFC'S
( pay $65) saved 843 monthly - 61%
Corporals
( pay $79) saved $57 monthly - 72%
Sergeants
(pay $94) saved $59 monthly - 63%
M
o
N
E
Y
S
A
PVT
V
E
D
$32
643
$57
$59
M
0
II
E
$28
$22
$22
035
Y
S
P
E
N
T
28.
CONFIDENTIAL
PAY AND SAVINGS - 2
Ways of saving money used by the men:
Five general types of savings are in use among enlisted men:-
1. Sending money home by allotments
2. Sending money home by money. orders
ORIGINAL RETIRED FOR PRESERVATION
3. Buying defense bonds
4. Buying insurance
5. Deposits with Finance Office through C.O.
The attitudes of the men toward these different ways of saving, and the
extent to which they use them, show considerable variation.
1. Sending money home by allotments.
About 3 out of 10 men believe this is the best method for
them to save their money. (About half the men think this
method in combination with others is the best).
Six out of ten are sending money home by allotments.
Privates
send $12 monthly
PFC's
send $14 monthly
Corporals
send $18 monthly
Sergeants send $24 monthly
2. Sending money home by money orders.
About four out of ten men use this method.
Privates
send $13 monthly
PFC's
send $15 monthly
Corporals
send $20 monthly
Sergeants
send $18 monthly
3. Buying defense bonds.
About 3 out of 10 men think this is the best method for
them to save money. Only four out of ten use this method,
but many send money home and have their relatives buy bonds
there. About 2 out of 10 have some misunderstanding of
what bonds are and when they can be turned in for cash, and
many others expressed skepticism regarding "government book-
keeping" - these factors tend to decrease the sale of bonds.
4, Buying insurance.
About eighty per cent of the men report that they are buy-
ing insurance, and making monthly payments for it,
29.
CONFIDENTIAL
PAY AND SAVINGS - 3
5. Deposits with Finance Office through C.O.
About one-tenth of the men think this is the best method
for saving money, and about the same number of men actually
use this method. It is apparent that the advantages of
this method of saving have not been sold to the men.
ORIGINAL RETIRED FOR PRESERVATION
woles on method used in investigation of savings.
The definition of "savings". "Savings", for the purpose of this report,
have been defined as money unavailable for spending in the Middle East.
Thus, money sent home is considered as saving, regardless of whether it
is deposited or used to support endents in the United States. Term in-
surance, the type which most men have, cannot be consi dered strictly an
investment, but is here included as savings since it is removed From the
spending category.
Source of data. The original data on which the conclusions on pay and
savings are based came from answers to questions 71 and 72 of the ques-
tionnaire. (See Appendix).
The sample group. All conclusions are based on the experience of un-
married enlisted men with at least some high school education, and who
are of the lowest four grades. The total number of men included in this
group was 1068, divided as follows: Privates, 186; PFC's, 177; Coprorals
(including T/5's), 355; Sergeants (including T/4's), 350.
Married men present special problems, and tend to save more than the
average soldiers, and were, therefore, excluded from consideration hore.
Men with slight education had difficulty in answering the fairly diffi-
cult questions, and for that reasons were excluded.
Reliability of the data. All averages presented in this section are
arithmotic means. They are based on men's memory of events which occur-
rud in the month proceeding the filling out of this questionnaire, and
are therefore subject to some error in forgetting savings made. Probably
some men have a feeling of moral obligation when savings are considered,
and to some considerable extent this compensates for the tendency to for-
get former happenings. It is probable, however, that neither of these
factors invalidate conclusions which depend on relative differences be-
tween groups.
30.
CONFIDENTIAL
PART II
THE FREE COMMENTS
ORIGINAL RETIRED FOR PRESERVATION
Interpretation of the Free Comments
1-2
Job Dissatisfaction
3-6
War Effort
7-10
Officers
11-15
English
16-19
Equipment
20-21
Food
22-24
Recreation and Entertainment
25-27
Post Exchange Supplies
28
Length of Time Overseas
29-31
Furloughs
32-33
Do Away With Drill
34
Pocket Guides
35
Egyptian-American Relations
36-37
Ratings
38
Desire for Combat
39-42
Mail
43-44
CONFIDENTIAL
CONFIDENTIAL
INTERPRETATION OF THE FREE COMMENTS
The body of the questionnaire was made up of specific questions or
statements on which a man indicated his position by checking "Yes", "?",
"No", or "Agree", "?", "Disagree". Responses to this type of question
have been tabulated and presented in Part I, and the résults (insofer as
the questions themselves are well constructed) give a reliable picture of
the opinions and attitudes of the men on the specific points covered by
the questions. Moreover, the tabulations of responses to questions of
ORIGINAL RETIRED FOR PRESERVATION
that type can be completed and the results made available rapidly for use
in policy determination. The findings from such a questionnaire can be
interpreted in the light of the statistical interrelations of the replies
to the various questions, and also on the basis of general or special
knowledge of the situation on the part of both the writer and the reader.
As an aid to interpreting the enswers to some of the questions,
spaces were left in which the men could write their own comments, and at
the end of the questionnaire an entire page was left for comments with
only the heading, "If you have any further remarks to make on any subject,
write them below as fully as you like." The comments which the men made
in response to this suggestion not only make possible some additional in-
terpretation of the replies to specific questions, but also throw light
on subjects which were not covered by specific questions, Thus one can
get some indication of the problems which weigh heevily on the minds of
the soldiers. Though these comments are a "by-product" of the main study,
they point out important problems and suggest areas of greatest discontent
or concern for these men.
Caution must be used in interpreting these findings. Not all men
took advantage of the opportunity to make comment, and some wrote in
greater detail and on more subjects than did others. About 98% made
some comment somewhere in the questionnoire, but only about 60% made
comments on the last page. Those who expressed themselves most are not
necessarily representative of the total group, and there are other ways
in which the men who wrote are not representative of the entire group.
It is to be expected, for example, that more men write to complain than
to express satisfaction, and this is the case in this particular study.
Conditions under which the questionnaire WSS administered were often far
from ideal. They did not have nice desks or comfortable chairs; they
were sometimes crowded into too small areas; a few came at night and in
one instance the lights went out - but the men were interested enough to
use their matches and cigarette lighters for light until better lighting
devices could be obtained. Thus, external circumstances determine to
some extent the amount and variety of comments - but innamuch as so many
men did make comments, these external factors were of less importance
than the problems of the men and their interest in this method of obtain-
ing information. And also the comments which the men make are often valuable
in themselves, even in those cases where they are not representative of
the entire group. From the tenor of the men's responses and the sincere,
and often Laborious way they went about setting their thoughts on paper,
1.
CONFIDENTIAL
mas ovident that they were writing on the things uppermost in their
As. Most of them wrote without thought to grammer or form; their
ist concern was to unburden their minds, Where the men have been
otod directly, their own words have been used without changes in spell-
6 or punctuation in order that the full flavor of their comments might
a retained. In only a few cases has it been necessary to edit the com-
ments to make them more easily intelligible.
The comments which the men made covered an extremely wide range of
topics, and there was also some variation between camps in the frequency
ORIGINAL RETIRED FOR PRESERVATION
with which any given type of comment was made. Nevertheless, certain
types of comments occurred over and over again, end it was possible to
group them within general categories,
2.
CONFIDENTIAL
JOB DISSATISFACTION - 1
The question, "How well satisfied are you about being in your present
Army job instead of some other Army job?" apparently served as a stimulus
for a large number of the soldiers to express their opinions about classi-
fication and assignment, and related topics. About one out of five ex-
pressed dissatisfaction with his job or with the classification and assign-
ment system. Those in Service Groups and SOS units were about twice as
critical of misclassification and misassignment as were those in Bomber
and Fighter Squadrons, but those in Bomber and Fighter Squadrons were much
ORIGINAL RETIRED FOR PRESERVATION
more critical of (1) excessive routine duties, and (2) lack of utilization
of skills then were the others. Those in SOS units and Air Service Groups
were particularly concerned about lack of oppotunity to use their abilities.
There was considerable criticism of misuse of skills possessed by soldiers,
and this criticism was evident among all types of troops studied.
General criticisms: General criticisms were frequent, and varied in
content. For example, one soldier in an outfit that has seen a lot of
action said:
"I believe that too much is said in favor of the Army
clessification system. Personally, I had seven years
of good practical experience in very resoonsible posi-
tions in civilian life and also completed with excel-
lent grades Army extension courses, and also two years
of Army administration work before enlisting. I was
put in neither type of work and could have taken care
of one of several important positions for which the Army
is training men, without wasting the training time.
From the manner in which some of this work is handled
by inexperienced people it will be a long time before it
is efficient. The manner in choosing O.C.S. candidates
leaves out numerous exceptional men. There are too many
ground officers wido are really not needed. There are
too many men in all positions. After spending seven
months in technical schools and having more than a year
of service, it is still necessary to do K,P. and other
details while the major portion of the too large kitchen
sits around doing nothing.'
Another criticism WAS even more pointed, but not typical.
"I graduated from an Airplane mechanics school, After
graduation I also went to a specialist school. Then I
WAS assigned to a Fighter Squadron and the first thing
they do is put me in the Armement Department. I hon-
estly think that is very foolish and not at all efficient.
This has also happened to very many other men I know.
I- actually wasted the first 8 months in the Army learning
3.
CONFIDENTIAL
JOB DISSATISFACTION - 2
a job I never will do. Besides that, the would-be me-
chanics don't get the ratings we would be eligible for."
Critical Skills: Skilled men complain of doing general duty work,
and many of these soldiers have developed the feeling that they are not
being allowed to do their share in the prosecution of the war,
"I answered the question about whether or not I was
ORIGINAL RETIRED FOR PRESERVATION
satisfied with what I was doing, 'No' because right
now I'm doing something anyone could do if they were
not too lazy, when I could just as well be on the
line handling a lathe or some machine that would
help keep our equipment in shepe - I've never hed
the opportunity to show what I could do,"
Classification and Assignment: Some criticisms are pointed directly
at the classification and assignment system.
"There is a lot of talk about men getting jobs they
like and are fitted for. In this war, there are
supposed to be no misfits, before we are sent over-
seas we are interviewed and asked if we are satis-
fied with our particular job, yet once across we
are shoved into anything and neither heaven nor hell
can get you a transfer to another outfit nor a
change to a different department. How about some
one we can use to moan to some one outside the out-
fit who might have enough authority to have some-
thing done about it. One brass hat about every 3
months might. help, just so as we can piso to some
one and hope even tho we know it won't do much good.'
Waste of valuable training time results from misclassification and
misassignment,
"When I came in the Army, I requested clerical work.
I have worked as an accountant in civilien life and
wished to do that sort of work. The Army insisted
that I be an Airplane Mech, so I attended and grad-
uated from two Army Airplane Technical Schools.
Since my graduation I have been assigned a squadron
and have done clerical work since and have not touched
a plane. Why couldn't I have done that work before
and not attend those schools. I might have been keep-
ing some other fellow who is mechanically inclined,
and wanted mechanic work, from attending those schools.
Is that procedure necessary! Why couldn't I have done
that which I requested on my entry into the service.
4,
CONFIDENTIAL
JOB DISSATISFACTION - 3
Many feel that their training in technical schools has been ignored,
and that they have not been given an opportunity to put into practice the
knowledge acquired in school:
"I appreciate not having to do K.Pl But I labored
under the impression that we had general duty mén
and M.P. fór the many details we now get. My opin-
ion is that I could do better and more work on an
airplane without having to do these details. I ap-
ORIGINAL RETIRED FOR PRESERVATION
preciate being on B-24s, but I was trained by Boeing
Aircraft factory as a B-17 specialist. Yet I was
sent to duty on this ship and all my training was
waisted. The A.M. school I was sent to is a very
good school, but we studied to much about ports and
equipment that we knew we would never see. There-
fore I feel much of my time was wasted at school.
I was told that I'd be promòted nearly every time an
instructor gave a talk, The army promised the same.
Ive been in 13 months and am still a private and have
never shirked a detail yet.'
Waste of Man Power: It was somewhat surprising that so many enlisted
men complained of doing non-essential work, of being in outfits that were
over-staffed, and of sitting around doing little or nothing much of the
time. This combination of job dissatisfaction end feeling that man power
is being wasted is a dual criticism of classification and assignment on the
one hand and lack of efficient organization of Army units on the other hand.
"I honestly believe that of the entire personnel here
in Africa, I am speaking exclusively of the US Air
Corp, there is a shameful amount of dead wood in each
and every squadron. My idea is they could take men
from each squadron and form more squadrons. To me it
seems as though we could have more, and just as effi-
cient work done from the men that would form these ca-
dres. And my main reason is, it would save our govern-
ment a hell of a lot of money. What's the sense in
making a man a Tech Sgt. or a Sgt. and paying him all
that money to do nothing but sit on his broad back
side - it beats me. If you speak to these men, they
blush when you ask them just what Uncle Sam is paying
them for. They don't know themselves. I, for one,
know I am not drawing my 879 per for what I know, but
merely for being over here. I am a qualified radio op-
erator exclusively, trained in the infantry, and now I
am in the Air Corp, in a branch that don't use radio
operators. Somebody screwed up where I'm concerned.
And I'm sure there are many more in this efficient Air
Corp' in the same predicament as myself, drawing money
5.
CONFIDENTIAL
JOB DISSATISFACTION - 4
under false pretences. I only wish they could have a
man disguised as a "G,I." transferred into a fighter
Sqd. and act as an efficiency expert would - I'm sure
it would do Uncle Sam plenty of good. We don't blame
the men for all this - after all no one can blame
them - they feel they might as well be drawing sgt's.
pay for doing nothing, cause if they don't someone
else will. In fact I wish I could be drawing all that
ORIGINAL RETIRED FOR PRESERVATION
money myself, but we must help win this war and in or-
der to do so, we must be as efficient as we possibly
can. If this Air Corp was run like the regular army
was run, it would help matters a great deal. I mean
don't hand out all kinds of non-com ratings to Air
Corps personnel because they are graduates of a. school,
cause 3/4 of them know no more after graduating than
they did before they went in. Make them earn their
money first and merit the rating. Why the base camp
of an Air Corp Sqd. looks like a pack of zebras walk-
ing about."
Details: A surprisingly large number of men complained about having
to take their turn at guard duty, K.P., and similar details.
"The Ordnance men should be just shop workers not de-
tail men and shoved around where ever it suits purpose
of jobs not concerned them. It should be run more ef-
ficient just as a business man would run his factory.
A business man would not consider putting one of his
workers on as night watchman. The Ordnance should pos-
itively have especially trained men for guard duties
and K.P. They should not take out any of the working
boys from shop to do such duties as it brings out dis-
contentment and ill feelings. Also brings about: makes
a person feel less about working in shop and does not
make one feel like doing his best. It gives one the
impression that he cant be so important at his job or
else the job is not important."
Of course this criticism was not limited to Ordnance personnel, but
extended into almost all branches of the service. For example, a mechanic
says:
"A man cannot be a good soldier and a. good mechanic at
the same time. Therefore, this drill and guard should
be discontinued, We should have permanent guard."
6.
CONFIDENTIAL
WAR EFFORT-1
There is criticism of the war effort, both of civilians and the Army,
but there are a few who feel that the soldiers are being misled by state-
ments that are critical of the American war, effort.
THE MAJORITY:
One of the most prevalent comments was a criticism of the strikers
in American industry.
ORIGINAL RETIRED FOR PRESERVATION
"The U.S. is not at the war fever pitch because there
are still plenty of strikes and what is the use of work-
ing and sweating over here when a lot don't appreciate
it?"
This critical attitude toward strikers resulted in the suggestion
that:
"All strikers should be put in the Army, and be or-
dered to continue their jobs, The American people
should in some way be awakened to the fact there is
a war. There are too many men in the army, espe-
cially officers, that are laying around - too many
soft jobs."
Overhead:
Other criticisms were of the unnecessary overhead, red tape, and
general inefficiency.
"By way of comment; it is disgusting to read about
the way the war is being conducted back home. Par
ticular reference is made to conditions in Washing-
ton and all government bureaus where an Army of clerks
are doing thousands of useless jobs, and in a great
many cases no work at all. I'm in accord with the re-
cent statement attributed to some U.S. Admiral who
said that they ought to stop the manufacture of type-
writers and produce more gúns."
WASTE:
Quite a few feel that there is unnecessary waste, particularly in
the Army.
"Here's my particular gripe and I'm plenty sore!
When the folks at home go around (a lot of ¹em) sav-
ing everything they are asked to and giving up quite
a bit, why in God's name don't some of the supposedly
7.
CONFIDENTIAL
WAR EFFORT-2
smart leaders do something about the waste of material
within the Army? At the moment I' thinking of what
one of our officers saw on a reconaisance to the area
near Sfax. An officer, a colonel, wanted to clean up
the area by dumping all the scrap (iron, aluminum, etc.)
in an old trank trap and covering it over! My folks
save tin cans, etc., and I sit around and watch the
Army throw away tons of strategic materials. There's
outfits like ours that would work to help the situation
while waiting for equipment. Don't a lot of shipping
ORIGINAL RETIRED FOR PRESERVATION
go back lightly loaded? All I've ever seen are salvage
posters that are stuck on the bulletin board and nothing
ever done about it. Why??"
Lack of Work:
Some feel badly about not having enough work to do over here.
"My relatives and friends think I'm doing wonders here.
I'm not. I can't. There is not the opportunity to
work. I can count the days on my two hands that I've
really worked and accomplished a full day's work since
I've been in the Army. They are doing more in war
plents than I am here."
Man Power:
And others feel that the Army is expanding too rapidly - all the
men are not needed - and vital war industries are being stripped of needed
help.
"I think the Army is taking in men faster than they are
needed. Vital war industries are being robbed of valu-
able men. A man doing an essential war job is perform-
ing as important 8 part as the soldier at the front."
"Soldiers not needed for the work they have been trained
to do should be sent home and placed in a war industry
suited to their training."
Defense Jobs:
There are many who feel that the war jobs at home are fully as im-
portant as being in the Army, as has been seen in some of the above
quotations. Another similar expression is:
"I believe that TO all could be doing a lot more by
working in a defense plant back home. Te are surely
not doing our part here."
8.
CONFIDENTIAL
WAR EFFORT- 3
THE MINORITY:
And some believe that the folks back home aren't being given the
credit they deserve.
"There is too much talk in the Army about working people
back home 'loafing' on the job. The men ought to be
ORIGINAL RETIRED FOR PRESERVATION
told the truth; that our men and women in the factories
are doing a good job. Unless this is done the men feel
betrayed by those at home. Let's have the truth about
production not a pack of lies by aspirants for ooliti-
cal fortunes."
Excessive Personnel:
The feeling that units overseas are overstaffed is a common one.
"Half this outfit could operate just as efficiently and
probably more so - no exaggeration - just half,"
Misassignment:
The misassigned feel very strongly that all is not well with the war
effort.
"When I left a war Industry Plent to helo serve our
country it was understood that I was to serve them in
my trade. They wouldn't send me to a trade school be-
cause they said I had had enough training in a certain
trade. I had three years in a open Machine Shop as a
machinist. The company then sent me to a trade school
where I put over 5,000 hours in this trade. Now the
fact is I was put in a outfit where the T.O. doesn't
call for a machinist and don't need one. I was in
this outfit almost one month and sent overseas with
them. Since being here I have made several little
jobs which I had to use mostly English Shops, Although
I em enlisted as a machinist in this outfit - they have
no need for one, All together I have been in the Me-
chanical trade going on six years. In this outfit I
have no future and am wasting a lot of valuable experi-
ence and time. In the states before I enlisted in the
Army I was making all kinds of war material and helping
my country a lot more. I went through high school - 3
years trode school and worked 3 years in this trade be-
sides having 2 years officer training in R.O.T.C. Now
what I want to get at is any man could do what little
9.
CONFIDENTIAL
WAR EFFORT-4
work I do. Which isnt much work in view of what I
could be doing.
Now why cant they get these men who have a trade -
who could be of a great service if they were in there
kind of work. As far as my outfit is concerned they
wouldn't even miss me, They have more men now then
they need in my opinion. Maybe I shouldn't kick most
fellows wouldn't. I dont have a lot to do and I dont
ORIGINAL RETIRED FOR PRESERVATION
have to worry about getting killed by bombs (yet) But
thats not the point. I joined to help and not set
around. I never went to a army trade school but can
do any machinist work, weld, fordge work, read blue
prints and draw them, I have a fair idea of all
mechanical work besides type, etc, Seems as if I had
been to trade school three months I would be OK. But
I know more about the machinist trade then they could
teach me in 6 months or 1 to 2 years.
Why cant they get these men out of these Squadrons
and give them a chance, I have tried but they wont let
you transfer,
They called (we need 10,000 trained men machinist -
welders etc.) They got some of us, so why dont me get
to work,"
Naste of Talent:
Many suggestions have come forth as to the best method of improving
training, and utilizing the potentialities of America.
"This waste of talent through improper supervision
is apalling to me. The group I an in contains the
nucleus for many groups. It should be either taken
to the states and split up or split up out here
before the natural regression of mind through
inactivity of many good men progresses to the point
where their skills are lost to themselves and the
Service,"
"Their are literaly hundreds of men - graduates of service
schools and with previous experience going to waste in the
57th group. It has had its baptism of fire and combet
conditions, And these same men are being wasted on 'shit'
details and unresponsible positions."
10.
CONFIDENTIAL
OFFICERS- 1
One of the most frequent subjects that received attention in the free
comments of the soldiers who filled out the questionnaires was "officers",
and though there were a few favorable comments, the vast majority were
criticisms of some of the officers, or of the method of selection of offi-
cers. Though only one in seven men voiced a criticism, these represent
complaints that arose without any specific stimulus; therefore, it is
likely that many more feel the same dissatisfaction. But of course the
extent of disaffection cannot be determined accurately unless questions
ORIGINAL RETIRED FOR PRESERVATION
are designed to get at this specific topic.
Officers Enlisted Men Differential: One of the most frequent com-
plaints was that the breach between officers and enlisted men is too great,
and too artificial.
"In the American and British armies there is too great
a breach between the officers and their men. The modern
soldier has outstriped the old method of Army procedure
as a result of his education. The New Zealand outfits
I have visited recognize this and as a result have much
better spirit and a greater enthusiasm for their work.
In separating themselves as much as they do from the men
they are unable to see and recognize those who should be
N.C.O.'s, grades fill up with friends of the dept. heads,
etc., rather than having merit as the criterion,"
"This is not a 'sour grapes' gripe - I have my stripes
because I saw what was happening and 'played the game.'
There are however many who were unable to see what was
happening and who were depending on honest effort to get
ahead, whose experience in technical lines should have
placed them in useful positions and whose experience is
being wasted as a result of the things I mention."
Lack of Concern for Enlisted Men: There is evidence that at times
officers do not keep in touch with their men, and do not look after their
needs.
"One thing they need is to tell the officers of this
outfit that their men should come first. They were
supposed to have learned that in the states but over
here it is all for me and to hell with you. All they
know is inspection and close order drill - we received
plenty of that in boot camps."
Inefficiency: Probably the most frequent criticism of officers was
that they are often inefficient.
"I believe that an officer before coming over seas
11.
CONFIDENTIAL
OFFICERS- 2
should fully understand what his duties are going to
be like and should prove himself capable of the assign-
ment. This goes for the high ranking enlisted men as
well. Some officers seem to think that because they
are officers they don't have to do any technical work
and leave it to their high ranking non-com to worry
about. Some are incapable of doing any of the finer
work of their department."
ORIGINAL RETIRED FOR PRESERVATION
Another similar statement expresses the same general idea, but with
more resentment.
"The following statements represent my personal obser-
vations and are made candidly but fairly because of
my association with commissioned personnel of the
Army Air Corps:
"The average commissioned officer (at least in this
branch of the service) is lacking in all those quali-
ties which are associated with leadership. Generally
speaking they are possessed of fear, purile personali-
ties, and are devoid of any ability to inspire confi-
dence in them. The majority of the officers I have
had to work with could be considered as excess baggage,
impediments to an efficient and early conclusion of
this war. They give the impression that they think
this war is a game, their part being to strut around
and act important. Even here in the theatre of opera-
tions, they do not seem to have found their proper
stride. if Misse officers to whom T make reference
operated in civilian life on the same basis that they
do here in the Anny, they would, of necessity, be the
recipients :: charity for the rest of their lives. No
individual or corporation in business for profit could
remain for long a going business if it were conducted
on the same basis that the average Army officer per-
forms his duties.
"Time does not permit a more detailed discussion of the
presented subject. Someday as a civilian, I am deter-
mined to do my part to remedy this unfortunate and dan-
gerous (at least during time of war) state of affairs.
Right now, figuratively speaking, my hands are tied -
I am impotent. But the day is coming, barring any un-
foreseen accidents which may result from this extra-
hazarduous occupation, when I will (imperative mood) be
vociferous!"
12.
CONFIDENTIAL
OFFICERS- 3
Ground Officers: Some felt that ground officers were very good, and
others felt that they were very bad, but the majority who expressed an
opinion felt that many of the ground officers were inefficient and unqual-
lfied.
"I think the ground officers in the Air Corps except
for the Engineering Officer, are more of a detriment
to the morale and efficiency than they are a help.
ORIGINAL RETIRED FOR PRESERVATION
In this one outfit, until the arrival of our C.O. and
flying officers, they almost ruined it by their self
importance, inefficiency and ignorance of what to do -
and when to do it. In several instances - - when fresh
from the States, we encountered a sand storm, tents
blown down, no food, the ground officers took off for
Alexandria, left us to our own resources, until the
storm abated - 2 days later. Now that the C.O. and
flying officers are here, they keep their places, al-
though for the most part, they' re useless in the Air
Corps."
The minority who wrote said:
"It has been my experience that the custom of having
flying officers as Squadron and Group commanders does
not work to advantage. While they are nice fellows
and excellent aviators, they lack in the qualities of
leadership acquired through experience and mature
thinking,
"Administrative officers do not appear to be on a par
with those in other branches of the Armed Services.
Some are almost pathetically incompetent. It would
lead to greater efficiency if higher Air Force head-
quarters inspectors made more frequent tours and
recommendations for culling or transfering mis-fits."
Officer Candidate School: Many of the enlisted men felt that the sol-
ers overseas are not receiving the same opportunities for OCS training as
e the soldiers back in the States.
"OCS is a morale booster in US that is a let down.
The bally ho that every one qualified has a chance
is written up, etc., ánd then the let down of being
shipped without an opportunity of going to O.C.S.
causes a great deal of gripec' - If one passes
O.C.S. in US - I think ne should be given a chance
to go. There are about 45 of these in my Squadron.
13.
CONFIDENTIAL
OFFICERS-4
I think either they should be told to 'forget it'
from the first - or the Gov't should make good on
the propaganda."
Often the criticism was that though men had been approved for OCS, no
orders have been issued to send them to school.
"Men of this organization have applied for O.C.S.
ORIGINAL RETIRED FOR PRESERVATION
and have been approved; they still are waiting for
orders to send them to school."
Some criticisms were that the present "90 day wonders" are insuffi-
ciently trained, are too young, do not know the traditions of the Army,
etc.
"I feel that the Officers that are being made nowa-
days should be required to spend at least six months
as an enlisted man before being commissioned. This
way they could learn something about the Army and
would be better suited to be an Officer. You will
find that very few Officers know anything about the
Army's tradition or regulations in fact it is the en-
listed man that teaches them or tells them what they
would or should know."
Criticism of Headquarters: As is to be expected, there were a number
of complaints directed at headquarters personnel.
"The men with the rank stay back in Cairo and issue
orders and memorandums initiating new systems and
ideas when the majority of them have never been out
of that city, They do not have a basic and practical
knowledge of what conditions are like in the combat
zone. They are only interested in being in a near
headquarters so that they can be in a better position
to increase their own rank, In fact, the fastest pro-
motions came out of Cairo and the excellent and dili-
gent tasks performed in the combat zone are taken for
granted and no meritorious award received. Also, when
a company is actually given some recognition of the
work that is being done, the officers receive all the
credit and handshakes and the enlisted men who worked
day and night with the sweat of his brow and all his
energy can only console himself and again gripe at the
way headquarters handles situations."
There is a feeling that the whims of those in the rear areas dictate
arbitrary policy that works to the disadvantage of front line men,
14.
CONFIDENTIAL
OFFICERS- 5
"Our officers are getting to be just like the English
officers; All pomp and ceremony. They do those little
things, which are too numerous to-list, that send the
morale of a squadron right down to its bottom. If they
cooperated with the men to make life bearable for both
of them, instead of grabing the fruits of the enlisted
men's ingenuity the mórale of both enlisted men and
ORIGINAL RETIRED FOR PRESERVATION
officers would be much higher, It is admitted that the
enlisted men complain about little things, but it is
the little things that count out here. After all 100%
efficiency comes with about 75% morale and right now
there isn't 20% morale.
"What really brought the morale down that far were those
brass hats in Cairo. During the middle of the campaign
(Christmas time) we had a chance to spend 7 days in
Cairo. Arrangements by air transport were made and
everything was set. BUT 111 Cairo sent orders that
none was to leave. They gave us an excuse, 'no trans-
ports available.' Te know there were 2 planes at our
disposal. Were they afraid that we didn't know how to
act? Do they expect us to act goody goody af ter being
in the desert for 4 months without seeing or even being
near a town? Do they expect us to go dry after having
very little of anything to drink, especially water?
"Are they running our lives as men or as children?"
15.
CONFIDENTIAL
ENGLISH-1
A very large number of those soldiers who filled out questionnaires
made comments relating to the English, and almost twice as many made crit-
ical comments as made favorable comments. However, this should be inter-
preted with particular caution inasmuch as one is more likely to write
his complaints than his approvals. Still, the total amount of criticism
of the English is quite large and must be given serious consideration.
This is what the soldier had to say:
ORIGINAL RETIRED FOR PRESERVATION
Pro-English: A few realized that most Americans know relatively lit-
tle about the English, about their backgrounds, problems, customs, hopes,
plans.
"Most Americans over here have a narrow biased opinion
of the English. They apparently are not informed or
don't realize the sacrifices the English people and
soldiers have gone through, another thing they do not
know enough geographically about the British Isles and
her colonial possessions. The Americans in general
only look at one side of the conditions, they never put
themselves in the average English Soldiers shoes. All
the average American Soldier in the Middle East wants is
to have a chance to brag, bitch, find faults with any
and everything, especially anything English. The ma-
jority of this biased opinion was formed from his first
impression of the English because he didn't get as good
food on the English ship as he did in a restaurant in
the States. This was not the Englishman's fault; there
was good food aboard - our officers just didn't demand
that it be served* to the men."
Many enlisted men appreciate the conditions under which the English
peoples have labored and fought this war, and for these soldiers the Eng-
lish are a fine people, a nation worthy of our friendship.
"My experience in combat to date with the American and
English soldiers would lead me to believe that U. S.
Soldier does not have his heart in combat work. The
English in the Eighth Army with two and three years of
combat behind them seem to have a much better espirt de
corp than do we. The reason, at least for my personal
outfit, I am sure, is that at training school we were
I
led to believe that we would not be under fire and our
training did not include enough physical toughening and
preparatory training for the enemy action we have seen,'
Some soldiers highly compliment the English 8th Army and admit that
they have learned major lessons from these experienced fighters. However,
16,
CONFIDENTIAL
ENGLISH-2
most of these comments are indirect and seem to arise from criticism of
our own Army:
"On the whole, the American man is a good soldier.
However, in common, we have one fault which was clearly
shown to us by the good work of the English when they
had the proper equipment. That fault being that we
ORIGINAL RETIRED FOR PRESERVATION
aren't 80 dam smart in this war business as we pic-
tured ourselves as being. We have a helluva lot to
learn and in a high mechanized war as this, experience
is the best teacher.
And those who have had intimate contact with the English are often
very favorably impressed with these comrades.
"After intimate contact (such as various stays in Eng-
lish hospitals and English camps) I have nothing but
highest respect for ability, personality and conduct
of Englishman."
The minority has spoken, and their opinions and attitudes are of vital
importance, but let us see what the majority says.
Anti-English: Some of the anti-English feeling arises from unpleas-
ant experiences with specific individuals and circumstances, but much of
it also seems to spring from rumors, isolated phenomena, and from unknown
sources. But whatever the cause, these attitudes and opinions do exist.
"Don't believe anything can be done to improve Anglo-
American relations among the two forces generally.
Individuals can help by their individual contacts,
however. For the English to understand us and why we
are what we are and why we do what we do the way we
do it, would require a liberal education in American
history, economics, and politics and there isn't time
for that unfortunately. And it works both ways. We
can't explain why we weren't in the war for the 2
years they fought alone because being in now proves
we should have been in all along! That's what they
think anyway. The average British soldier is practi-
cally an illiterate compared to average American. He
knows it and hates us because of his not stopping to
realize his own ruling class is responsible for his
condition."
Some feel that the English are unappreciative of the aid we have been
giving them,
17.
CONFIDENTIAL
ENGLISH-3
"A good many of the questions asked about the difference
of opinions between the English and American soldiers
could have been settled before our going into the war.
Our government should have given them to understand that
it was the USA and only the USA that would be able to
save them, Even before our entry into the war we were
more than helping them. Only smug conceited asses, that
ORIGINAL RETIRED FOR PRESERVATION
the English are, would fail to see this. By the lend
lease bill they are obtaining our best supplies and equip-
ment while we our selves are taking the left overs. I
have personally seen in a British Mess kitchen the best
grade of canned goods and bacon from the USA, while we
only get even below second grade. However, if this will
help win the war, Lets go, and then go Home, and I do
mean home."
Many are critical of the English because it is felt that credit is
not given to Americans when due.
"A better understanding between the American and British
soldiers could be brought about if the English would ad-
mit that they dont have the best in everything and es-
pecially the airforce. Over all radio broadcasts from
London, almost no mention is given of what the AAF or the
AEF are doing. It is always the British as the winners
in every instant. The British Officers appear to have
the attitude that the enlisted men in the American Army
are inferior to him."
The problem of pay and resulting jealousy, looms large in the total
picture.
"The English troops seem to be jealous of us because we
have more money to spend than they have. Some however
are real swell 'guys'."
And quite often there is evidence of distrust of the English.
"Wish that someone with great authority would check on
shipments of food that go up to the front. It seems the
British do it all and get away with lots of it. There
should be someone to investigate this matter. Our ships
or docks it seems they have all the say. We should have
our own men take care of the loading and unloading of the
food instead of the natives or British. We have enough
men who know about that work here in the Middle East. If
not to get them from the States."
18.
CONFIDENTIAL
ENGLISH-4
The reasons given for dislike of the English are many but the charge
of selfishness is often to be found.
"The English in my opinion are egotistical - self
centered - selfish - class conscious. Can and do
fight when they are up against it - - but will let
George do the dying if possible."
ORIGINAL RETIRED FOR PRESERVATION
Another charge that recurred many times was that the class distinction
found among the English is undesirable, and undemocratic.
"Never again to have an American Army ON parts of
Armies to come under British jurisdiction. I don't
like the class distinction in the British Army.
Our Army is a democratic Army and it shouldn't be
patterned after the English."
Betterment of Anglo-American Relations: Some of the soldiers are
concerned about improving English-American relations, and, consequently
make their suggestions:
"If there is an official policy of fostering social
relationship between us and the British, the best
way would be to give us free evenings and let us form
friendships with British and other outsiders naturally.
Official guidance in this matter is futile. 90% of
the boys resent it. The best way to make a Yank hate
a Limey's guts is to give him a direct or implied or-
der to make friends."
This attitude might well be extended to include all of our Allies.
"The Army ought to adopt a stricter tone in dealing
with those officers and non-coms (and enlisted men)
who spread distrust of our Allies or engage in anti-
Semitism or anti-Negro tirades. Every man ought to
be permitted to have his own opinions but he ought
not to be allowed to hurt other people's feelings."
"There should be much better regard for our allies,
The Army morale div and intelligence should foster
this. It should be explained that all former propa-
ganda in our news papers about the bogey of communism
has done much to create skepticism about our ally who
is doing the most fighting for us."
19.
CONFIDENTIAL
EQUIPMENT-1
Comments pertaining to equipment were not among the most numerous of
the various subjects discussed by the enlisted men, but the total number
of such comments was considerable, The primary complaints were lack of
equipment, failure to understand why men and equipment are not shipped to-
gether, poor equipment, and the like.
Two general criticisms of equipment were:
ORIGINAL RETIRED FOR PRESERVATION
"Our biggest problem over here is a tool and equipment
shortage. By that I mean maintenance equipment. We
never get tool replacements and if a crew chief breaks
or looses a tool, why he can never get another one,
Also some of the tools we have are worthless. It looks
to me like some big company was just taking the govern-
ment in. I know I could design some tools which would
be of a great help in our air force if given a proper
chance. Welding rod is very scarce, Also welding tools,
and sheet metal and sheet metal equipment is very poor,
I think this questionnaire is very good but one on equip-
ment alone would be very helpful."
"Our equipment is the best there is, but we sometimes
dont get enough of it. Just before we departed from the
States we packed enormous quantities of it thinking we
would get it when we arrived overseas. When we arrived,
we learned that all that equipment was taken away from
us. Then when we do need the equipment for practically
immediate use, we have to beg, borrow or steal. When
an outfit has been using all that equipment, all through
its training in the States, and then after all the
trouble it has to go through with packing and repacking
it, it should rightly belong to them."
Another expressed the opinion that some method is needed whereby
shortages can be replaced,
"I believe we should have a better and faster way of get-
ting equipment that was and is lost through shipping.
And a better way of getting material and parts. And some
small tools which do not seem like much. But are so im-
portant to a service squad."
Some expressed the opinion that many items of equipment should be
redesigned.
"Redesign equipment (almost all items) from a practical
and utilitarian viewpoint. Did you ever use the full pack
20.
CONFIDENTIAL
EQUIPMENT- 2
as issued in the Air Force on a hike? And minimize the
amount of personal equipment issued to the E.M. to re-
duce waste, shipping space, etc. That minimizing can
cover all fields, it seems to be an Army policy to
scream for twice as much as you need because you'll
only get half as much as you ask for."
Others feel that much equipment is lost by virtue of irresponsible
ORIGINAL RETIRED FOR PRESERVATION
persons stealing what they want.
"Why is it we had to wait several months for our equip-
ment to arrive after we landed, and then, when it did
arrive (about ± of it) it had been gone through - and
invariably the things needed most, were gone. For 3
months, we operated with either borrowed or stolen
tools, or with the few we held on our persons."
The lack of equipment undoubtedly results in much wasted time, and
this does not please the soldiers.
"I would like to know why the War Department doesnt make
a check and see why an outfit hasnt the necessary equip-
ment to do its work when it comes overseas. Te would do
the job much better and much quicker if we had the right
equipment. Instead we have equipment that we dont need.
Why cant certain things be sent with us instead of us
using precious time to make trifles the hard way when we
could to doing something to win the war."
21.
CONFIDENTIAL
FOOD-1
There were many complaints about food, but only a few of these re-
lated to improper preparation. Most of the complaints were about lack of
variety, or just poor food, questions as to what is happening to the ra-
tioned food back in the states - with the added remark, "We aren't get-
ting any of it; where is it going?", -- and finally there were criticisms
relating to food deficiencies, principally calcium. A general complaint
that expresses the feeling of a majority of those who wrote of food was:
ORIGINAL RETIRED FOR PRESERVATION
"Personally I think that we have done our part and we
should let some one else try the job even tho' we
have a good record some one else may do better than
we - and besides there is no use working a good horse
to death just because you can - It wouldn't be so bad
if we had some food that would keep us in working
condition. It takes dam good food to keep a guy on
the ball when he works hard all day and pulls 6 hours
guard that night, then go back to work the next day -
couldn't something be done about this? If not why?
Just give it one deep serious thought and picture
yourself in our place out here in this dam hot dusty
desert - we need some cooks and I mean cooks not can
openers for any dam guy cah open cans I can feel sure
when I say that every one in this outfit feels the same
way I do - if anyone doubts my word you can just ask
or read a few of these pages that the boys are bitching
upon."
Several voiced the opinion that a check-up of some sort would serve
to bring conditions to the attention of authorities.
"It is my opinion that if the W.D. would send special
Service men into the area itself for a period of one
week to eat, sleep and work with the men incognito
they could get at the root of all."
And another soldier made the practical suggestion:
"I would like to see our company commanders eat at least
one meal a day with the men. Instead of countless in-
spections and revues, I would like to hear discussions
on what, why and where we are fighting."
Lack of Variety:
Many wondered why there was a lack of variety when the P.X. and Red
Cross are able to obtain considerable variety.
"I can't see why we have to eat corn beef all the time
22.
CONFIDENTIAL
FOOD-2
of
when we can buy canned chicken and such in our Canteen.
If they can get it there why can't we get it for our
mess hall, Any why casint We have cooks, instead of
glorified K.P. 87 Why can't the cooks sèe to 16 that the
cans of jelly and such are kept under cover. This G,I,
food is really knocking us to hell, Why can't we have
radios? Why can't we have our own squadron instruments.
ORIGINAL RETIRED FOR PRESERVATION
The Red Cross was going to do much for us. Tell, they
did - - In other wêrds the boys here are fed up. One
year is plenty.'
"In Alexandria as well as Cairo, the food at the hotels
sponsored by the Red Cross was excellent - there seems
to be plenty of fresh vegetables in this country and
these hotels take advantage of it. If the vegetables
are not safe, and our outfit is not permitted to use
them for that reason, why does the Red Cross serve them?
I would think that they would take as many precautions
as does the Air Corps. Food is very important to us and
it certainly should be improved as long as its possible
to do 80, and at this place it is possible."
Fresh Food:
The call for fresh food was a frequent one.
"The food could be much better. Te are getting too much
can food. What we need is fresh cooked greens and other
fresh foods, That's all..."
Deficiencies:
Remarks pertaining to vitamin and mineral deficiency were not over-
whelmingly large but in two areas there were a number who remarked about
improper nutrition and the resulting ills for teeth.
"Our food - notwithstanding the claims made by the Army
publicity - is poor. There is no variety - except for
meat loaf - sausages - once in a while a change My
teeth, scrub them as I may, are turning yellow, fór Tack
of proper nutrition for them, although I: have' gained
weight: - superfluous weight I must say. 17
And another was of the same opinion.
"Food isn't too good, bully beef and hash get to be
monotonous, not enough fruit, teeth are getting bad
from food, believe it is lack of calcium. Haven't
seen a glass of milk since we were over seas."
23.
CONFIDENTIAL
FOOD43
Rationing:
Those who wondered what is happening to the food saved by rationing
in the states remarked:
"The food is terrible over here. Everything is rationed
in the U.S. to send over to us but we never see any of
it just STEW AND HASH all the time."
ORIGINAL RETIRED FOR PRESERVATION
Good Food:
A minority stated that the food was good.
"I have been more than surprised since I came overseas
for our food is fair, much better than I expected and
the U.S. Army really tries hard to look out and care
for it's soldiers."
Food Aboard Boat:
Many remembered their boat trip overseas very vividly and apparently
remain bitter about their experiences while enroute.
"I came over-seas in a French boat manned by the English
and instead of having American rations and our own cooks
we ate English rations (if you can call that food) and
had English cooks. The officers ate beef, chicken, ice-
cream, beans and vegetables while we ate mutton, pea soup
and fish. Living conditions were intolerable, There
were seventy of us in a room as large as my kitchen back
home where we ate and slept while the officers had only
four in the same space. 1.
"Very Poor!!!!!"
"Terrible."
"Dam Bad. It
"Not fit for hogs."
"By Christ it was rotten. Mutton stinky old mutton twice
daily. Every morning oatmeal with worms, I lived on
chocolate bars for 31 days and lost about 30 lb. The
next time I'm going to walk across,"
24,
CONFIDENTIAL
RECREATION AND ENTERTAINMENT - 1
No questions were asked pertaining to recreation and entertainment
because it was felt that this subject matter could not be treated ade-
quately in two or three questions, and there was not room in this first
survey for more detailed questions. Therefore, the spontaneous demand
for more recreation and entertainment reflects a deep-seated feeling on
the part of enlisted men, and this feeling is both quantitatively and
qualitatively significant.
ORIGINAL RETIRED FOR PRESERVATION
Lack of Recreation and Entertainment: The most frequent comment was
simply:
"We need more entertainment. It puts the morale up.
Thank you Sir."
And the men feel that special efforts should be made to give them
some diversions.
"An attempt should be made that the fighting man 1
in this theatre be given the same deal, that is
available in some other theatres, relative to en-
tertainment: personal appearances by movie stars,
movies, etc., and a big attempt should made an
'necessary canteen' equipment."
There were frequent calls for movies, newspapers, books, magazines,
radio braodcasts, radios, recreation and sports, etc.
These comments were simple, but clear, none the less,
"All combat Sqdns could operate more efficiently if
they were provided with more recreation facilities.
The high ups must think we are Robots - all work and
no play! The ground personel are human too."
"Give us some form of entertainment or some way to
amuse us. Magazine and news papers will help."
"Soldiers should be acquainted with the home front as
well as daily newspapers and current periodicals at
their reach."
"A real good Broadcast of good music from the states
from 6 p.m. to ten, our time."
Criticism of the "Cairo Commandos".
"There is too much publicity on what is being done to
entertain and help the boys - but its never for the
25.
CONFIDENTIAL
RECREATION AND ENTERTAINMENT - 2
boys in the field - the 'Cairo Commandos' get it all.
People at home are misled.'
Frequently the boys "in the blue" complain that all entertainment
is retained in the rear areas.
"I am very dissatisfied with the means of entertain-
ORIGINAL RETIRED FOR PRESERVATION
ment provided for the American troops in the forward
combat areas. With all the entertainment and con-
veniences provided for the troops in Cairo I dont see
why some of it cant be sent up in the desert to enter-
tain the fellows that are actually in combat. Ive
spent several months in a bomber outfit that has been
in action nearly as long and am still alive so I dont
see why any entertainment group should be afraid to
come up.'
"Where in hell is all this entertainment that were
supposed to get and for which 80 much money is given?
With nine months in the Middle East I've seen exactly
two shows both of them provided by the N.A.A.F.I.
There is quite a bit of it being put on in Cairo and
Alexandria. Who gets the benefit of it. The fellows
up front or the non combatants?"
Out of Bounds: The officer-enlisted man differential was often ap-
plied to restrictions regarding places of entertainment for enlisted men,
"I think the men of the American Army should have more
of the good hotels and night spots in bounds and more
of the cabaret out of bounds to all ranks. If we wish
to dance, we have to go to the Red Cross which is a
nice place if you can get in and if you cant about all
that is left is a dirty dive full of bad women after
the army man's money, and if you wish to take any per-
son with you, try and find a place in bounds for the
enlisted man that is fit to go. We are giving up as
much as anyone and in America all men are equal.'
A number of the soldiers feel that this differential is un-American.
"It is against the American way of living to put places
of entertainment, Hotels, and such out of bounds to
certain Americans. By what standard do the Brass hats
here put places out of bounds to enlisted men? Censor-
ship does not allow us to write home that places are
26.
CONFIDENTIAL
RECREATION AND ENTERTAINMENT - 3
out of bounds. Is some one ashamed of that fact? I
am quite sure the American public would not be very
happy about the fact that we are only good enough to
fight a war but not allowed to visit any public place
that of ficer can, Next we will have that terrible
caste system the English have."
ORIGINAL RETIRED FOR PRESERVATION
27.
CONFIDENTIAL
POST EXCHANGE SUPPLIES - 1
Naturally, many men want more variety of PX supplies, and if this is
not possible, they would like to be told why they are not getting more.
In addition, several complaints regarding prices and profiteering were in-
cluded in the various comments. It is evident that many of the men do not
understand that some PX articles are bought on local markets and the price
is, therefore, much higher than for similar articles originating in the
United States. The specific articles for which they asked were principally
ORIGINAL RETIRED FOR PRESERVATION
American cigarettes and beer.
"I dont see any reason for our post exchange being out
of American Cigarettes, if their is a reason why not
pass it on among the enlisted men BO it will clear up
ones mind."
"How about some beer?"
"Tobacco is very scarce at the P.X. cigarettes are to
be gotten about one week out of the month with a limit
of one pack a day. The prices of things at our P.X.
are very high. Bought tooth paste last week and paid
forty-eight cents for & ten cent tube. A brand which
I never heard of in the states."
"The troops in the forward areas are not receiving the
Beer, smoking tobacco, cigarettes, candy and other
things that they should while the non combat outfits
stationed in rear headquarters are getting practically
all they want."
"We should get beer more often that is about the only
thing we could relax and enjoy."
"Why is it we have to buy at high prices, chocolats,
candy, even beer that is marked on the can (For Troops
Overseas - Free from Tax) that is donated to the dis-
tributing sources free of cost. I don't mind paying
the prices, but I'd like to know what the profits are
used for. We get absolutely no benefit from them."
28.
CONFIDENTIAL
LENGTH OF TIME OVERSEAS - 1
A very large number of soldiers want to know how long they will be
overseas. They want to know if they will get a furlough back in the U.S.
before another campaign begins, if they will get to return to the States
after a definite time overseas, etc. Men in Bomber Groups seem to be
much more concerned about this question than others, and men in Fighter
Groups are more concerned about the issue than are men in Service Groups
and S.O.S. troops.
ORIGINAL RETIRED FOR PRESERVATION
This is their pleat
"I have been in the 343rd Sqdn. of the 98th Bomb Group
since January, 1942, the time I entered the Army. We
started our training at Barkedale Field, La., and then
went to Fort. Meyer, Florida, to rough it. We arrived
there, and being the first outfit to do any soldiering
there had quite a hard time getting things ironed out.
Just as we were getting things to run smoothly, we were
shipped to Lakeland, Florida, where we were put into a
facsimile of an African Jungle and told to make ourselves
comfortable. Well, we got to work again and got our camp
set up once more, At this time, our group had been to-
gether only about 3/2 months. We continued our training
(most of the men being non-schooled greenhorns) and were
shaping up to be a good working outfit. About the same
time fellow soldiers in groups in neighboring areas were
getting furloughs to go home for a visit to mother, sis-
ters, etc. We were told that we were in training that
didn't warrant furloughs. Well, we said OK, and con-
tinued on. Then our Group commander started filling our
ears with plans to go overseas. But still no talk of
getting home for even 1 day. Finally, we were sent over
here, and were promised that we were on a 'Task Force'
to do a certain job. Well, the job turned out to be
'keeping supplies from Rommel by bombing convoy, harbors,
etc. Now that job is done and naturally we expect a
little reward, but no soap. We will probably carry on
for a long time to come. Where is this Air Force they
talk about at home? Where are the new aircraft? We
have had ours for a year now. We came over here with
combat crews and now that they have completed 300 opera-
tional hours they have gone home. What becomes of us?
New crews are coming in -from the States. Will our men
be as conscientious about their work? I doubt it. We
realize that there is a war going on, but let us know
how long we have to stay, We'd like to have something
to look forward to."
29.
CONFIDENTIAL
LENGTH OF TIME OVERSEAS - 2
They are looking for a definite statement from the War Department that
indicates how long they must remain away from home.
"Morale being an all important subject is one which
to my knowledge is rather neglected at times. Since
our outfit has been over-seas almost a year the ques-
tion arises thus. Are we entitled to expect to be
ORIGINAL RETIRED FOR PRESERVATION
sent to the States after we have served a year or 18
mos? Our particular unit has cancelled all passes or
leaves. No one knows when they will be granted again.
Such things to my notion should be clarified. In ref-
erence to being returned to the states, morale could
be upped ever BO much if something definite in the. way
of an order from the W.D. was issued stating just when
we could expect to go home. Of course many things
must be considered on that point. The trend of the
war, our particular theatre, etc. The Middle East will
cease to be a war center soon but not one from which we
can operate. When the N. African campaign is over can
we expect to be sent home in 5 or 6 mos to recuperate,
get better and heavier equipment to return to some
other theatre or do we go to some other theatre of op-
erations directly from the Middle East after we have
done everything possible here? These questions are
not entirely my own but are those also of my fellow
soldiers. I say to the War Department once for all
clarify such questions and cast aside all doubt. Es-
pecially this one: When can we expect to go home? That
in my mind would do more to stabilize morale of the sol-
diers than anything."
Many state quite candidly that they have had enough of fighting, of
the desert, and want to go home and give the other boys over there a
chance to come overseas and get into the excitement.
"I dont think a man should stay over here any more than
one year because 1 year of this desert adds 10 years to
your life. They should send some of those men that
want to strike all the time over here and that would
finish all strikes. I think that they should get more
to drink over here because their aint any thing else to
do for pass time. I think they should give every man
a chance to see action and not put it all on the same
ones. This is a hell of & life in desert."
30.
CONFIDENTIAL
LENGTH OF TIME OVERSEAS - 3
Many make remarks about the large Army in the States.
"What is the army going to do with all of those sol-
diers in the states? Why not give them some expe-
rience such as we have had, Some have been in for
2 years and more and never been out of the States. If
ORIGINAL RETIRED FOR PRESERVATION
31.
CONFIDENTIAL
FURLOUGHS- - 1
Before coming overseas: Many soldiers state that they did not have
a furlough before coming overseas, and this they do not understand.
"One thing I do not particularly agree with is the idea
of a large percentage of boys being sent overseas with-
out a furlough before leaving. From my own experience,
I was about 48 hours from home by train and I had the
money to go but was not granted a leave. While waiting
ORIGINAL RETIRED FOR PRESERVATION
to be sent over they gave me 9 weeks of supposedly in-
tense overseas training which was five weeks more than
was necessary. In that time there would have been more
than ample time to grant me a furlough before coming
over. When I left the States I had been away from home
for almost a year and it would have done my parents a
just amount of good to see me before I left. In their
eyes we are coming overseas to be sloughtered no matter
what any one tells them 80 you can plainly see how much
good it would have been to them to see me or any other
boys parents either!"
These men feel that every man should be given a furlough before:com-
ing overseas.
"Every man should have at least one furlough in the
states before being sent across seas. I never had a
chance since I've been in the Army to go home on a
furlough."
After coming overseas: Many soldiers want a rest, preferably at home,
before entering into another campaign.
"I think that combat personnel who have been under fire
considerably and flown about 40 or 50 missions should be
sent to the States for a rest before entering into com-
bat again. At least given a long rest somewhere where
he could more or less forget about fighting. A flier or
man who participates in aerial warfare can't be too ner-
vous or jumpy, one mistake is liable to be his last one
and maybe for four or five others. He should at least
if the passes are not available, be ground personell for
a period until he figures he is ready for combat again.
A man won't generally say he wants to quit because he is
afraid someone will say he is yellow.'
Rather a large number of enlisted men feel that they should have more
passes and furloughs while serving overseas.
"You talk about time off. When do we get it, and how?"
32,
CONFIDENTIAL
FURLOUGHS-2
"Some method ought to be devised to allow men to get
furloughs even during campaigns as we get damn sick
and tired of doing the same things and seeing the
same faces all the time."
"This particular outfit has been in the desert for
over six months without any relief and I'd like to
ORIGINAL RETIRED FOR PRESERVATION
see some means taken to provide a rest or some other
kind of relief for the troops, even a change in
scenery would do. If a soldier could look forward
to a 3 day or possible a 7 day pass once every one
or 2 months it would help to relieve some of the pent
up feelings in the men and also raise the morale a
little."
33.
CONFIDENTIAL
DO AWAY WITH DRILL - 1
There were no questions in regard to training, but none the less a
great number of comments were written about drilling, parades, practice
reviews and other forms of training. A great number of complaints were
written about this subject, such as:
"I think we should be more of a soldier than boy scouts.
Te drilled and had our rookie training in the States and
I think we should out it out over here in combat zone.
ORIGINAL RETIRED FOR PRESERVATION
Other complaints in the form of training were the practice of doing
calisthenics:
"Having reveille, drill, close order drill out here is
absolutely rediculous. In my opinion, it has hurt our
moral considerably. Calisthenics after Ive been on
guard all night and work all day,
These drills took up much of the soldier's spare time and some of
their days off:
"This idea of taking every Sunday for drill, stupid
reviews, etc., has lowered the morale of the men
morè than any officer would like to admit. If you
have work important to do on Sunday, it should be
done and when finished, you should be off to rest or
some other thing. Im afraid our allies think us
rather silly at times, when I work I work hard and
dont feel like going around draging through this
sand at the shout of 1-2-3-4 afterwards!"
"I cant see where these drills and formations on
Sundays are going to end the war any sooner. Un-
less we are really doing something toward defense,
I think we should have that day off."
"More time for recreation and less for inspections
and such G.I. things. How can a man ever forget he's
a soldier as long as he is in the Army, does he have
to be reminded of it by Sunday inspections and close
order drill.
And still others complained about not being able to attend church as
the time was taken up by drills:
"I also think that when possible we should have
Sundays completely to ourselves. Last Sunday, I
wanted to go to church but was refused permission
to go because of a Post order that we had to attend
8. practise passing review.
34.
CONFIDENTIAL
POCKET GUIDES
The question was asked, how can the pocket guides to Egypt and North
Africa be improved. Unfortunately, most of the men have not seen these
pocket guides, and, therefore, the most frequent suggestion was "distrib-
ute it to everyone who comes to the Middle East." Excluding remarks like
the one just quoted, and the next most frequent one, "Never heard of it,"
most of the comments were favorable. For example, "I believe anything
that isn't in the book must be learned from experience." Two types of
suggestions are worthy of mention, namely (1) "A lot of things mentioned
ORIGINAL RETIRED FOR PRESERVATION
were out of date. I think things have changed here since the war has been
going on, If and (2) "If possible to do so, give a list às near as possible
what different articles you may buy should honestly cost."
35.
CONFIDENTIAL
EGYPTIAN - AMERICAN RELATIONS - 1
The soldiers were asked, "Would you visit in the home of an educated
native of this country if you were invited?" Then, they were asked, "If
you would go, tell why; if you would not go, tell why not?"
THOSE WHO WOULD GO:
Many indicated that they would like to visit natives of the country
in which they are stationed, and some the reasons given were:
ORIGINAL RETIRED FOR PRESERVATION
To Improve Relations with U.S.:
"To foster better relations between the U.S. and other
countries."
"In the future we will not be able to live isolated
in any country - now is the time to begin to prepare
to know every country, and thus they will be better
prepared to understand the American way of life."
"To talk of their native country and my own. More or
less to spread democracy on my own."
Because of Curiousity:
"Because of curiousity and then to be as friendly
as possible to strengthen the cords of friendship.'
To Learn Their Customs:
"I would go because I am interested in learning the
habits and customs of people in foreign countries."
To Meet People:
"I would go for sheer pleasure of meeting people. I
would want to go to observe customs of the natives,
their habits and especially to compare their country
with ours - their form of government, their cities,
their trades and economic industries."
THOSE WHO WOULD NOT GO:
The principal reasons for not wanting to go were:
Fear of Food:
"The reason for not attending was from a standpoint of
health and not because the man was a native. I know
36.
CONFIDENTIAL
EGYPTIAN - AMERICAN RELATIONS - 2
of the food and am not sure that my system would stand
it. I have been forewarned that certain foods in this
country can carry disease."
Want to get war over with:
"I want to fight this war, get it over with, and go
home - am not interested in natives."
ORIGINAL RETIRED FOR PRESERVATION
Dislike:
"I would not go because I have no love for them and
might unwittingly offend them."
THOSE WHO HAVE GONE:
"I have gone and was welcomed and treated royally."
"I did go - found them crazy about everything American.
America is having a profound influence on the Egyptians."
37.
CONFIDENTIAL
RATINGS- 1
Slightly less than 10 per cent of the men making comments had any-
thing to say about ratings and pay, but among these the principal com-
plaints were that there is little chance to advance after coming overseas,
regardless of buy been me works; ratings are given on the basis of who
you know ratire what you know: and, finally, quite a few suggested
that ratings should be based or come type of test. The most frequent com-
ment was to the alfect that Tables of Organization tend to keep many good
men from receiving promotions they deserve.
ORIGINAL RETIRED FOR PRESERVATION
"I feel more opportunity should be given for men to
advance in rank while overseas. Those of us who are
unf whinate enough to join an outfit in which the
Tatlet of Org. are filled are unable to advance de-
spite the desire of Commanding Officers to have us
do 80, I feel new outfits should draw their non-coms
from enlisted men who have proven themselves in the
field. Failure to advance men stifles their initia-
tive.
The next most frequent comment pertaining to ratings was concerned
with favoritism in awarding ratings.
"Once a fellow is overseas he doesn't have much chance
for advancement. The ratings are all taken up and no
matter how hard you work, it just doesn't do any good.
And a lot of the fellows that have the higher ratings
just don't give a damn and they get away with a lot of
things that the smaller guy wouldn't dare. They ought
to give credit where it is due and show less favoritism. "
And finally there were those to think a definite competitive system
should be put into operation as a method of selecting NCO's.
"Each man should be given a test before being rated,
to see whether he deserves one or not. There is too
much ball rolling, As example - The way the Navy gives
promotions."
"Ratings should be given on a competitive basis. "
38.
CONFIDENTIAL
DESIRE FOR COMBAT - 1
One question which the soldiers were asked was:
"If it were up to you, what kind of outfit would you rather be
in? (Check one)
In a combat outfit overseas
In a non-combat outfit overseas
ORIGINAL RETIRED FOR PRESERVATION
In an outfit in the United States
Why?
If
The answers were varied of course, and many different reasons were
given for wanting to be overseas or at home, in a combat outfit or a non-
combat outfit. But let us see what the soldiers had to say.
COMBAT OUTFIT OVERSEAS
Some felt insulted by the inquiry and answered:
"What the hell do you think I came over for."
Duty:
Others felt that it was their duty to their country and to their loved
ones:
"Because I am a father and believe by being in a com-
bat outfit I am doing my duty towards my wife and child
back home. With my country at war I would not feel
right elsewhere."
Some of those who felt that it was their duty, also felt that they
could not expect anyone else to do their fighting:
"Because someone has to do the fighting, and a real
American would want to fight for his country. I
can't expect other people to do the fighting for me."
Idealism:
Some were idealistic and are desirous of making the world free for
themselves, their children and for all time to come:
"Because I want to do my part to make this world
free for my children and everyone else for the rest
of time."
39.
CONFIDENTIAL
DESIRE FOR COMBAT - 2
To End the War Quickly:
The majority felt that by fighting themselves, they could help to
end the war quickly:
"In order to do all I can to finish this war quickly."
ORIGINAL RETIRED FOR PRESERVATION
"This war has got to be won. Every able-bodied man,
naturally, wants action. ft
Adventure:
Many are in the war for adventure:
"Like to be in the thick of everything and not join
the Army to do K.P. Like excitment and adventure."
"Am in good health, have few family ties, it is most
interesting."
"It's more interesting and educational to have some
hardships - - makes one appreciate the little things
of life.
Experience:
And some felt that it is good experience to participate in the war:
"Combat outfit travels more:s and a man can gain morè
experience than any other outfit. That is what a
person wants - experience."
NON-COMBAT OUTFIT OVERSEAS
The principal reason given for wanting to be in a non-combat outfit
overseas was a combination of a desire to really help with the war effort
and also, the belief that the individual concerned was better fitted for
non-combat work:
"Am satisfied with present non-combat unit. I am
better fitted than would be in a combat unit."
"This question is hard to answer as I have experience
only in the second type - but I am fairly satisfied
that my job is important enough to warrant my being
here. If I were not here, someone else would have to
be, so its just a matter of making the best of it and
do my part to help get it over with quickly."
40.
CONFIDENTIAL
DESIRE FOR COMBAT - 3
"Because I believe that I can work better than fight
and because there is more work to be done by soldiers
overseas than in the U.S."
Experience:
A few felt that non-combat work offered more opportunities for worth-
while experience:
ORIGINAL RETIRED FOR PRESERVATION
"Only for the experience, but the experience is no
good unless there is a future in it, so I believe the
non-combative."
Physical:
A few felt that physical reasons would keep them from being efficient
in a combat outfit:
"Physical reasons make me prefer non-combat outfit,"
Cynicism:
One or two were bitter and said:
"It seems a non-combat outfit gets all the breaks."
OUTFIT IN THE UNITED STATES
The most frequent reason given for wanting to serve in an outfit in
the United States was simply "because I like the United States better.
There were many expressions of this sort but others combined this reason
with various rationalizations and/or truths. Others were very frank
about being tired of overseas life and simply want. to return home, but
these are some of the reasons they gave:
I have done my share.
"I've done my duty to God and Country - - I need a
rest. I didn't have any leave at home during my 16
months service overseas. Want to go home - - let
some other Joe come over."
"I've got three hundred combat flying hours in and I
want to go home as others before me have."
Let others share the fighting.
"I don't mind doing my share of combat duty but I
think that all of us Americans should share it. Not
the ones just stay and keep on fighting forever,"
41.
CONFIDENTIAL
DESIRE FOR COMBAT - 4
"There are some ten million or more men in the U.S.
Army. About one million are overseas. The President
said all would share and share alike in overseas duty.
We've done our job, now let the others do theirs.'
Health.
"I have been overseas for about 10 months and it has
ORIGINAL RETIRED FOR PRESERVATION
affected my health somewhat. If
Performing useless task here.
"Because I could do there what I am doing here. (Sit
around and look silly.) If
mye got nearly a year in over here and we do close
order drill, and calesthenics and that sort of things
they can be done in the States.
Anti-English.
"To get away from the British."
Undecided.
Of course, many were torn between the desire to help in the war ef-
fort and a second desire to be at home amid comfortable surroundings with
their loved ones:
"I cant answer that question as easily as that. Like
being in a combat outfit overseas, because it is help-
ing to end this war, then of course my feeling is that
I'd like to be home like other soldiers with the people
he loves."
42.
CONFIDENTIAL
MAIL-1
Almost everyone recognizes the importance of mail as a morale factor,
and not only do the soldiers recognize this, but also they write about it
when given the opportunity. Inasmuch as mail service can hardly be "too
good, ft the comments tend to be critical - critical of mail service in gen-
eral, or of V-mail, or of the package system, etc. By far the majority
expressed disapproval of V-mail, and many are insistent that rules regard-
ORIGINAL RETIRED FOR PRESERVATION
ing sending packages from home be more liberal. Though there were hun-
dreds that expressed their opinions, most of them were thinking the same,
and here are their ideas in their own words:
"The question on the two different types of mail, should
be carefully considered before making a definite deci-
sion. Regular mail is something that is quite personal,
and as I see it, they seem to have taken everything else,
why not at least leave us our mail? Thru my experiences
with V-mail, I found that on the average regular mail
usually arrives at its destination sooner than V-mail.
To date, our mail service has been exceptionally Poor and
I hope there is a straightening out of said subject be-
fore the men's morale goes any farther in the hole. If
they would put a couple bags on these D.C. 3's instead
of a bunch of brass, things might be somewhat better.
"And why can't our mail come more regularly. After all
mail is, at times, more essential than food."
"I think that V-mail should be cut out completely, its
hard to read, not very much to a letter and for all the
work they put into it, it ain't worth it. Also from all
of the fellows that it come in contact with dislike them
very much.
"If people would use air mail stationery it would be al-
most as light as V-mail and also would help all of the
morale to the fellows overseas."
"The main objection I have is trying to make all soldiers
send V-mail. Ever since it started I have yet to get the
first V-mail to pass my regular mail in getting over here.
I think the V-mail is the most silliest poorest way for
America to try and save shipping space on plane's when
mail is the best morale builder in the army. My V-mail
is any where from two days to two weeks longer on the way
than my regular mail. Forget the V-mail I say."
"The V-mail isn't worth writing."
43.
CONFIDENTIAL
MAIL-2
"I would sure like to receive some packages. My folks
could send me candy, gum, etc. that I miss very much
and cant get over here. I dont like V-mail. I would
rather have one regular letter to every three V-mail
letters."
ORIGINAL RETIRED FOR PRESERVATION
44.
CONFIDENTIAL
RESTRIUTEL
PLANNING SURVEY
Instructions
ORIGINAL RETIRED FOR PRESERVATION
DO NOT put your name, or your serial number, or the name of your outfit
on any of the pages.
This is not a test, and there is no grade.
There is no time limit. Take all the time you need. For most of the
questions, you will only have to place a mark before the answer that
applies to you. Some of the questions have special instructions, so be
sure to read them all carefully. Remember that there are questions on
both sides of each sheet.
Many of the questions have spaces left for comments. Use those spaces
if there are any extra comments that you want to make about the ques-
tions. The last page has been left blank. On it you can write any
comments you want to make about your Army experiences, whether they have
been covered by any of the questions or not.
When you have finished, check back through all of the pages to be sure
that you have not missed answering any of the questions.
Headquarters
UNITED STATES ARMY FORCES
IN THE MIDDLE EAST
CONFIDENTIAL
CONFIDENTIAL
1. Please check your rank
Private
Private First Class
Corporal or T/5
Sergeant or T/4
S/Sgt. or T/3 or higher
2.
In what state did you spend most of your time during the last
ORIGINAL RETIRED FOR PRESERVATION
five years before coming into the Army? Put a check in the box
above the group in which the name of your state is found.
East
South
Middle
West
West
Connecticut
Alabama
Illinois
Arizona
Maine
Arkansas
Indiana
California
Massachusetts
Delaware
Iowa
Colorado
New Hampshire
District of
Kansas
Idaho
New Jersey
Columbia
Michigan
Montana
New York
Florida
Minnesota
Nevada
Pennsylvania
Georgia
Missouri
New Mexico
Rhode Island
Kentucky
Nebraska
Oregon
Vermont
Louisiana
North Dakota
Utah
Maryland
Ohio
Washington
Mississippi
South Dakota
Wyoming
North Carolina
Wisconsin
Oklahoma
South Carolina
Tennessee
Texas
Virginia
West Virginia
3. Where did you live for most of the past five years before you
entered the Army? (Check one).
On a farm
In a town with fewer than 2,500 people
In & city between 2,500 and 25,000 people
In a city between 25,000 and 100,000 people
In a city with more than 100,000 people
- 1 -
CONFIDENTIAL
4. How old were you on your last birthday? (Check one)
19 years or younger
20 to 24 years
25 to 29 years
30 to 34 years
35 years or more
5. How far did you go in school? (Check only the highest grade
ORIGINAL RETIRED FOR PRESERVATION
completed.)
Less than 6th grade
Finished 6th grade
Finished 7th grade
Finished 8th grade
Some high school or trade school
Graduated from high school or business school
Some college but did not finish
Graduated from college
6. Are the following statements true or false?
a) Mar bonds can be turned in to the post office for cash 60 days
after purchase.
True or
False
b) A soldier can deposit money with the Finance Office through his
C.O. and draw 4% interest (getting the money upon his discharge).
True or
False
c) War bonds cannot be turned in for cash until a soldier is discharged
from the Army.
True or
False
7. How long have you been outside the U.S.? (Check one).
Less than 6 months
6 months to 1 year
1 to 1) years
1, years or more
- 2 -
CONFIDENTIAL
de
How long have you been in the Middle East? (Check one)
Less than 6 months
6 months to 1 year
1 to 1& years
12 years or more
9. When did you enter' the Army? (Check one)
Less than 6 months ago
6 months to 1 year ago
ORIGINAL RETIRED FOR PRESERVATION
1 to 12 years ago
12 to 2 years ago
More than 2 years ago
10. Are you.
Single?
Married, and have no children?
Married, and have children?
Divorced, widowed, or separated?
11, What is your Arm or Service? (Check one)
Air Force
Artillery
Engineer
Infahtry
Medical
Ordnance
Quartermaster
Signal
Other - What
?
12. When you entered the Army did you come in as a...
Selectee through Selective Service? or as a
Volunteer in the Regular Army? or as a
Member of the National Guard
13. How well satisfied are you about being in your present Army job.
instead of some other Army job?
Very satisfied
Satisfied
7
Dissatisfied
Very dissatisfied
CONFIDENTIAL
14. Are you doing the job you expected to do when you left the U.S.T.
Yes
No
15. Below are several different statements about our Allies which
American soldiers have made in questionnaires like this. You
may agree with some and disagree with others,
Opposite each statement, if you agree, put 8 circle around
the word "Agree". If you disagree, put a circle around the
ORIGINAL RETIRED FOR PRESERVATION
word "Disagree." If you are in doubt or just can't make up
your mind, put a circle around the "?".
a. "The English people are taking the war a lot more
seriously than most Americans do."
Agree
?
Disagree
b. "The English soldiers are going out of their way to help the
Americans and show them a good time."
Agree
7
Disagree
c. "When Germany has been beaten, the Russians will probably
help us against Japan."
Agree
?
Disagree
d. "When Germany has been beaten, the English will probably
help us against Japan."
Agree
?
Disagree
e. "The English are doing as good a job as possible of fighting
the war, considering everything."
Agree
?
Disagree
f. "The English are taking it easy in their war effort in the
hope that America will win the war for them."
Agree
?
Disagree
6. "After we help Russia beat the Germans, the Russians may turn
around and start fighting us."
Agree
?
Disagree
- 4 -
CONFIDENTIAL
h. "The English will probably try to get more territory for
themselves out of this war."
Agree
?
Disagree
1. "After we help England beat the Germans, the English may turn
around and start fighting us."
Agree
?
Disagree
J. "The English can take it on the chin and come back for
ORIGINAL RETIRED FOR PRESERVATION
more."
Agree
?
Disagree
k. "The English can be depended upon to cooperate with us
after the war."
Agree
?
Disagree
1. "The Egyptians can be depended upon to cooperate with us
after the war."
Agree
?
Disagree
m. "The Russians can be depended to cooperate with us after
the war."
Agree
?
Disagree
n. "The French can be depended upon to cooperate with us after
the war. If
Agree
?
Disagree
If you would like to make any comments about any of these statements,
use the space below.
- 5 -
CONFIDENTIAL
16. Which do you like better, a regular letter or a V-mail
letter?
I like a regular letter better
I like a V-mail letter better
17. Do you think that V-mail is easy or hard to read?
V-mail is very clear and easy to read
V-mail is fairly clear and fairly easy to read
ORIGINAL RETIRED FOR PRESERVATION
V-mail is not clear and is hard to read
18. Which would you like better?
A V-mail letter two weeks after it was mailed or
A regular letter three weeks after it was mailed
19. Which would you like better?
A V-mail letter two weeks after it was mailed, or
A regular letter four weeks after it was mailed
20. Have you ever used the numbered telegrams (cables)?
Yes, several times
Yes, once or twice
No, never
21, Do you like the numbered telegrams (cables)
Yes, very much
Yes, quite a bit
?
No, not much
What suggestions for improving these messages do you have?
22. Do you think there will be another war in the next 25
years or Bo? (Check one)
Yes
No
Undecided
- 6 -
CONFIDENTIAL
If you think there will be another war, who do you think will
be fighting whom? (write below)
23. What part do you think our equipment has played in the fighting
of the war up until now?
ORIGINAL RETIRED FOR PRESERVATION
An unimportant part
?
A major part
24. What part do you think our soldiers have played in the fighting
of the war up until now?
A minor part
?
A major part
25. How good do you think our equipment is?
Very good
Good
Fair
Poor
Very poor
26. Do you think that our equipment or English equipment is better?
English equipment is better
?
Our equipment is better
27. How do you like the English?
Very well
All right
?
Not much
Not at all
- 7 -
CONFIDENTIAL
28. Do you think English soldiers are as friendly as are
American soldiers? (Check one)
The English try to be friendly more than do Americans
The English and Americans are equally friendly
English and Americans are equally unfriendly
Americans try to be friendly more than do the English
If you think the English are not as friendly as Americans
ORIGINAL RETIRED FOR PRESERVATION
why is it? (Check one)
Because they are naturally reserved
Because they don't like us
Both
29. Have you ever known any Englishman personally?
Yes, many
Yes, several
Yes, one or two
No
30. If you have ever known any Englishman personally, think
of the one you know best:
a. Was he:
A very close friend? or
Just an acquaintance? or
Just someone you met?
b. Was he ever under enemy fire?
Yes
No
Don't know
31, What is the attitude of your officers toward the English?
Most of them like the English
Some of them like the English and some of them don't
Most of them don't like the English
I don't know what the officers think about the English
- 8 -
CONFIDENTIAL
32. Do English or American soldiers "brag" more?
Americans brag more than the English
There isn't much difference
The English brag more than the Americans
33. Do English or American soldiers work harder?
English soldiers work harder
?
American soldiers work harder
ORIGINAL RETIRED FOR PRESERVATION
34. Since leaving the United States, have you heard any talks
by your officers about:
a. The English people, their customs, and how they are
carrying on the war?
Yes, several times
Yes, once or twice
No, none
b. Would you like to hear more talks of this kind?
Yes, very much
Yes, somewhat
?
No
C. Would you like to hear talks by the English about their
own people, customs, etc.?
Yes, very much
Yes, somewhat
?
No
35. Since leaving the United States, have you heard any talks
by your officers about:
a. The natives of the country in which you are stationed, their
customs, and how they are carrying on the war?
Yes, several times
Yes, once or twice
No, none
- 9
CONFIDENTIAL
b. Would you like to hear more talks of this kind?
Yes, very much
Yes, somewhat
7
No
36. a, Have you read either of the War Department pocket guides to
Egypt or North Africa?
Yes
ORIGINAL RETIRED FOR PRESERVATION
No
b. If yes, do you think it helped you to understand the people
here better?
Yes, it helped a great deal
Yes, it helped some
No, it wasn't much help
How could it be improved?
37. Would you visit in the home of an educated native of this
country if you were invited?
Have been invited and did go
Have been invited but did not go
Would go if invited
?
Would not go if invited
If you would go, tell why; if you would not go, tell why not.
38. Is Egypt engaged in the present war?
Egypt is fighting with England, Russia, and the U.S.
Egypt is not fighting but is for England, Russia and the U.S.
Egypt is not fighting but is for Germany, Japan, and Italy
Egypt is fighting with Germany, Japan, and Italy
- 10 -
CONFIDENTIAL
39. About how many words of the native language used here do you
know and understand?
None
1 to 6
7 to 12
13 to 20
21 to 30
31 to 40
41 to 50
ORIGINAL RETIRED FOR PRESERVATION
More than 50
40. Check the statement that you think is right in each of the
following pairs.
a.
V-mail is faster than regular mail
Regular or air mail is just as fast as V-mail
b.
Regular mail is more personal than V-mail
V-mail is just as personal as regular mail
C.
Regular mail is better because one can write as much as
he wants to in each letter
V-mail is better because one doesn't have to write so
much
41. Do most of your fellow soldiers try to make friends with
the native population?
Most soldiers really try to make friends with the natives
?
Most soldiers don't want to make friends with the natives
42. Did you come overseas on an American or English ship?
An American Ship
An English Ship
A Ship from some other country
what country?
Don't know
CONFIDENTIAL
43. Was the food aboard ship good or poor?
Very good
Good
Fair
Poor
Very poor
44. a. Have you been under enemy fire during this war?
ORIGINAL RETIRED FOR PRESERVATION
No
Yes
b. If yes, what kind (Check below)
Torpedoed - - saved by
Anti-aircraft
Bombed
Shelled
Machine gun and/or rifle
Other - - what?
C. If you have been under fire, did you have a. chance to
observe any English soldiers near you?
Yes, I saw some English nearby
No, I did not see any English nearby
45. Do you personally know any English soldiers who have
been under fire?
Yes
No
46. a. Have you been to any parties or social meetings where
there were both English and American soldiers?
No
Yes
If yes, how many?
1
2
3 or more
-
- 12 -
CONFIDENTIAL
46. b. If yes, were you simply invited or were you ordered
to got
I was invited and went willingly
I just happened to go into the place
I was ordered to go
47. If you had the opportunity, would you now go to a party
or social meeting attended by both English and American
soldiers?
ORIGINAL RETIRED FOR PRESERVATION
Yes, I should like to go
No, I don't want to go
48. Do you think there is much ill feeling between Americans
and Englishmen?
Yes, a lot
Yes, some little
7
No, not much
No, very little or none
49. If it were up to you, what kind of outfit would you
rather be in? (Check one)
In a combat outfit overseas
In a non-combnt outfit oversens
In an outfit in the United States
Why?
50. If it were up to you to choose, do you think you could
do more for your country as a soldier or as a worker
in a war job? (Check one)
As a soldier
As a war worker
Undecided
51. Do you feel that you are helping in the war effort?
Yes, very much
Yes, a little
7
No
13
CONFIDENTIAL
If you checked the "?" or "no", tell why you feel as you do.
52. Do you have enough work to keep you busy most of the
time?
Yes, I have too much work
ORIGINAL RETIRED FOR PRESERVATION
Yes, I have just enough work
?
No, much of the time I don't have any work to do
No, most of the time there is nothing for me to do
53. Considering everything, are more or less people needed
to do the work in your outfit?
The need more people to do the work properly
We have just enough people to do the work properly
Te don't need all the people we have to do the work
properly
54. a. Considering what each of these countries could do,
which one do you think is trying hardest to win the
war?
England
Russia
China
United States
Some other country
what?
Don't know
b. Now, which one do you think is trying next hardest
to win?
England
Russia
China
United States
Some other country
what?
Don't know
- 14 -
CONFIDENTIAL
55. About how much longer do you think it will take us to
beat Japan? (Check one)
Less than 6 months
6 months to 1 year
1 year to 1½ years
11 years to 2 years
2 years to 2/2/20 years
21/2 years to 3 years
3 years to 4 years
4 years or more
ORIGINAL RETIRED FOR PRESERVATION
Haven't any idea
56. About how much longer do you think it will take us to
beat Germany? (Check one)
Less than 6 months
6 months to 1 year
1 year to 1½ years
12 years to 2 years
2 years to 2/2/2020 years
2/2 years to 3 years
3 years to 4 years
4 years or more
Haven't any idea
57. How good do you think the Russians are as fighters?
(Check one)
Very good fighters
Good fighters
Fair fighters
Poor fighters
Don't know
58. How about the Germans as fighters? (Check one)
Very good fighters
Good fighters
Fair fighters
Poor fighters
Don't know
- 15 -
CONFIDENTIAL
59. Now, what about these other countries: (Check one Foreign
country)
B. The Japanese as fighters
Very good
Good
Fair
Poor
Don't know
ORIGINAL RETIRED FOR PRESERVATION
b. The English as fighters
Very good
Good
Fair
Poor
Don't know
C. The Americans as fighters
Very good
Good
Fair
Poor
Don't know
60. America's greatest help in the war effort has been what
Soldiers or
Equipment
61. What part do the English think our equipment has played
in the war up until now?
An unimportent part
?
A very important part
62, What part do the English think our soldiers have played
in the war up until now?
A minor part
?
A major part
- 16 -
CONFIDENTIAL
63. How good dd the English think our equipment is?
Very good
Good
Fair
Poor
Very poor
64. Do the English think that their equipment or American
equipment is better?
ORIGINAL RETIRED FOR PRESERVATION
They think English equipment is better
?
They think American equipment is better
65. a. Would you approve or disa prove of the Army seving part
of your pay each month for you and returning it to you
immediately upon your discharge?
Would approve
Would approve if they were to pay me interest of 3% or 4%
Would not approve
No opinion
b. If you approve, how much do you think should be held out?
Just the foreign service pay
Foreign service pay plus about one-fourth my base pay
Foreign service pay plus about one-third my base pay
Foreign service pay plus about one-half my base pay
Some other amount - - how much
?
66. About how much pay n month does a private in the
English Army get? (Put a check before the cnswer
you think is right. If you don't know, make a guess).
About $16
About $24
About 332
About $40
About 448
- 17 -
CONFIDENTIAL
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"ocrText": "Reports: Surveysf SoldierOpenian\nCONFIDENTIAL\nWar Dept\nSURVEY OF SOLDIER OPINION\nUNITED STATES ARMY FORCES IN\nTHE MIDDLE EAST\nMay 4-18, 1943\nORIGINAL RETIRED FOR PRESERVATION\nReport Prepared Under the Direction of\nUnited States Army Information Office\nby staff assigned from\nRESEARCH BRANCH, SPECIAL SERVICE DIVISION\nSERVICES OF SUPPLY, WAR DEPARTMENT\nJune 14, 1943\nFronklin D. Roosevelt Library\nDECLASSIFIED\nDOD DIR. 5200.9 (9/27/58)\nDate- 3-17-59\nSignature- call L. speck\n1\nCONFIDENTIAL\nCONFIDENTIAL\nExtract from letter dated 14 June 1943 from Tayman P. Mauldin, Major,\nInfontry (TD from Research Branch, Special Service Division) to Command-\ning General, USAFIME, Cairo, Egypt,\n\"1. The attached report is a Survey of Soldier Opinion made in AC-\ncordance with instructions contained in a directive of April 22, 1943,\nHendquarters, USAFIME. This survey was made in order to get at a better\nORIGINAL RETIRED FOR PRESERVATION\nunderstanding of Anglo-American relations, relations with local populaces,\nittitudes toward the war, and related militery subjects.\n\"2. Such studies are designed to provide Headquarters with informa-\ntion regarding existing attitudes of soldiers pertaining to specific\nsubjects that may be of interest and value at a given time. This infor-\nmation aids in the diagnosis of problems, present end potential, and\nprovides additional information for consideration when policy is deter-\nmined.\n\"3. It is recommended that a continuing series of such studies be\nmade inasmuch as (1) conditions and attitudes are continually changing,\n(2) all information desired cannot be obtained in any one study, and (3)\nup-to-date factual and statistical information with particular regard to\nAllied relation, relations with local populaces, attitudes toward recrea-\ntional and entertainment activities, and related military subjects is\nneeded from time to time.\"\nCONFIDENTIAL\nCONFIDENTIAL\nMAIN FINDINGS.\nAttitudes of enlisted men toward the war.\nHalf the soldiers think that they would contribute as much to the\nwar effort. as a worker in a war job as they do now, but men in Fighter and\nBomber units feel that they are contributing most where they are. Thirty-\nfive per cent of the men indicate some dissatisfaction with their present\nArmy job.\nORIGINAL RETIRED FOR PRESERVATION\nThe Germans are regarded as excellent fighters, particularly by men\nin combat units, but the Japanese are considered as only fairly good.\nThe Russians are thought to be the best fighters of all, with\nAmericans coming not far behind. The English are said to be better fight-\ners than the Japanese, but not as good as the Germans, Americans, or\nRussians,\nSix out of ten men think the war with Germany will be over within a\nyear, and 65% think the war with Japan will be over within a year and a\nhalf.\nAttitudes toward our Allies.\nThe majority of soldiers believe that England will fight to the\nfinish of this war, but after the war may or may not cooperate with us.\nThere is less optimism regarding friendly relations with the Russians.\nMany Believe that the U.S. will be fighting either England or Russia with-\nin the next 25 years. Most soldiers are skeptical of Egypt's sincerity\nin its cooperation,\nSeven out of ten feel there is ill fodling between Americans and\nEnglish, and about half the men indicate that they do not really like the\nEnglish.\nThose who don't like the English aro:\n1. The uneducated\n2. Those who think American soldiers work harder than English\n3. Those who think their officers don't like the English\n4. Those who say the English brag as much or more than Americans\n5. Those who think the English are critical of our part in the\nwar.\n6. Those who say the English are not friendly\n7. Those who have been in the Middle East for more than 6 months\nCONFIDENTIAL\nThere is no significant difference in the friendship for Englishmen\nof soldiers who have or have not:\n1. been under fire\n2. known any Englishmen personally\n3. known Englishmen who have been under fire\n4. been to parties attended by Americans and Englishmen\n5. heard talks by officers about the English people\nIn addition, there is no significant difference between soldiers from\ndifferent sections of the United States as regards their friendship\nORIGINAL RETIRED FOR PRESERVATION\nfor the English,\nMost American soldiers feel that the English are trying, are taking\nthe war seriously, can \"take it\", and are doing a good job, considering\neverything.\nPay and Savings: Enlisted men save more than half of their pay\nbut still have almost $30 per month free spending money. A considerable\nnumber of men save little or nothing. Special means of savings which\nthé Army provides are not widely used, with the exception of buying\ninsurance - only 40% buy borids each month, less than 10% deposit with\nthe Finance office, but about 80% buy insurance,\nHOW THE INFORMATION WAS OBTAINED\nThe findings presented in this report are based on the answers of\n2268 enlisted men, representative of all types of troops in the Middle\nEast, to questions submitted to them in the form of a written question-\nnaire during the period May 4-18, 1943. The questionnaire, in the form\nin which it was administered, is given in the appendix to this report.\nAt each principal Army installation west of the Suez canal to Kairouan,\nORIGINAL RETIRED FOR PRESERVATION\nTunisia, a random cross section of men was drawn from the rosters of\nunits in proportions ranging from one in fifteen to one in four, de-\npending on the Size of the unit. Air Force and S.O.S. troops are repre-\nsented in proportion to the total number found within the areas included\nin this study.\nThe questionnaires were administered to the men in classes of 12 to\n60. The men were told that their papers would not be identified. No\nofficers were present during the time when the questionnaires were filled\nin - the class boing conducted by onlisted men specially trained for the\nwork. Responses scomed to demonstrate a spirit of earnest cooporation.\nInternal cross-chocks on the reliability and franknoss of the replies\nconfirm the impression which the men give, in personal conversation, of\na sincere desire to answer questions frooly in this atmosphere of friendly\nanonymity.\nPart I, The Statistical Picture, contains the main findings of the\nreport. It is based on tabulations of the men's replies to the specific\nitems included in the questionnaire. Part II, The Free Comments, gives\nsupplementary material drawn from the comments which men made at the end\nof the questionnaire in response to the statement, \"If you have any\nfurther remarks to make on any subject, write them below as fully as you\nlike.\"\nPresentation: Differences between S.O.S. troops and Service troops\nof the Air Forces were negligible. When differences between men in\nFighter or Bomber Groups on the one hand and S.O.S. troops and Service\ntroops on the other hand were found, they have been presented. If no\nreal difference was found, no attention was paid to this breakdown. In\nlike manner, differences due to education, rank, etc., have been indicated\nwhere necessary. If no mention is made of such differences, one is to\nassume that they do not exist.\nCONFIDENTIAL\nPART I\nTHE STATISTICAL PICTURE\nThe Job Ahead\n1-5\nORIGINAL RETIRED FOR PRESERVATION\nMy Contribution To The War\n6-8\nAre Our Allies To Be Trusted To See this War Through? 9-12\nAmerican-English Friendship\n13-20\nRespect For The English\n21-22\nDesire To Know More About The English\n23\nRelations With The Native Population\n24\nWar Department Pocket Guides\n25\nV-Mail\n26\nNumbered Telegrams\n27\nPay And Savings\n28-30\nCONFIDENTIAL\nTHE JOB AHEAD - 1\nThe average American soldier is optimistic about the job ahead,\nWhen asked to give their opinion of the question:\n\"About how much longer do you think it will take\nus to beat Germany?\"\nORIGINAL RETIRED FOR PRESERVATION\nThe men answered:\nMore\nLess than\n1 to 12\nthan\nNo\na year\nyears\n13 yrs idea\n61%\n24%\n9%\n6%\nThese soldiers are not quite as optimistic about the early defeat\nof Japan, though most feel that when Germany has been overcome, Japan\ncannot hold out much longer.\nWhen asked to give their opinion of the question:\n\"About how much longer do you think it will take\nus to beat Japan?\"\nThe men answered:\nLess than\n1 to 1 ≥\nMore than\nNo\na year\nyears\n1\n1 & years\nidea\n30%\n35%\n26%\n9%\n1.\nCONFIDENTIAL\nTHE JOB AHEAD - 2\nThe average soldier thinks that the Germans are tough fighters.\n\"How good do you think the Germans are as fighters?\"\nORIGINAL RETIRED FOR PRESERVATION\nFair\nor Don't\nVery good\nGood\nPoor know\n54%\n33%\n9%\n4%\nMen in fighter and bomber groups have a little more respect for the\nfighting ability of Germans than do men in service groups of the Air\nForce and in Service of Supply units. For simplification, men in fighter\nand bomber groups will be referred to as combat men and those in other\nunits as non-combat men. This simplification is accurate to the extent\nthat the reader keeps in mind that most of the men in fighter and bomber\ngroups do not themselves participate in aggressive action but their units\ndo. On the other hand, men in service groups and Service of Supply units\ndo not themselves participate in aggressive action, nor do their units.\n\"How good do you think the Germans are as fighters?\"\nMen in:\nFair\nor Don't\nVery good\nGood\nFoor know\nCombat\n59%\n32%\n7%2%\nUnits\nNon-\n50%\n35%\n10%\n5%\nCombat\nUnits\n2.\nCONFIDENTIAL\nTHE JOB AHEAD - 3\nThe Japanese aré not thought to be such tough fighters.\n\"How good do you think the Japanese are as fighters?\"\nORIGINAL RETIRED FOR PRESERVATION\nVery\nDon\nGood\nGood\nFair or Poor\nknow\n19%\n32%\n34%\n15%\nThe above analysis gives one a picture of what the American soldier\nin the Middle East thinks of the toughness of our two main enemies, and\nalso indicates his attitude rogarding the length of the war. The opti-\nmism arises from many causes, but ono of these is his belief in the\nability of the Allics as fighters,\n3.\nCONFIDENTIAL\nTHE JOB AHEAD - 4\nThe Russians are thought to be the best fighters of all.\nAmericans think they are good fighters, though not quite as good\nas the Russians. The English are thought to be better fighters than\nthe Japanese but not as good as the Germans, Russians, or Americans.\nORIGINAL RETIRED FOR PRESERVATION\nAS FIGHTERS\nFair\nor Don't\nVery Good\nGood\nFoor know\nRussians\n68%\n25%\n5% 2%\n64%\n24%\n2\n10%\nAmericans\nEnglish\n25%\n42%\n28%\n5%\nMen in combat outfits have a little more\nrespect for the English as fighters than do\nmen in non-combat units:\nMen in:\nCombat\nUnits\n27%\n44%\n28%\n1%\nNon-\n24%\n41%\n29%\n6%\nCombat\nUnits\n4.\nCONFIDENTIAL\nTHE JOB AHEAD - 5\nIn addition to confidence in the fighting ability of our allies, our\nforces feel that our equipment is good and has played a very important\npart in the war. For example, slightly more than 97% of our soldiers\nstated that our equipment is \"good\" or \"very good\" and only a fraction of\none percent thought that it was \"poor\" or \"very poor\". To be sure, in\nsome instances there is criticism of specific items, but consi dering\nequipment as a whole, the reaction was that America has suppled much good\nequipment for the war effort. Almost 9 out of 10 men answered that our\nORIGINAL RETIRED FOR PRESERVATION\nequipment has played a large part in the fighting of the war up until now,\nwhereas less than 7 out of 10 feel that our soldiers have played an im-\nportant part in the fighting of the war up until now. Approximately 95%\nof these men felt that our equipment is better than the English, though\nmany free comments were added to show that there is the greatest admira-\ntion for some English equipment, particularly the Spitfire plane.\nConfidence in the fighting ability of our own soldiers and of our\nallies, and the strong belief that we have more and better equipment than\nthe onemy, are factors which help to create a feeling that the war is go-\ning well and will likoly end within another year and a half or two years.\n5.\nCONFIDENTIAL\nMY CONTRIBUTION TO THE WAR - 1\nA third of the soldiers think they are contributing a great deal\nto the war effort, and an additional 50% feel that they are helping\nsome. Men in non-combat units are Ibes sure of their aid to the war,\nthough three out of four think they are helping some.\nWhen asked the question:\nORIGINAL RETIRED FOR PRESERVATION\n\"Do you feel that you are helping in the war effort?\"\n-The men answered:\nMen in:\nYes\ne\nVery much\nA little\n? No\nCombat\nUnits\n43%\n46%\n4\n7%\nNon-\nCombat\n25%\n52%\n7%\n16%\nBut only 4 out of 10 feel that they are contributing more to the\nwar effort as a soldier than they would be ns a worker in a war job.\nMen in combat units feel that their present contribution is greater\nthan do men in non-combat units.\n6.\nCONFIDENTIAL\nMY CONTRIBUTION TO THE WAR - 2\nWhen asked the question:\n\"If it were up to you to choose, do you think you\ncould do more for your country as a soldier or as\na worker in a war job?\"\nThe men answered:\nORIGINAL RETIRED FOR PRESERVATION\nMen in:\nAs\nAs soldier\n?\nwar worker\nCombat\nUnit\n48%\n24%\n28%\nNon-\nCombat\n37%\n19%\n415\nUnit\nA few of those who say that they could be doing more in a war job\nare merely trying to emphasize their belief that war jobs are truly es-\nsential to the war effort. However, the majority of these men feel that\ntheir skills are not being used in the Army, and, therefore, believe\nthey are not contributing as much as they could. These are the men who\nexpress dissatisfaction with their Army jobs. About one-third of all\nthe men express concern over their Army job, and answered the question:\n\"How well satisfied are you about being in your\npresent Army job instead of some other Army job?\"\nSatisfied\n? Dissatisfied\n65%\n10%\n25%\nAbout five per cent more of mon in combat outfits are satisfied\nwith their jobs than are men in other outfits.\n7.\nCONFIDENTIAL\nMY CONTRIBUTION TO THE WAR - 3\nAbout one-fourth of the men say that additional men are needed to\ndo the work properly, and about a third say that fewer people are need-\ned to do the work properly. This indicates that some sections are over-\nstaffed and others are understaffed. An equal number of men feel that\nthey have too much or don't have enough work to do, about one in five\nfalling into each category.\nORIGINAL RETIRED FOR PRESERVATION\n8.\nCONFIDENTIAL\nARE OUR ALLIES TO BE TRUSTED TO SEE THIS WAR THROUGH?\nThe majority of soldiers feel that our allies can be trusted\nto help win the war, but slightly less than one-half feel that they\nwill cooperate with us after this war. When asked to comment on\nthe statement:\n\"When Germany has been beaten, the English will\nprobably help us against Japan.\"\nORIGINAL RETIRED FOR PRESERVATION\nThe men replied:\nDis-\nAgree\n?\nagree\n77%\n14%\n9%\nThus it is seen that the large majority feel that the English\nwill continue to aid us even after Germany has been defeated. There\nis less optimism so far as the Russians are concerned, and when asked\nto comment on the statement:\n\"When Germany has been beaten, the Russians will\nprobably help us against Japan.\"\nThe men replied:\nAgree\n?\nDisagree\n44%\n26%\n30%\nA majority of the soldiers are in doubt as to whother or not\nRussia will participate in the war against Japan, or else definitely\nbolieve that she will not,\n9.\nCONFIDENTIAL\nTRUST OF ALLIES: = 2\nVery few of the soldiers feel' that our Allies may turn around\nand start fighting us after Germaby has been defeated, though 7% say\nthat England may do this, and 23% state that the Russians may. start\nfighting us after Germany has been defeated. These sentiments are\nreinforced when one considers the question,\nORIGINAL RETIRED FOR PRESERVATION\n\"Do you think there will be another war in the next\n25 years or 80?\"\nThe men said:\nYes\n?\nNo\n39%\n43%\n18%\nThe men were asked to state who would be fighting whom, if there\nwere another war, and the majority answered in terms of the United\nStates fighting either England or Russia, or of Russia fighting England.\nThis indicates considerable distrust of our present allies, and there\nis much skepticism as to whether or not there will be cooperation be-\ntween these countries after this war is over.\nA specific question was ásked to get at the belief of soldiers\nregarding post-war cooperation, and the following results were ob-\ntainod.\n\"The Russians can be depended upon to cooperate\nwith us after the war. II\nAgree\n?\nDisagree\n448\n40%\n16%\n10.\nCONFIDENTIAL\nTRUST OF ALLIES - 3\nA larger proportion feel that England will cooperate with us\nafter the war.\n\"The English can be depended upon to cooperate with\nus after the war.\"\nORIGINAL RETIRED FOR PRESERVATION\nAgree\n?\nDisagree\n51%\n28%\n21%\nBut at best there is much doubt as to the friendship and lasting\nbonds that now tie the alllies together, Most of the soldiers feel that\nthe French will cooperate with us after the war, but in their free com-\nments they indicate that this cooperation will be for expediency reasons\nonly.\n\"The French can be depended upon to cooperate with\nus after the war.\"\nDis-\nAgree\n?\nagree\n70%\n22%\n8%\nIn like manner, a majority have doubts about the cooperation of\nEgypt after the war is over.\n\"The Egyptians can be depended upon to cooperate\nwith us after the war is over.\"\nAgree\n?\nDisagree\n41%\n33%\n26%\nAs many expressed it, the various nations will cooperate only in-\nsofar as it is to their best interest to do so at a given time. There\nis little or no feeling that the nations are being held together because\nof ideals, mutual plans, or the like.\n11.\nCONFIDENTIAL\nTRUST OF ALLIES - 4\nIn conclusion, one may say that the majority of soldièrs believe\nthat England will fight to the finish of this war, and after the war\nmay or may not cooperate with us. Many go so far as to say. that the\nUnited States and England will fight during the next generation.\nThere is even less optimism as far as the Russians are concerned. The\nmajority doubt that Russia will help us to defeat Japan, and the majority\nalso do not believe that Russia will cooperate with us after this present\nORIGINAL RETIRED FOR PRESERVATION\nconflict is over, In addition, a rather large percentage feels and be-\nlieves that Russia and the United States may become involved in a war\nngainst each other within the next quarter of a century.\n12.\nCONFIDENTIAL-\nAMERIOANMENGLISH FRIENDSHIP\nMuch has been said about American-English friendship, and the\nlack of it, and careful study indicates that many soldiers feel that\nall is not well between the two Allies,\nWhen asked:\n\"Do you think there is much ill feeling between\nORIGINAL RETIRED FOR PRESERVATION\nAmericans and Eriglishmen?\"\nThe men answered:\nYes\n?\nlio\n71%\n6%\n23%\nIndividually, these soldiers say that they like the English better\nthan do American soldiers as a group, but this may be due to (1) their\nconcern over Anglo-American relations, or (2) their reluctance to admit\ntheir own dislike of our allies.\nWhen asked:\n\"How do you like the English?\"\nThey answered:\nDon't like\n?\nLike\n39%\n7%\n54%\nThose who say they do not like the English, or express doubt re-\ngarding their friendship, are extremely important in that they come\nin daily contact with all the other soldiers and there is continuous\nintermingling of their ideas, opinions and attitudes. Which group will\ninfluence the other the more is not known, of course, but there is no\ncomfort in saying that only \"slightly less than half\" don't like the\nEnglish,\n13.\nCONFIDENTIAL\nAMERICAN-ENGLISH FRIENDSHIP - 2\nThe more highly educated soldiers like the English better than do\nthose with very little or a medium amount of education. For example,\n60% of men who have attended college say they like the English, where-\nas approximately 52% of the men in other educational groups state that\nthey like the English - and there is very little difference between men\nwith a grade school education and those with a high school education.\nInterestingly enough, almost 3 out of 4 men who have had any high school\nORIGINAL RETIRED FOR PRESERVATION\nor college education like the English, but among grade school men only\n63% say that they like the English. As education increases, the belief\nthat ill feeling exists between Americans and English also increases, but\nmost of this differential is observed between those with very little\neducation on the one hand, and those with a medium amount or a great deal\nof education on the other hand.\nMen in combat outfits are somewhat more friendly toward the English\nthan are men in non-combat outfits, but this differential is not very\ngreat\nWhen asked the question:\n\"How do you like the English?\"\nThe men answered:\nMen in:\nLike\n?\nDon't like\nCombat\n57%\n8%\n35%\nUnits\nNon-\n51%\n7%\n42%\nCombat\nUnits\nA larger proportion of men in combat outfits than in non-combat\nunits also think there is ill feeling between the Americans and English,\nbut again the differential is not great, Though these differences are\nnot Large they are constant, and, therefore, worthy of attention.\n14.\nCONFIDENTIAL\nAMERICAN-ENGLISH FRIENDSHIP - 3\nThere is no significant difference in the friendship for English-\nmen of soldiers who have or have not:\n(1) been under fire\n(2) known my Englishmen personally\n(3) known Eng' ishmen who have been under fire.\nORIGINAL RETIRED FOR PRESERVATION\n(4) been to parties attended by Americans and Englishmen\n(5) heard talks by officers about the English people\nIn addition, there is no significant difference between soldiers\nfrom different sections of the United States as regards their friend-\nshi] for the English.\nSoldiers who come overseas in an English boat dislike the English\nmore than do others.\n\"How do you like the English?\"\nCame\nOver-\nDon't like\n?\nLike\nSeas\nin\n44%\n6\n50%\nEnglish\nBoat\nOthers\n35%\n7%\n58%\nMore than 9 out of 10 who came overseas in an English boat thought\nthe food was very poor, and this probably contributes much to their\ndislike of the English. Many comments were made on the questionnaires\nand to the interviewers to the effect that the food was very, very poor,\nbut the English crew and officers aboard ship had good food. They do not\nunderstand why English ships carrying American soldiers from the United\nStates should not have ns good food for them ns other ships do, Quite a\nnumber of these men had also travelled part way on an American ship, and\ntheir comments indicate that they thought the food was much better a-\nboard the American ship, Most of these men made their trip across the\nseas several months ago but the impressions they formed while coming\n15.\nCONFIDENTIAL\nAMERICAN-ENGLISH FRIENDSHIP - 4\nacross have remained, and bitterness has developed. To be sure, this\nconsiderable criticism of the English, and the food, may be a ration-\nalization, but there is no evidence to that effect. On the other hand,\nthe repeated criticism of treatment while aboard ship was found time\nnd time again in personal interviews, free comments, and finally is\nnoted in the statistical analysis. It would seem, therefore, that to\nthe men this is an important matter.\nORIGINAL RETIRED FOR PRESERVATION\nThose who think American soldiers work harder than English\nsoldiers do not like the English.\nWhen asked the question:\n\"How do you like the English?\"\nThe men replied:\nThose who say:\nAmerican\nDon't like\n?\nLike\nsoldiers\nwork\n54%\n6%\n40%\nharder\nEnglish\nsoldiers\nwork\n29%\n4\n67%\nharder\n16.\nCONFIDENTIAL\nAMERICAN-ENGLISH FRIENDSHIP - 5\nThose who think the English brag more than do Americans do not\nlike the\nWhen acked the question:\nORIGINAL RETIRED FOR PRESERVATION\n\"How do you like the English?\"\nThe men answered:\nThose who say:\nEnglish\nDon't like\n?\nLike\nbrag\nmore\n55%\nE%\n37%\nAmericans\nbrag\n28%\n4\n68%\nmore\nThose who think the English are critical of the part our equipment\nhas played in the war do not like the English. The question was asked:\n\"What part do the English think our equipment has\nplayed in the war up until now?\"\nAnd the men could reply. \"an important part,\" or \"an unimportant\npart.\" In the latter case, the answer was considered as criticism of\nour equipment, either of quality and/or quantity. Dividing the men\ninto two groups, (1) those who think the English are critical of our\nequipment, and (2) those who think the English are not critical of\nour equipment, one finds the following distribution to the question:\n17.\nCONFIDENTIAL\nAMERICAN-ENGLISH FRIELDSHIP - - 6\n\"How do you like the English?\"\nThose who say\nthe\nare:\nORIGINAL RETIRED FOR PRESERVATION\nDon't like\n?\nLike\nCritical\n55%\n6\n39%\nNot\n34%\n5\n61%\nCritical\nOur soldiers do not like criticism of their part in the war effort,\nand this was rather evident in many remarks found in the free comments as\nwell AS being clearly demonstrated by the answer to questions such as the\nabove.\nThose soldiers who feel that the English are as friendly or more\nfriendly than Americans, like the English very much more than those who\nfeel that the English are less friendly than are Americans.\nWhen asked:\n\"How do you like the English?\"\nThe men answered:\nLike\n? Dislike\nSoldiers who think\nthe English are as\nBU%\n6%\n14%\nfriendly as\nAmericans\nSoldiers who think\nAmericans are more\n40%\n7%\n535\nfriendly than the\nEnglish\n18.\nCONFIDENTIAL\nAMERICAN-ENGLISH FRIENDSHIP - 7\nThough the American soldiers appear critical of the English be-\ncause of their lack of friendly overtures, there is considerable\nevidence that the American soldiers are not willing to go out of their\nway to be friendly with the English. For example, 45% say that they\nwould not go to a party or social meeting attended by both American\nand English soldiers if given the opportunity. This would indicate\nthat they are to some extent responsible for the lack of friendship be-\nORIGINAL RETIRED FOR PRESERVATION\ntween these two nationalities, or if not responsible, at least they are\nnot willing to go to any trouble to better relations. However, Americans\nbelieve that they are naturally more friendly than are the English.\nThough they will not make a studied effort to win the friendship of the\nEnglish, they feel that they do their part in meeting other peoples half\nway. Most soldiers do not feel that the English soldier is making an\neffort to be friendly. This is shown by their reply to the statement:\n\"The English soldiers are going out of their way to\nhelp the American soldiers and show them a good time.\nAgree\n?\nDisagree\n13%\n15%\n72%\nThere is a positive relationship between soldiers liking or not\nliking the English and their own opinion regarding their officers'\nattitude toward the English. For example; when asked:\n\"How do you like the English?\"\nThe men answered:\nDon't\nLike\n? like\n(Soldiers who say\n85%\n4\n11%\nmost of their officers\nlike the English).\n(Soldiers who say most\nof their officers don't\nlike the English).\n30%\n4\n66%\n19.\nCONFIDENTIAL\nAMERICAN-ENGLISH FRIENDSHIP - 8\nDislike for the English increases as length of service in the Middle\nEast increases,\nWhen asked the question:\nORIGINAL RETIRED FOR PRESERVATION\n\"How do you like the English?\"\nThe men replied:\nTime in\nMiddle\nEast\nDon't like\n?\nLike\n6-12 months\n43%\n7%\n50%\n0-6 months\n33%\n7%\n60%\n20.\nCONFIDENTIAL\nRESPECT FOR THE ENGLISH - 1\nLess than 10% of the soldiers feel that England is trying hardest to\nwin the war, whereas larger proportions of the men feel that not only\nRussia and the United States but also China are trying harder than England\nto win. Many of these men feel that Russia and China have made the great-\nest shcrifices of any of the Allies in this war, and, therefore, reason\nthat their efforts are greator. Many soldiers feel that the United States\nORIGINAL RETIRED FOR PRESERVATION\nis able to contribute more equipment and necessary war supplies than\nother countries, and is trying hardest to win in that she is endeavoring\nto produce as much as possible.\nMost soldiers feel that:\n\"The English are doing as good a job as possible of\nfighting the war, considering everything.\"\nAgree\n? Disagree\n77%\n10%\n13%\nOnly one soldier in five feels that the English are taking it easy\nin their war effort.\n\"The English are taking it easy in their war effort\nin the hope that America will win the war for them. If\nAgree\n?\nDisagree\n19%\n15%\n66%\nSeven out of ten Americans believe that:\n\"The English can take it on the chin and come back\nfor more, If\nAgree\n?\nDisagree\n70%\n132\n17%\n21.\nCONFIDENTIAL\nRESPECT FOR THE ENGLISH - 2\nMany soldiers feel that the English people are taking the war a\nlot more seriously than most Americans, and men in combat units feel\nthis to a greater extent than do other soldiers.\n\"The English people are taking the war a lot more\nseriously than most Americans do.\"\nORIGINAL RETIRED FOR PRESERVATION\nMen in:\nAgree\n?\nDisagree\nCombat\nUnits\n51%\n14%\n35%\nNon-\nCombat\nUnits\n40%\n17%\n43%\nThese signs of confidence in and respect for the English are par-\ntially offset by the belief that the English are seeking new territories.\n\"The English will probably try to get more territory\nfor themselves out of this war.\"\nAgree\n?\nDisagree\n56%\n20%\n24%\nIt has already been pointed out that our soldiers feel that the\nEnglish are \"good\" fighters, but not \"very good\" fighters. The above\nanalysis shows that by and large the American soldier believes that\nthe English are trying, are taking the war seriously, can \"take it\",\nand are doing a good job, considering everything.\n22,\nCONFIDENTIAL\nDESIRE TO KNOW MORE ABOUT THE ENGLISH\nAbout half the soldiers have heard talks by their officers about\nthe English people, their customs, and how they are carrying on the\nwar. Those who have heard such talks are more desirous of hearing\nadditional talks than are those who have not already heard some. About\nhalf the men would like to hear more talks about the English. Four out\nof ten men would like to hear talks by the English about their own people,\nORIGINAL RETIRED FOR PRESERVATION\ncustoms, etc. There is no indication, however, that having heard about\nthe English is conducive to a feeling of friendship for them. This is\nnot surprising in that a large number of the soldiers feel that most of\ntheir officers don't like the English. It may be that their impressions\nhave been derived in part from the attitude of their officers.\n23.\nCONFIDENTIAL\nRELATIONS WITH THE NATIVE FOPULATION\nAlmost seven out of ten men indicate an interest in visiting in\nthe home of educated natives of the countries in which they are sta-\ntioned, and the remaining 3 men are not interested. Two-thirds of\nthe men have heard talks by their officers about the natives of the\ncountry in which they are stationed, their customs, and how they are\ncarrying on the war. One-third of the men are not interested in hear-\ning more talks, and 10% of them indicate that they are undecided about\nORIGINAL RETIRED FOR PRESERVATION\nwanting or not wanting to hear more about the natives.\nThe vast majority are aware of Egypt's non-belligerent status in\nthis war, though one out of ten says that Egypt is actively fighting\nwith the allies. AS has been pointed out in an earlier section, about\n6 out of 10 men have doubts as to whether or not the Egyptians will\noperate with us after the war is over.\nOne of the primary obstacles to improved understanding of the native\npeojlas in the Middle Last is the language differential, and American\nsoldiers are not doing a great deal to better this situation. Sixty per\ncent say that they do not know more than a dozen words of the language\nspoken by residents of the country in which they are stationed, and only\n2% know more than 50 words. This laok of interest and effort to become\nacquainted with another language is an objective measurement of real\ninterest in the peoples - and the result is not encouraging.\nWhen asked the question:\n\"Do most of your fellow soldiers try to make friends\nwith the native population?\"\nThe men answered:\nYes\n?\nNo\n44%\n24%\n32%\nThis would indicate that there is some interest on the part of\nAmerican soldiers in improving relations with other peoples, and in\ngetting to know mòre about them, but there are large numbers who do not\nshare this interest.\n24.\nCONFIDENTIAL\nWAR DEPARTMENT FOCKET GUIDES\nOne one-third of the soldiers have read the War Department pocket\nguides to Egypt or North Africa, but of those who have read them, less\nthan ten per cent say that it did not help them to understand the people\nLetter. Many favorable comments were written about these guides, though\nthe most frequent comments were, in effect, \"get them to the men\".\nORIGINAL RETIRED FOR PRESERVATION\n25.\nCONFIDENTIAL\nV-MAIL\nV-mail is not popular with soldiers. Evidence for this is:\n81% say V-mail is loss personal than regular mail.\n31% say V-mail is not clear and is hard to read.\n92% prefer regular mail because one can write as\nmuch or as little as one pleases in a given\nletter.\nORIGINAL RETIRED FOR PRESERVATION\n63% say that regular mail is just as fast as V-mail.\n95% say they prefer regular mail.\nBut when a time differential is introduced, the slight preference\nfor V-mail increases. If given a choice of a V-mail two weeks after\nit was mailed or a regular letter three weeks after it was mailed, 21%\nprofer V-mail. If the choice is a V-mail two weeks after being mailed\nor a regular lettor four weeks after it was mailed, 45% say they would\nprefer the V-mail, but even in the latter case, a majority still prefers\nregular mail.\nIt is not surprising that V-mail is not popular when the majority\nfinds that it is not faster than regular mail. Arguments concerning\nshortage of space, time differential, etc., are not convincing when ex-\nperience proves the space is provided and the time differential is very\nlittle or non-existent.\n26.\nCONFIDENTIAL\nCONFIDENTIAL\nNUMBERED TELEGRAMS (CABLES)\nFour out of ten men have never used the numbered telegrams, but\nless than two out of ten state that they don't like this system of\nsending messages. Many suggested that additional choices should be\nincluded in the prepared messages, and this would probably increase\ntheir popularity. Some complained of not having facilities to send\nthese messages, but considered as a whole the soldiers like them,\nand their only frequently recurring request is that additional mes-\nsages be added.\nORIGINAL RETIRED FOR PRESERVATION\n27.\nCONFIDENTIAL\nPAY AND SAVINGS - 1\nHow much of his pay does the unmarried enlisted man in the Middle East\nsave?\nUnmarried enlisted men, on the average, are saving a fairly large propor-\ntion of their pay - varying from 54% for privates to 72% for corporals,\nbut one man out of ten saves nothing.\nORIGINAL RETIRED FOR PRESERVATION\nPrivates\n(pay $60) saved $32 monthly - 54%\nPFC'S\n( pay $65) saved 843 monthly - 61%\nCorporals\n( pay $79) saved $57 monthly - 72%\nSergeants\n(pay $94) saved $59 monthly - 63%\nM\no\nN\nE\nY\nS\nA\nPVT\nV\nE\nD\n$32\n643\n$57\n$59\nM\n0\nII\nE\n$28\n$22\n$22\n035\nY\nS\nP\nE\nN\nT\n28.\nCONFIDENTIAL\nPAY AND SAVINGS - 2\nWays of saving money used by the men:\nFive general types of savings are in use among enlisted men:-\n1. Sending money home by allotments\n2. Sending money home by money. orders\nORIGINAL RETIRED FOR PRESERVATION\n3. Buying defense bonds\n4. Buying insurance\n5. Deposits with Finance Office through C.O.\nThe attitudes of the men toward these different ways of saving, and the\nextent to which they use them, show considerable variation.\n1. Sending money home by allotments.\nAbout 3 out of 10 men believe this is the best method for\nthem to save their money. (About half the men think this\nmethod in combination with others is the best).\nSix out of ten are sending money home by allotments.\nPrivates\nsend $12 monthly\nPFC's\nsend $14 monthly\nCorporals\nsend $18 monthly\nSergeants send $24 monthly\n2. Sending money home by money orders.\nAbout four out of ten men use this method.\nPrivates\nsend $13 monthly\nPFC's\nsend $15 monthly\nCorporals\nsend $20 monthly\nSergeants\nsend $18 monthly\n3. Buying defense bonds.\nAbout 3 out of 10 men think this is the best method for\nthem to save money. Only four out of ten use this method,\nbut many send money home and have their relatives buy bonds\nthere. About 2 out of 10 have some misunderstanding of\nwhat bonds are and when they can be turned in for cash, and\nmany others expressed skepticism regarding \"government book-\nkeeping\" - these factors tend to decrease the sale of bonds.\n4, Buying insurance.\nAbout eighty per cent of the men report that they are buy-\ning insurance, and making monthly payments for it,\n29.\nCONFIDENTIAL\nPAY AND SAVINGS - 3\n5. Deposits with Finance Office through C.O.\nAbout one-tenth of the men think this is the best method\nfor saving money, and about the same number of men actually\nuse this method. It is apparent that the advantages of\nthis method of saving have not been sold to the men.\nORIGINAL RETIRED FOR PRESERVATION\nwoles on method used in investigation of savings.\nThe definition of \"savings\". \"Savings\", for the purpose of this report,\nhave been defined as money unavailable for spending in the Middle East.\nThus, money sent home is considered as saving, regardless of whether it\nis deposited or used to support endents in the United States. Term in-\nsurance, the type which most men have, cannot be consi dered strictly an\ninvestment, but is here included as savings since it is removed From the\nspending category.\nSource of data. The original data on which the conclusions on pay and\nsavings are based came from answers to questions 71 and 72 of the ques-\ntionnaire. (See Appendix).\nThe sample group. All conclusions are based on the experience of un-\nmarried enlisted men with at least some high school education, and who\nare of the lowest four grades. The total number of men included in this\ngroup was 1068, divided as follows: Privates, 186; PFC's, 177; Coprorals\n(including T/5's), 355; Sergeants (including T/4's), 350.\nMarried men present special problems, and tend to save more than the\naverage soldiers, and were, therefore, excluded from consideration hore.\nMen with slight education had difficulty in answering the fairly diffi-\ncult questions, and for that reasons were excluded.\nReliability of the data. All averages presented in this section are\narithmotic means. They are based on men's memory of events which occur-\nrud in the month proceeding the filling out of this questionnaire, and\nare therefore subject to some error in forgetting savings made. Probably\nsome men have a feeling of moral obligation when savings are considered,\nand to some considerable extent this compensates for the tendency to for-\nget former happenings. It is probable, however, that neither of these\nfactors invalidate conclusions which depend on relative differences be-\ntween groups.\n30.\nCONFIDENTIAL\nPART II\nTHE FREE COMMENTS\nORIGINAL RETIRED FOR PRESERVATION\nInterpretation of the Free Comments\n1-2\nJob Dissatisfaction\n3-6\nWar Effort\n7-10\nOfficers\n11-15\nEnglish\n16-19\nEquipment\n20-21\nFood\n22-24\nRecreation and Entertainment\n25-27\nPost Exchange Supplies\n28\nLength of Time Overseas\n29-31\nFurloughs\n32-33\nDo Away With Drill\n34\nPocket Guides\n35\nEgyptian-American Relations\n36-37\nRatings\n38\nDesire for Combat\n39-42\nMail\n43-44\nCONFIDENTIAL\nCONFIDENTIAL\nINTERPRETATION OF THE FREE COMMENTS\nThe body of the questionnaire was made up of specific questions or\nstatements on which a man indicated his position by checking \"Yes\", \"?\",\n\"No\", or \"Agree\", \"?\", \"Disagree\". Responses to this type of question\nhave been tabulated and presented in Part I, and the résults (insofer as\nthe questions themselves are well constructed) give a reliable picture of\nthe opinions and attitudes of the men on the specific points covered by\nthe questions. Moreover, the tabulations of responses to questions of\nORIGINAL RETIRED FOR PRESERVATION\nthat type can be completed and the results made available rapidly for use\nin policy determination. The findings from such a questionnaire can be\ninterpreted in the light of the statistical interrelations of the replies\nto the various questions, and also on the basis of general or special\nknowledge of the situation on the part of both the writer and the reader.\nAs an aid to interpreting the enswers to some of the questions,\nspaces were left in which the men could write their own comments, and at\nthe end of the questionnaire an entire page was left for comments with\nonly the heading, \"If you have any further remarks to make on any subject,\nwrite them below as fully as you like.\" The comments which the men made\nin response to this suggestion not only make possible some additional in-\nterpretation of the replies to specific questions, but also throw light\non subjects which were not covered by specific questions, Thus one can\nget some indication of the problems which weigh heevily on the minds of\nthe soldiers. Though these comments are a \"by-product\" of the main study,\nthey point out important problems and suggest areas of greatest discontent\nor concern for these men.\nCaution must be used in interpreting these findings. Not all men\ntook advantage of the opportunity to make comment, and some wrote in\ngreater detail and on more subjects than did others. About 98% made\nsome comment somewhere in the questionnoire, but only about 60% made\ncomments on the last page. Those who expressed themselves most are not\nnecessarily representative of the total group, and there are other ways\nin which the men who wrote are not representative of the entire group.\nIt is to be expected, for example, that more men write to complain than\nto express satisfaction, and this is the case in this particular study.\nConditions under which the questionnaire WSS administered were often far\nfrom ideal. They did not have nice desks or comfortable chairs; they\nwere sometimes crowded into too small areas; a few came at night and in\none instance the lights went out - but the men were interested enough to\nuse their matches and cigarette lighters for light until better lighting\ndevices could be obtained. Thus, external circumstances determine to\nsome extent the amount and variety of comments - but innamuch as so many\nmen did make comments, these external factors were of less importance\nthan the problems of the men and their interest in this method of obtain-\ning information. And also the comments which the men make are often valuable\nin themselves, even in those cases where they are not representative of\nthe entire group. From the tenor of the men's responses and the sincere,\nand often Laborious way they went about setting their thoughts on paper,\n1.\nCONFIDENTIAL\nmas ovident that they were writing on the things uppermost in their\nAs. Most of them wrote without thought to grammer or form; their\nist concern was to unburden their minds, Where the men have been\notod directly, their own words have been used without changes in spell-\n6 or punctuation in order that the full flavor of their comments might\na retained. In only a few cases has it been necessary to edit the com-\nments to make them more easily intelligible.\nThe comments which the men made covered an extremely wide range of\ntopics, and there was also some variation between camps in the frequency\nORIGINAL RETIRED FOR PRESERVATION\nwith which any given type of comment was made. Nevertheless, certain\ntypes of comments occurred over and over again, end it was possible to\ngroup them within general categories,\n2.\nCONFIDENTIAL\nJOB DISSATISFACTION - 1\nThe question, \"How well satisfied are you about being in your present\nArmy job instead of some other Army job?\" apparently served as a stimulus\nfor a large number of the soldiers to express their opinions about classi-\nfication and assignment, and related topics. About one out of five ex-\npressed dissatisfaction with his job or with the classification and assign-\nment system. Those in Service Groups and SOS units were about twice as\ncritical of misclassification and misassignment as were those in Bomber\nand Fighter Squadrons, but those in Bomber and Fighter Squadrons were much\nORIGINAL RETIRED FOR PRESERVATION\nmore critical of (1) excessive routine duties, and (2) lack of utilization\nof skills then were the others. Those in SOS units and Air Service Groups\nwere particularly concerned about lack of oppotunity to use their abilities.\nThere was considerable criticism of misuse of skills possessed by soldiers,\nand this criticism was evident among all types of troops studied.\nGeneral criticisms: General criticisms were frequent, and varied in\ncontent. For example, one soldier in an outfit that has seen a lot of\naction said:\n\"I believe that too much is said in favor of the Army\nclessification system. Personally, I had seven years\nof good practical experience in very resoonsible posi-\ntions in civilian life and also completed with excel-\nlent grades Army extension courses, and also two years\nof Army administration work before enlisting. I was\nput in neither type of work and could have taken care\nof one of several important positions for which the Army\nis training men, without wasting the training time.\nFrom the manner in which some of this work is handled\nby inexperienced people it will be a long time before it\nis efficient. The manner in choosing O.C.S. candidates\nleaves out numerous exceptional men. There are too many\nground officers wido are really not needed. There are\ntoo many men in all positions. After spending seven\nmonths in technical schools and having more than a year\nof service, it is still necessary to do K,P. and other\ndetails while the major portion of the too large kitchen\nsits around doing nothing.'\nAnother criticism WAS even more pointed, but not typical.\n\"I graduated from an Airplane mechanics school, After\ngraduation I also went to a specialist school. Then I\nWAS assigned to a Fighter Squadron and the first thing\nthey do is put me in the Armement Department. I hon-\nestly think that is very foolish and not at all efficient.\nThis has also happened to very many other men I know.\nI- actually wasted the first 8 months in the Army learning\n3.\nCONFIDENTIAL\nJOB DISSATISFACTION - 2\na job I never will do. Besides that, the would-be me-\nchanics don't get the ratings we would be eligible for.\"\nCritical Skills: Skilled men complain of doing general duty work,\nand many of these soldiers have developed the feeling that they are not\nbeing allowed to do their share in the prosecution of the war,\n\"I answered the question about whether or not I was\nORIGINAL RETIRED FOR PRESERVATION\nsatisfied with what I was doing, 'No' because right\nnow I'm doing something anyone could do if they were\nnot too lazy, when I could just as well be on the\nline handling a lathe or some machine that would\nhelp keep our equipment in shepe - I've never hed\nthe opportunity to show what I could do,\"\nClassification and Assignment: Some criticisms are pointed directly\nat the classification and assignment system.\n\"There is a lot of talk about men getting jobs they\nlike and are fitted for. In this war, there are\nsupposed to be no misfits, before we are sent over-\nseas we are interviewed and asked if we are satis-\nfied with our particular job, yet once across we\nare shoved into anything and neither heaven nor hell\ncan get you a transfer to another outfit nor a\nchange to a different department. How about some\none we can use to moan to some one outside the out-\nfit who might have enough authority to have some-\nthing done about it. One brass hat about every 3\nmonths might. help, just so as we can piso to some\none and hope even tho we know it won't do much good.'\nWaste of valuable training time results from misclassification and\nmisassignment,\n\"When I came in the Army, I requested clerical work.\nI have worked as an accountant in civilien life and\nwished to do that sort of work. The Army insisted\nthat I be an Airplane Mech, so I attended and grad-\nuated from two Army Airplane Technical Schools.\nSince my graduation I have been assigned a squadron\nand have done clerical work since and have not touched\na plane. Why couldn't I have done that work before\nand not attend those schools. I might have been keep-\ning some other fellow who is mechanically inclined,\nand wanted mechanic work, from attending those schools.\nIs that procedure necessary! Why couldn't I have done\nthat which I requested on my entry into the service.\n4,\nCONFIDENTIAL\nJOB DISSATISFACTION - 3\nMany feel that their training in technical schools has been ignored,\nand that they have not been given an opportunity to put into practice the\nknowledge acquired in school:\n\"I appreciate not having to do K.Pl But I labored\nunder the impression that we had general duty mén\nand M.P. fór the many details we now get. My opin-\nion is that I could do better and more work on an\nairplane without having to do these details. I ap-\nORIGINAL RETIRED FOR PRESERVATION\npreciate being on B-24s, but I was trained by Boeing\nAircraft factory as a B-17 specialist. Yet I was\nsent to duty on this ship and all my training was\nwaisted. The A.M. school I was sent to is a very\ngood school, but we studied to much about ports and\nequipment that we knew we would never see. There-\nfore I feel much of my time was wasted at school.\nI was told that I'd be promòted nearly every time an\ninstructor gave a talk, The army promised the same.\nIve been in 13 months and am still a private and have\nnever shirked a detail yet.'\nWaste of Man Power: It was somewhat surprising that so many enlisted\nmen complained of doing non-essential work, of being in outfits that were\nover-staffed, and of sitting around doing little or nothing much of the\ntime. This combination of job dissatisfaction end feeling that man power\nis being wasted is a dual criticism of classification and assignment on the\none hand and lack of efficient organization of Army units on the other hand.\n\"I honestly believe that of the entire personnel here\nin Africa, I am speaking exclusively of the US Air\nCorp, there is a shameful amount of dead wood in each\nand every squadron. My idea is they could take men\nfrom each squadron and form more squadrons. To me it\nseems as though we could have more, and just as effi-\ncient work done from the men that would form these ca-\ndres. And my main reason is, it would save our govern-\nment a hell of a lot of money. What's the sense in\nmaking a man a Tech Sgt. or a Sgt. and paying him all\nthat money to do nothing but sit on his broad back\nside - it beats me. If you speak to these men, they\nblush when you ask them just what Uncle Sam is paying\nthem for. They don't know themselves. I, for one,\nknow I am not drawing my 879 per for what I know, but\nmerely for being over here. I am a qualified radio op-\nerator exclusively, trained in the infantry, and now I\nam in the Air Corp, in a branch that don't use radio\noperators. Somebody screwed up where I'm concerned.\nAnd I'm sure there are many more in this efficient Air\nCorp' in the same predicament as myself, drawing money\n5.\nCONFIDENTIAL\nJOB DISSATISFACTION - 4\nunder false pretences. I only wish they could have a\nman disguised as a \"G,I.\" transferred into a fighter\nSqd. and act as an efficiency expert would - I'm sure\nit would do Uncle Sam plenty of good. We don't blame\nthe men for all this - after all no one can blame\nthem - they feel they might as well be drawing sgt's.\npay for doing nothing, cause if they don't someone\nelse will. In fact I wish I could be drawing all that\nORIGINAL RETIRED FOR PRESERVATION\nmoney myself, but we must help win this war and in or-\nder to do so, we must be as efficient as we possibly\ncan. If this Air Corp was run like the regular army\nwas run, it would help matters a great deal. I mean\ndon't hand out all kinds of non-com ratings to Air\nCorps personnel because they are graduates of a. school,\ncause 3/4 of them know no more after graduating than\nthey did before they went in. Make them earn their\nmoney first and merit the rating. Why the base camp\nof an Air Corp Sqd. looks like a pack of zebras walk-\ning about.\"\nDetails: A surprisingly large number of men complained about having\nto take their turn at guard duty, K.P., and similar details.\n\"The Ordnance men should be just shop workers not de-\ntail men and shoved around where ever it suits purpose\nof jobs not concerned them. It should be run more ef-\nficient just as a business man would run his factory.\nA business man would not consider putting one of his\nworkers on as night watchman. The Ordnance should pos-\nitively have especially trained men for guard duties\nand K.P. They should not take out any of the working\nboys from shop to do such duties as it brings out dis-\ncontentment and ill feelings. Also brings about: makes\na person feel less about working in shop and does not\nmake one feel like doing his best. It gives one the\nimpression that he cant be so important at his job or\nelse the job is not important.\"\nOf course this criticism was not limited to Ordnance personnel, but\nextended into almost all branches of the service. For example, a mechanic\nsays:\n\"A man cannot be a good soldier and a. good mechanic at\nthe same time. Therefore, this drill and guard should\nbe discontinued, We should have permanent guard.\"\n6.\nCONFIDENTIAL\nWAR EFFORT-1\nThere is criticism of the war effort, both of civilians and the Army,\nbut there are a few who feel that the soldiers are being misled by state-\nments that are critical of the American war, effort.\nTHE MAJORITY:\nOne of the most prevalent comments was a criticism of the strikers\nin American industry.\nORIGINAL RETIRED FOR PRESERVATION\n\"The U.S. is not at the war fever pitch because there\nare still plenty of strikes and what is the use of work-\ning and sweating over here when a lot don't appreciate\nit?\"\nThis critical attitude toward strikers resulted in the suggestion\nthat:\n\"All strikers should be put in the Army, and be or-\ndered to continue their jobs, The American people\nshould in some way be awakened to the fact there is\na war. There are too many men in the army, espe-\ncially officers, that are laying around - too many\nsoft jobs.\"\nOverhead:\nOther criticisms were of the unnecessary overhead, red tape, and\ngeneral inefficiency.\n\"By way of comment; it is disgusting to read about\nthe way the war is being conducted back home. Par\nticular reference is made to conditions in Washing-\nton and all government bureaus where an Army of clerks\nare doing thousands of useless jobs, and in a great\nmany cases no work at all. I'm in accord with the re-\ncent statement attributed to some U.S. Admiral who\nsaid that they ought to stop the manufacture of type-\nwriters and produce more gúns.\"\nWASTE:\nQuite a few feel that there is unnecessary waste, particularly in\nthe Army.\n\"Here's my particular gripe and I'm plenty sore!\nWhen the folks at home go around (a lot of ¹em) sav-\ning everything they are asked to and giving up quite\na bit, why in God's name don't some of the supposedly\n7.\nCONFIDENTIAL\nWAR EFFORT-2\nsmart leaders do something about the waste of material\nwithin the Army? At the moment I' thinking of what\none of our officers saw on a reconaisance to the area\nnear Sfax. An officer, a colonel, wanted to clean up\nthe area by dumping all the scrap (iron, aluminum, etc.)\nin an old trank trap and covering it over! My folks\nsave tin cans, etc., and I sit around and watch the\nArmy throw away tons of strategic materials. There's\noutfits like ours that would work to help the situation\nwhile waiting for equipment. Don't a lot of shipping\nORIGINAL RETIRED FOR PRESERVATION\ngo back lightly loaded? All I've ever seen are salvage\nposters that are stuck on the bulletin board and nothing\never done about it. Why??\"\nLack of Work:\nSome feel badly about not having enough work to do over here.\n\"My relatives and friends think I'm doing wonders here.\nI'm not. I can't. There is not the opportunity to\nwork. I can count the days on my two hands that I've\nreally worked and accomplished a full day's work since\nI've been in the Army. They are doing more in war\nplents than I am here.\"\nMan Power:\nAnd others feel that the Army is expanding too rapidly - all the\nmen are not needed - and vital war industries are being stripped of needed\nhelp.\n\"I think the Army is taking in men faster than they are\nneeded. Vital war industries are being robbed of valu-\nable men. A man doing an essential war job is perform-\ning as important 8 part as the soldier at the front.\"\n\"Soldiers not needed for the work they have been trained\nto do should be sent home and placed in a war industry\nsuited to their training.\"\nDefense Jobs:\nThere are many who feel that the war jobs at home are fully as im-\nportant as being in the Army, as has been seen in some of the above\nquotations. Another similar expression is:\n\"I believe that TO all could be doing a lot more by\nworking in a defense plant back home. Te are surely\nnot doing our part here.\"\n8.\nCONFIDENTIAL\nWAR EFFORT- 3\nTHE MINORITY:\nAnd some believe that the folks back home aren't being given the\ncredit they deserve.\n\"There is too much talk in the Army about working people\nback home 'loafing' on the job. The men ought to be\nORIGINAL RETIRED FOR PRESERVATION\ntold the truth; that our men and women in the factories\nare doing a good job. Unless this is done the men feel\nbetrayed by those at home. Let's have the truth about\nproduction not a pack of lies by aspirants for ooliti-\ncal fortunes.\"\nExcessive Personnel:\nThe feeling that units overseas are overstaffed is a common one.\n\"Half this outfit could operate just as efficiently and\nprobably more so - no exaggeration - just half,\"\nMisassignment:\nThe misassigned feel very strongly that all is not well with the war\neffort.\n\"When I left a war Industry Plent to helo serve our\ncountry it was understood that I was to serve them in\nmy trade. They wouldn't send me to a trade school be-\ncause they said I had had enough training in a certain\ntrade. I had three years in a open Machine Shop as a\nmachinist. The company then sent me to a trade school\nwhere I put over 5,000 hours in this trade. Now the\nfact is I was put in a outfit where the T.O. doesn't\ncall for a machinist and don't need one. I was in\nthis outfit almost one month and sent overseas with\nthem. Since being here I have made several little\njobs which I had to use mostly English Shops, Although\nI em enlisted as a machinist in this outfit - they have\nno need for one, All together I have been in the Me-\nchanical trade going on six years. In this outfit I\nhave no future and am wasting a lot of valuable experi-\nence and time. In the states before I enlisted in the\nArmy I was making all kinds of war material and helping\nmy country a lot more. I went through high school - 3\nyears trode school and worked 3 years in this trade be-\nsides having 2 years officer training in R.O.T.C. Now\nwhat I want to get at is any man could do what little\n9.\nCONFIDENTIAL\nWAR EFFORT-4\nwork I do. Which isnt much work in view of what I\ncould be doing.\nNow why cant they get these men who have a trade -\nwho could be of a great service if they were in there\nkind of work. As far as my outfit is concerned they\nwouldn't even miss me, They have more men now then\nthey need in my opinion. Maybe I shouldn't kick most\nfellows wouldn't. I dont have a lot to do and I dont\nORIGINAL RETIRED FOR PRESERVATION\nhave to worry about getting killed by bombs (yet) But\nthats not the point. I joined to help and not set\naround. I never went to a army trade school but can\ndo any machinist work, weld, fordge work, read blue\nprints and draw them, I have a fair idea of all\nmechanical work besides type, etc, Seems as if I had\nbeen to trade school three months I would be OK. But\nI know more about the machinist trade then they could\nteach me in 6 months or 1 to 2 years.\nWhy cant they get these men out of these Squadrons\nand give them a chance, I have tried but they wont let\nyou transfer,\nThey called (we need 10,000 trained men machinist -\nwelders etc.) They got some of us, so why dont me get\nto work,\"\nNaste of Talent:\nMany suggestions have come forth as to the best method of improving\ntraining, and utilizing the potentialities of America.\n\"This waste of talent through improper supervision\nis apalling to me. The group I an in contains the\nnucleus for many groups. It should be either taken\nto the states and split up or split up out here\nbefore the natural regression of mind through\ninactivity of many good men progresses to the point\nwhere their skills are lost to themselves and the\nService,\"\n\"Their are literaly hundreds of men - graduates of service\nschools and with previous experience going to waste in the\n57th group. It has had its baptism of fire and combet\nconditions, And these same men are being wasted on 'shit'\ndetails and unresponsible positions.\"\n10.\nCONFIDENTIAL\nOFFICERS- 1\nOne of the most frequent subjects that received attention in the free\ncomments of the soldiers who filled out the questionnaires was \"officers\",\nand though there were a few favorable comments, the vast majority were\ncriticisms of some of the officers, or of the method of selection of offi-\ncers. Though only one in seven men voiced a criticism, these represent\ncomplaints that arose without any specific stimulus; therefore, it is\nlikely that many more feel the same dissatisfaction. But of course the\nextent of disaffection cannot be determined accurately unless questions\nORIGINAL RETIRED FOR PRESERVATION\nare designed to get at this specific topic.\nOfficers Enlisted Men Differential: One of the most frequent com-\nplaints was that the breach between officers and enlisted men is too great,\nand too artificial.\n\"In the American and British armies there is too great\na breach between the officers and their men. The modern\nsoldier has outstriped the old method of Army procedure\nas a result of his education. The New Zealand outfits\nI have visited recognize this and as a result have much\nbetter spirit and a greater enthusiasm for their work.\nIn separating themselves as much as they do from the men\nthey are unable to see and recognize those who should be\nN.C.O.'s, grades fill up with friends of the dept. heads,\netc., rather than having merit as the criterion,\"\n\"This is not a 'sour grapes' gripe - I have my stripes\nbecause I saw what was happening and 'played the game.'\nThere are however many who were unable to see what was\nhappening and who were depending on honest effort to get\nahead, whose experience in technical lines should have\nplaced them in useful positions and whose experience is\nbeing wasted as a result of the things I mention.\"\nLack of Concern for Enlisted Men: There is evidence that at times\nofficers do not keep in touch with their men, and do not look after their\nneeds.\n\"One thing they need is to tell the officers of this\noutfit that their men should come first. They were\nsupposed to have learned that in the states but over\nhere it is all for me and to hell with you. All they\nknow is inspection and close order drill - we received\nplenty of that in boot camps.\"\nInefficiency: Probably the most frequent criticism of officers was\nthat they are often inefficient.\n\"I believe that an officer before coming over seas\n11.\nCONFIDENTIAL\nOFFICERS- 2\nshould fully understand what his duties are going to\nbe like and should prove himself capable of the assign-\nment. This goes for the high ranking enlisted men as\nwell. Some officers seem to think that because they\nare officers they don't have to do any technical work\nand leave it to their high ranking non-com to worry\nabout. Some are incapable of doing any of the finer\nwork of their department.\"\nORIGINAL RETIRED FOR PRESERVATION\nAnother similar statement expresses the same general idea, but with\nmore resentment.\n\"The following statements represent my personal obser-\nvations and are made candidly but fairly because of\nmy association with commissioned personnel of the\nArmy Air Corps:\n\"The average commissioned officer (at least in this\nbranch of the service) is lacking in all those quali-\nties which are associated with leadership. Generally\nspeaking they are possessed of fear, purile personali-\nties, and are devoid of any ability to inspire confi-\ndence in them. The majority of the officers I have\nhad to work with could be considered as excess baggage,\nimpediments to an efficient and early conclusion of\nthis war. They give the impression that they think\nthis war is a game, their part being to strut around\nand act important. Even here in the theatre of opera-\ntions, they do not seem to have found their proper\nstride. if Misse officers to whom T make reference\noperated in civilian life on the same basis that they\ndo here in the Anny, they would, of necessity, be the\nrecipients :: charity for the rest of their lives. No\nindividual or corporation in business for profit could\nremain for long a going business if it were conducted\non the same basis that the average Army officer per-\nforms his duties.\n\"Time does not permit a more detailed discussion of the\npresented subject. Someday as a civilian, I am deter-\nmined to do my part to remedy this unfortunate and dan-\ngerous (at least during time of war) state of affairs.\nRight now, figuratively speaking, my hands are tied -\nI am impotent. But the day is coming, barring any un-\nforeseen accidents which may result from this extra-\nhazarduous occupation, when I will (imperative mood) be\nvociferous!\"\n12.\nCONFIDENTIAL\nOFFICERS- 3\nGround Officers: Some felt that ground officers were very good, and\nothers felt that they were very bad, but the majority who expressed an\nopinion felt that many of the ground officers were inefficient and unqual-\nlfied.\n\"I think the ground officers in the Air Corps except\nfor the Engineering Officer, are more of a detriment\nto the morale and efficiency than they are a help.\nORIGINAL RETIRED FOR PRESERVATION\nIn this one outfit, until the arrival of our C.O. and\nflying officers, they almost ruined it by their self\nimportance, inefficiency and ignorance of what to do -\nand when to do it. In several instances - - when fresh\nfrom the States, we encountered a sand storm, tents\nblown down, no food, the ground officers took off for\nAlexandria, left us to our own resources, until the\nstorm abated - 2 days later. Now that the C.O. and\nflying officers are here, they keep their places, al-\nthough for the most part, they' re useless in the Air\nCorps.\"\nThe minority who wrote said:\n\"It has been my experience that the custom of having\nflying officers as Squadron and Group commanders does\nnot work to advantage. While they are nice fellows\nand excellent aviators, they lack in the qualities of\nleadership acquired through experience and mature\nthinking,\n\"Administrative officers do not appear to be on a par\nwith those in other branches of the Armed Services.\nSome are almost pathetically incompetent. It would\nlead to greater efficiency if higher Air Force head-\nquarters inspectors made more frequent tours and\nrecommendations for culling or transfering mis-fits.\"\nOfficer Candidate School: Many of the enlisted men felt that the sol-\ners overseas are not receiving the same opportunities for OCS training as\ne the soldiers back in the States.\n\"OCS is a morale booster in US that is a let down.\nThe bally ho that every one qualified has a chance\nis written up, etc., ánd then the let down of being\nshipped without an opportunity of going to O.C.S.\ncauses a great deal of gripec' - If one passes\nO.C.S. in US - I think ne should be given a chance\nto go. There are about 45 of these in my Squadron.\n13.\nCONFIDENTIAL\nOFFICERS-4\nI think either they should be told to 'forget it'\nfrom the first - or the Gov't should make good on\nthe propaganda.\"\nOften the criticism was that though men had been approved for OCS, no\norders have been issued to send them to school.\n\"Men of this organization have applied for O.C.S.\nORIGINAL RETIRED FOR PRESERVATION\nand have been approved; they still are waiting for\norders to send them to school.\"\nSome criticisms were that the present \"90 day wonders\" are insuffi-\nciently trained, are too young, do not know the traditions of the Army,\netc.\n\"I feel that the Officers that are being made nowa-\ndays should be required to spend at least six months\nas an enlisted man before being commissioned. This\nway they could learn something about the Army and\nwould be better suited to be an Officer. You will\nfind that very few Officers know anything about the\nArmy's tradition or regulations in fact it is the en-\nlisted man that teaches them or tells them what they\nwould or should know.\"\nCriticism of Headquarters: As is to be expected, there were a number\nof complaints directed at headquarters personnel.\n\"The men with the rank stay back in Cairo and issue\norders and memorandums initiating new systems and\nideas when the majority of them have never been out\nof that city, They do not have a basic and practical\nknowledge of what conditions are like in the combat\nzone. They are only interested in being in a near\nheadquarters so that they can be in a better position\nto increase their own rank, In fact, the fastest pro-\nmotions came out of Cairo and the excellent and dili-\ngent tasks performed in the combat zone are taken for\ngranted and no meritorious award received. Also, when\na company is actually given some recognition of the\nwork that is being done, the officers receive all the\ncredit and handshakes and the enlisted men who worked\nday and night with the sweat of his brow and all his\nenergy can only console himself and again gripe at the\nway headquarters handles situations.\"\nThere is a feeling that the whims of those in the rear areas dictate\narbitrary policy that works to the disadvantage of front line men,\n14.\nCONFIDENTIAL\nOFFICERS- 5\n\"Our officers are getting to be just like the English\nofficers; All pomp and ceremony. They do those little\nthings, which are too numerous to-list, that send the\nmorale of a squadron right down to its bottom. If they\ncooperated with the men to make life bearable for both\nof them, instead of grabing the fruits of the enlisted\nmen's ingenuity the mórale of both enlisted men and\nORIGINAL RETIRED FOR PRESERVATION\nofficers would be much higher, It is admitted that the\nenlisted men complain about little things, but it is\nthe little things that count out here. After all 100%\nefficiency comes with about 75% morale and right now\nthere isn't 20% morale.\n\"What really brought the morale down that far were those\nbrass hats in Cairo. During the middle of the campaign\n(Christmas time) we had a chance to spend 7 days in\nCairo. Arrangements by air transport were made and\neverything was set. BUT 111 Cairo sent orders that\nnone was to leave. They gave us an excuse, 'no trans-\nports available.' Te know there were 2 planes at our\ndisposal. Were they afraid that we didn't know how to\nact? Do they expect us to act goody goody af ter being\nin the desert for 4 months without seeing or even being\nnear a town? Do they expect us to go dry after having\nvery little of anything to drink, especially water?\n\"Are they running our lives as men or as children?\"\n15.\nCONFIDENTIAL\nENGLISH-1\nA very large number of those soldiers who filled out questionnaires\nmade comments relating to the English, and almost twice as many made crit-\nical comments as made favorable comments. However, this should be inter-\npreted with particular caution inasmuch as one is more likely to write\nhis complaints than his approvals. Still, the total amount of criticism\nof the English is quite large and must be given serious consideration.\nThis is what the soldier had to say:\nORIGINAL RETIRED FOR PRESERVATION\nPro-English: A few realized that most Americans know relatively lit-\ntle about the English, about their backgrounds, problems, customs, hopes,\nplans.\n\"Most Americans over here have a narrow biased opinion\nof the English. They apparently are not informed or\ndon't realize the sacrifices the English people and\nsoldiers have gone through, another thing they do not\nknow enough geographically about the British Isles and\nher colonial possessions. The Americans in general\nonly look at one side of the conditions, they never put\nthemselves in the average English Soldiers shoes. All\nthe average American Soldier in the Middle East wants is\nto have a chance to brag, bitch, find faults with any\nand everything, especially anything English. The ma-\njority of this biased opinion was formed from his first\nimpression of the English because he didn't get as good\nfood on the English ship as he did in a restaurant in\nthe States. This was not the Englishman's fault; there\nwas good food aboard - our officers just didn't demand\nthat it be served* to the men.\"\nMany enlisted men appreciate the conditions under which the English\npeoples have labored and fought this war, and for these soldiers the Eng-\nlish are a fine people, a nation worthy of our friendship.\n\"My experience in combat to date with the American and\nEnglish soldiers would lead me to believe that U. S.\nSoldier does not have his heart in combat work. The\nEnglish in the Eighth Army with two and three years of\ncombat behind them seem to have a much better espirt de\ncorp than do we. The reason, at least for my personal\noutfit, I am sure, is that at training school we were\nI\nled to believe that we would not be under fire and our\ntraining did not include enough physical toughening and\npreparatory training for the enemy action we have seen,'\nSome soldiers highly compliment the English 8th Army and admit that\nthey have learned major lessons from these experienced fighters. However,\n16,\nCONFIDENTIAL\nENGLISH-2\nmost of these comments are indirect and seem to arise from criticism of\nour own Army:\n\"On the whole, the American man is a good soldier.\nHowever, in common, we have one fault which was clearly\nshown to us by the good work of the English when they\nhad the proper equipment. That fault being that we\nORIGINAL RETIRED FOR PRESERVATION\naren't 80 dam smart in this war business as we pic-\ntured ourselves as being. We have a helluva lot to\nlearn and in a high mechanized war as this, experience\nis the best teacher.\nAnd those who have had intimate contact with the English are often\nvery favorably impressed with these comrades.\n\"After intimate contact (such as various stays in Eng-\nlish hospitals and English camps) I have nothing but\nhighest respect for ability, personality and conduct\nof Englishman.\"\nThe minority has spoken, and their opinions and attitudes are of vital\nimportance, but let us see what the majority says.\nAnti-English: Some of the anti-English feeling arises from unpleas-\nant experiences with specific individuals and circumstances, but much of\nit also seems to spring from rumors, isolated phenomena, and from unknown\nsources. But whatever the cause, these attitudes and opinions do exist.\n\"Don't believe anything can be done to improve Anglo-\nAmerican relations among the two forces generally.\nIndividuals can help by their individual contacts,\nhowever. For the English to understand us and why we\nare what we are and why we do what we do the way we\ndo it, would require a liberal education in American\nhistory, economics, and politics and there isn't time\nfor that unfortunately. And it works both ways. We\ncan't explain why we weren't in the war for the 2\nyears they fought alone because being in now proves\nwe should have been in all along! That's what they\nthink anyway. The average British soldier is practi-\ncally an illiterate compared to average American. He\nknows it and hates us because of his not stopping to\nrealize his own ruling class is responsible for his\ncondition.\"\nSome feel that the English are unappreciative of the aid we have been\ngiving them,\n17.\nCONFIDENTIAL\nENGLISH-3\n\"A good many of the questions asked about the difference\nof opinions between the English and American soldiers\ncould have been settled before our going into the war.\nOur government should have given them to understand that\nit was the USA and only the USA that would be able to\nsave them, Even before our entry into the war we were\nmore than helping them. Only smug conceited asses, that\nORIGINAL RETIRED FOR PRESERVATION\nthe English are, would fail to see this. By the lend\nlease bill they are obtaining our best supplies and equip-\nment while we our selves are taking the left overs. I\nhave personally seen in a British Mess kitchen the best\ngrade of canned goods and bacon from the USA, while we\nonly get even below second grade. However, if this will\nhelp win the war, Lets go, and then go Home, and I do\nmean home.\"\nMany are critical of the English because it is felt that credit is\nnot given to Americans when due.\n\"A better understanding between the American and British\nsoldiers could be brought about if the English would ad-\nmit that they dont have the best in everything and es-\npecially the airforce. Over all radio broadcasts from\nLondon, almost no mention is given of what the AAF or the\nAEF are doing. It is always the British as the winners\nin every instant. The British Officers appear to have\nthe attitude that the enlisted men in the American Army\nare inferior to him.\"\nThe problem of pay and resulting jealousy, looms large in the total\npicture.\n\"The English troops seem to be jealous of us because we\nhave more money to spend than they have. Some however\nare real swell 'guys'.\"\nAnd quite often there is evidence of distrust of the English.\n\"Wish that someone with great authority would check on\nshipments of food that go up to the front. It seems the\nBritish do it all and get away with lots of it. There\nshould be someone to investigate this matter. Our ships\nor docks it seems they have all the say. We should have\nour own men take care of the loading and unloading of the\nfood instead of the natives or British. We have enough\nmen who know about that work here in the Middle East. If\nnot to get them from the States.\"\n18.\nCONFIDENTIAL\nENGLISH-4\nThe reasons given for dislike of the English are many but the charge\nof selfishness is often to be found.\n\"The English in my opinion are egotistical - self\ncentered - selfish - class conscious. Can and do\nfight when they are up against it - - but will let\nGeorge do the dying if possible.\"\nORIGINAL RETIRED FOR PRESERVATION\nAnother charge that recurred many times was that the class distinction\nfound among the English is undesirable, and undemocratic.\n\"Never again to have an American Army ON parts of\nArmies to come under British jurisdiction. I don't\nlike the class distinction in the British Army.\nOur Army is a democratic Army and it shouldn't be\npatterned after the English.\"\nBetterment of Anglo-American Relations: Some of the soldiers are\nconcerned about improving English-American relations, and, consequently\nmake their suggestions:\n\"If there is an official policy of fostering social\nrelationship between us and the British, the best\nway would be to give us free evenings and let us form\nfriendships with British and other outsiders naturally.\nOfficial guidance in this matter is futile. 90% of\nthe boys resent it. The best way to make a Yank hate\na Limey's guts is to give him a direct or implied or-\nder to make friends.\"\nThis attitude might well be extended to include all of our Allies.\n\"The Army ought to adopt a stricter tone in dealing\nwith those officers and non-coms (and enlisted men)\nwho spread distrust of our Allies or engage in anti-\nSemitism or anti-Negro tirades. Every man ought to\nbe permitted to have his own opinions but he ought\nnot to be allowed to hurt other people's feelings.\"\n\"There should be much better regard for our allies,\nThe Army morale div and intelligence should foster\nthis. It should be explained that all former propa-\nganda in our news papers about the bogey of communism\nhas done much to create skepticism about our ally who\nis doing the most fighting for us.\"\n19.\nCONFIDENTIAL\nEQUIPMENT-1\nComments pertaining to equipment were not among the most numerous of\nthe various subjects discussed by the enlisted men, but the total number\nof such comments was considerable, The primary complaints were lack of\nequipment, failure to understand why men and equipment are not shipped to-\ngether, poor equipment, and the like.\nTwo general criticisms of equipment were:\nORIGINAL RETIRED FOR PRESERVATION\n\"Our biggest problem over here is a tool and equipment\nshortage. By that I mean maintenance equipment. We\nnever get tool replacements and if a crew chief breaks\nor looses a tool, why he can never get another one,\nAlso some of the tools we have are worthless. It looks\nto me like some big company was just taking the govern-\nment in. I know I could design some tools which would\nbe of a great help in our air force if given a proper\nchance. Welding rod is very scarce, Also welding tools,\nand sheet metal and sheet metal equipment is very poor,\nI think this questionnaire is very good but one on equip-\nment alone would be very helpful.\"\n\"Our equipment is the best there is, but we sometimes\ndont get enough of it. Just before we departed from the\nStates we packed enormous quantities of it thinking we\nwould get it when we arrived overseas. When we arrived,\nwe learned that all that equipment was taken away from\nus. Then when we do need the equipment for practically\nimmediate use, we have to beg, borrow or steal. When\nan outfit has been using all that equipment, all through\nits training in the States, and then after all the\ntrouble it has to go through with packing and repacking\nit, it should rightly belong to them.\"\nAnother expressed the opinion that some method is needed whereby\nshortages can be replaced,\n\"I believe we should have a better and faster way of get-\nting equipment that was and is lost through shipping.\nAnd a better way of getting material and parts. And some\nsmall tools which do not seem like much. But are so im-\nportant to a service squad.\"\nSome expressed the opinion that many items of equipment should be\nredesigned.\n\"Redesign equipment (almost all items) from a practical\nand utilitarian viewpoint. Did you ever use the full pack\n20.\nCONFIDENTIAL\nEQUIPMENT- 2\nas issued in the Air Force on a hike? And minimize the\namount of personal equipment issued to the E.M. to re-\nduce waste, shipping space, etc. That minimizing can\ncover all fields, it seems to be an Army policy to\nscream for twice as much as you need because you'll\nonly get half as much as you ask for.\"\nOthers feel that much equipment is lost by virtue of irresponsible\nORIGINAL RETIRED FOR PRESERVATION\npersons stealing what they want.\n\"Why is it we had to wait several months for our equip-\nment to arrive after we landed, and then, when it did\narrive (about ± of it) it had been gone through - and\ninvariably the things needed most, were gone. For 3\nmonths, we operated with either borrowed or stolen\ntools, or with the few we held on our persons.\"\nThe lack of equipment undoubtedly results in much wasted time, and\nthis does not please the soldiers.\n\"I would like to know why the War Department doesnt make\na check and see why an outfit hasnt the necessary equip-\nment to do its work when it comes overseas. Te would do\nthe job much better and much quicker if we had the right\nequipment. Instead we have equipment that we dont need.\nWhy cant certain things be sent with us instead of us\nusing precious time to make trifles the hard way when we\ncould to doing something to win the war.\"\n21.\nCONFIDENTIAL\nFOOD-1\nThere were many complaints about food, but only a few of these re-\nlated to improper preparation. Most of the complaints were about lack of\nvariety, or just poor food, questions as to what is happening to the ra-\ntioned food back in the states - with the added remark, \"We aren't get-\nting any of it; where is it going?\", -- and finally there were criticisms\nrelating to food deficiencies, principally calcium. A general complaint\nthat expresses the feeling of a majority of those who wrote of food was:\nORIGINAL RETIRED FOR PRESERVATION\n\"Personally I think that we have done our part and we\nshould let some one else try the job even tho' we\nhave a good record some one else may do better than\nwe - and besides there is no use working a good horse\nto death just because you can - It wouldn't be so bad\nif we had some food that would keep us in working\ncondition. It takes dam good food to keep a guy on\nthe ball when he works hard all day and pulls 6 hours\nguard that night, then go back to work the next day -\ncouldn't something be done about this? If not why?\nJust give it one deep serious thought and picture\nyourself in our place out here in this dam hot dusty\ndesert - we need some cooks and I mean cooks not can\nopeners for any dam guy cah open cans I can feel sure\nwhen I say that every one in this outfit feels the same\nway I do - if anyone doubts my word you can just ask\nor read a few of these pages that the boys are bitching\nupon.\"\nSeveral voiced the opinion that a check-up of some sort would serve\nto bring conditions to the attention of authorities.\n\"It is my opinion that if the W.D. would send special\nService men into the area itself for a period of one\nweek to eat, sleep and work with the men incognito\nthey could get at the root of all.\"\nAnd another soldier made the practical suggestion:\n\"I would like to see our company commanders eat at least\none meal a day with the men. Instead of countless in-\nspections and revues, I would like to hear discussions\non what, why and where we are fighting.\"\nLack of Variety:\nMany wondered why there was a lack of variety when the P.X. and Red\nCross are able to obtain considerable variety.\n\"I can't see why we have to eat corn beef all the time\n22.\nCONFIDENTIAL\nFOOD-2\nof\nwhen we can buy canned chicken and such in our Canteen.\nIf they can get it there why can't we get it for our\nmess hall, Any why casint We have cooks, instead of\nglorified K.P. 87 Why can't the cooks sèe to 16 that the\ncans of jelly and such are kept under cover. This G,I,\nfood is really knocking us to hell, Why can't we have\nradios? Why can't we have our own squadron instruments.\nORIGINAL RETIRED FOR PRESERVATION\nThe Red Cross was going to do much for us. Tell, they\ndid - - In other wêrds the boys here are fed up. One\nyear is plenty.'\n\"In Alexandria as well as Cairo, the food at the hotels\nsponsored by the Red Cross was excellent - there seems\nto be plenty of fresh vegetables in this country and\nthese hotels take advantage of it. If the vegetables\nare not safe, and our outfit is not permitted to use\nthem for that reason, why does the Red Cross serve them?\nI would think that they would take as many precautions\nas does the Air Corps. Food is very important to us and\nit certainly should be improved as long as its possible\nto do 80, and at this place it is possible.\"\nFresh Food:\nThe call for fresh food was a frequent one.\n\"The food could be much better. Te are getting too much\ncan food. What we need is fresh cooked greens and other\nfresh foods, That's all...\"\nDeficiencies:\nRemarks pertaining to vitamin and mineral deficiency were not over-\nwhelmingly large but in two areas there were a number who remarked about\nimproper nutrition and the resulting ills for teeth.\n\"Our food - notwithstanding the claims made by the Army\npublicity - is poor. There is no variety - except for\nmeat loaf - sausages - once in a while a change My\nteeth, scrub them as I may, are turning yellow, fór Tack\nof proper nutrition for them, although I: have' gained\nweight: - superfluous weight I must say. 17\nAnd another was of the same opinion.\n\"Food isn't too good, bully beef and hash get to be\nmonotonous, not enough fruit, teeth are getting bad\nfrom food, believe it is lack of calcium. Haven't\nseen a glass of milk since we were over seas.\"\n23.\nCONFIDENTIAL\nFOOD43\nRationing:\nThose who wondered what is happening to the food saved by rationing\nin the states remarked:\n\"The food is terrible over here. Everything is rationed\nin the U.S. to send over to us but we never see any of\nit just STEW AND HASH all the time.\"\nORIGINAL RETIRED FOR PRESERVATION\nGood Food:\nA minority stated that the food was good.\n\"I have been more than surprised since I came overseas\nfor our food is fair, much better than I expected and\nthe U.S. Army really tries hard to look out and care\nfor it's soldiers.\"\nFood Aboard Boat:\nMany remembered their boat trip overseas very vividly and apparently\nremain bitter about their experiences while enroute.\n\"I came over-seas in a French boat manned by the English\nand instead of having American rations and our own cooks\nwe ate English rations (if you can call that food) and\nhad English cooks. The officers ate beef, chicken, ice-\ncream, beans and vegetables while we ate mutton, pea soup\nand fish. Living conditions were intolerable, There\nwere seventy of us in a room as large as my kitchen back\nhome where we ate and slept while the officers had only\nfour in the same space. 1.\n\"Very Poor!!!!!\"\n\"Terrible.\"\n\"Dam Bad. It\n\"Not fit for hogs.\"\n\"By Christ it was rotten. Mutton stinky old mutton twice\ndaily. Every morning oatmeal with worms, I lived on\nchocolate bars for 31 days and lost about 30 lb. The\nnext time I'm going to walk across,\"\n24,\nCONFIDENTIAL\nRECREATION AND ENTERTAINMENT - 1\nNo questions were asked pertaining to recreation and entertainment\nbecause it was felt that this subject matter could not be treated ade-\nquately in two or three questions, and there was not room in this first\nsurvey for more detailed questions. Therefore, the spontaneous demand\nfor more recreation and entertainment reflects a deep-seated feeling on\nthe part of enlisted men, and this feeling is both quantitatively and\nqualitatively significant.\nORIGINAL RETIRED FOR PRESERVATION\nLack of Recreation and Entertainment: The most frequent comment was\nsimply:\n\"We need more entertainment. It puts the morale up.\nThank you Sir.\"\nAnd the men feel that special efforts should be made to give them\nsome diversions.\n\"An attempt should be made that the fighting man 1\nin this theatre be given the same deal, that is\navailable in some other theatres, relative to en-\ntertainment: personal appearances by movie stars,\nmovies, etc., and a big attempt should made an\n'necessary canteen' equipment.\"\nThere were frequent calls for movies, newspapers, books, magazines,\nradio braodcasts, radios, recreation and sports, etc.\nThese comments were simple, but clear, none the less,\n\"All combat Sqdns could operate more efficiently if\nthey were provided with more recreation facilities.\nThe high ups must think we are Robots - all work and\nno play! The ground personel are human too.\"\n\"Give us some form of entertainment or some way to\namuse us. Magazine and news papers will help.\"\n\"Soldiers should be acquainted with the home front as\nwell as daily newspapers and current periodicals at\ntheir reach.\"\n\"A real good Broadcast of good music from the states\nfrom 6 p.m. to ten, our time.\"\nCriticism of the \"Cairo Commandos\".\n\"There is too much publicity on what is being done to\nentertain and help the boys - but its never for the\n25.\nCONFIDENTIAL\nRECREATION AND ENTERTAINMENT - 2\nboys in the field - the 'Cairo Commandos' get it all.\nPeople at home are misled.'\nFrequently the boys \"in the blue\" complain that all entertainment\nis retained in the rear areas.\n\"I am very dissatisfied with the means of entertain-\nORIGINAL RETIRED FOR PRESERVATION\nment provided for the American troops in the forward\ncombat areas. With all the entertainment and con-\nveniences provided for the troops in Cairo I dont see\nwhy some of it cant be sent up in the desert to enter-\ntain the fellows that are actually in combat. Ive\nspent several months in a bomber outfit that has been\nin action nearly as long and am still alive so I dont\nsee why any entertainment group should be afraid to\ncome up.'\n\"Where in hell is all this entertainment that were\nsupposed to get and for which 80 much money is given?\nWith nine months in the Middle East I've seen exactly\ntwo shows both of them provided by the N.A.A.F.I.\nThere is quite a bit of it being put on in Cairo and\nAlexandria. Who gets the benefit of it. The fellows\nup front or the non combatants?\"\nOut of Bounds: The officer-enlisted man differential was often ap-\nplied to restrictions regarding places of entertainment for enlisted men,\n\"I think the men of the American Army should have more\nof the good hotels and night spots in bounds and more\nof the cabaret out of bounds to all ranks. If we wish\nto dance, we have to go to the Red Cross which is a\nnice place if you can get in and if you cant about all\nthat is left is a dirty dive full of bad women after\nthe army man's money, and if you wish to take any per-\nson with you, try and find a place in bounds for the\nenlisted man that is fit to go. We are giving up as\nmuch as anyone and in America all men are equal.'\nA number of the soldiers feel that this differential is un-American.\n\"It is against the American way of living to put places\nof entertainment, Hotels, and such out of bounds to\ncertain Americans. By what standard do the Brass hats\nhere put places out of bounds to enlisted men? Censor-\nship does not allow us to write home that places are\n26.\nCONFIDENTIAL\nRECREATION AND ENTERTAINMENT - 3\nout of bounds. Is some one ashamed of that fact? I\nam quite sure the American public would not be very\nhappy about the fact that we are only good enough to\nfight a war but not allowed to visit any public place\nthat of ficer can, Next we will have that terrible\ncaste system the English have.\"\nORIGINAL RETIRED FOR PRESERVATION\n27.\nCONFIDENTIAL\nPOST EXCHANGE SUPPLIES - 1\nNaturally, many men want more variety of PX supplies, and if this is\nnot possible, they would like to be told why they are not getting more.\nIn addition, several complaints regarding prices and profiteering were in-\ncluded in the various comments. It is evident that many of the men do not\nunderstand that some PX articles are bought on local markets and the price\nis, therefore, much higher than for similar articles originating in the\nUnited States. The specific articles for which they asked were principally\nORIGINAL RETIRED FOR PRESERVATION\nAmerican cigarettes and beer.\n\"I dont see any reason for our post exchange being out\nof American Cigarettes, if their is a reason why not\npass it on among the enlisted men BO it will clear up\nones mind.\"\n\"How about some beer?\"\n\"Tobacco is very scarce at the P.X. cigarettes are to\nbe gotten about one week out of the month with a limit\nof one pack a day. The prices of things at our P.X.\nare very high. Bought tooth paste last week and paid\nforty-eight cents for & ten cent tube. A brand which\nI never heard of in the states.\"\n\"The troops in the forward areas are not receiving the\nBeer, smoking tobacco, cigarettes, candy and other\nthings that they should while the non combat outfits\nstationed in rear headquarters are getting practically\nall they want.\"\n\"We should get beer more often that is about the only\nthing we could relax and enjoy.\"\n\"Why is it we have to buy at high prices, chocolats,\ncandy, even beer that is marked on the can (For Troops\nOverseas - Free from Tax) that is donated to the dis-\ntributing sources free of cost. I don't mind paying\nthe prices, but I'd like to know what the profits are\nused for. We get absolutely no benefit from them.\"\n28.\nCONFIDENTIAL\nLENGTH OF TIME OVERSEAS - 1\nA very large number of soldiers want to know how long they will be\noverseas. They want to know if they will get a furlough back in the U.S.\nbefore another campaign begins, if they will get to return to the States\nafter a definite time overseas, etc. Men in Bomber Groups seem to be\nmuch more concerned about this question than others, and men in Fighter\nGroups are more concerned about the issue than are men in Service Groups\nand S.O.S. troops.\nORIGINAL RETIRED FOR PRESERVATION\nThis is their pleat\n\"I have been in the 343rd Sqdn. of the 98th Bomb Group\nsince January, 1942, the time I entered the Army. We\nstarted our training at Barkedale Field, La., and then\nwent to Fort. Meyer, Florida, to rough it. We arrived\nthere, and being the first outfit to do any soldiering\nthere had quite a hard time getting things ironed out.\nJust as we were getting things to run smoothly, we were\nshipped to Lakeland, Florida, where we were put into a\nfacsimile of an African Jungle and told to make ourselves\ncomfortable. Well, we got to work again and got our camp\nset up once more, At this time, our group had been to-\ngether only about 3/2 months. We continued our training\n(most of the men being non-schooled greenhorns) and were\nshaping up to be a good working outfit. About the same\ntime fellow soldiers in groups in neighboring areas were\ngetting furloughs to go home for a visit to mother, sis-\nters, etc. We were told that we were in training that\ndidn't warrant furloughs. Well, we said OK, and con-\ntinued on. Then our Group commander started filling our\nears with plans to go overseas. But still no talk of\ngetting home for even 1 day. Finally, we were sent over\nhere, and were promised that we were on a 'Task Force'\nto do a certain job. Well, the job turned out to be\n'keeping supplies from Rommel by bombing convoy, harbors,\netc. Now that job is done and naturally we expect a\nlittle reward, but no soap. We will probably carry on\nfor a long time to come. Where is this Air Force they\ntalk about at home? Where are the new aircraft? We\nhave had ours for a year now. We came over here with\ncombat crews and now that they have completed 300 opera-\ntional hours they have gone home. What becomes of us?\nNew crews are coming in -from the States. Will our men\nbe as conscientious about their work? I doubt it. We\nrealize that there is a war going on, but let us know\nhow long we have to stay, We'd like to have something\nto look forward to.\"\n29.\nCONFIDENTIAL\nLENGTH OF TIME OVERSEAS - 2\nThey are looking for a definite statement from the War Department that\nindicates how long they must remain away from home.\n\"Morale being an all important subject is one which\nto my knowledge is rather neglected at times. Since\nour outfit has been over-seas almost a year the ques-\ntion arises thus. Are we entitled to expect to be\nORIGINAL RETIRED FOR PRESERVATION\nsent to the States after we have served a year or 18\nmos? Our particular unit has cancelled all passes or\nleaves. No one knows when they will be granted again.\nSuch things to my notion should be clarified. In ref-\nerence to being returned to the states, morale could\nbe upped ever BO much if something definite in the. way\nof an order from the W.D. was issued stating just when\nwe could expect to go home. Of course many things\nmust be considered on that point. The trend of the\nwar, our particular theatre, etc. The Middle East will\ncease to be a war center soon but not one from which we\ncan operate. When the N. African campaign is over can\nwe expect to be sent home in 5 or 6 mos to recuperate,\nget better and heavier equipment to return to some\nother theatre or do we go to some other theatre of op-\nerations directly from the Middle East after we have\ndone everything possible here? These questions are\nnot entirely my own but are those also of my fellow\nsoldiers. I say to the War Department once for all\nclarify such questions and cast aside all doubt. Es-\npecially this one: When can we expect to go home? That\nin my mind would do more to stabilize morale of the sol-\ndiers than anything.\"\nMany state quite candidly that they have had enough of fighting, of\nthe desert, and want to go home and give the other boys over there a\nchance to come overseas and get into the excitement.\n\"I dont think a man should stay over here any more than\none year because 1 year of this desert adds 10 years to\nyour life. They should send some of those men that\nwant to strike all the time over here and that would\nfinish all strikes. I think that they should get more\nto drink over here because their aint any thing else to\ndo for pass time. I think they should give every man\na chance to see action and not put it all on the same\nones. This is a hell of & life in desert.\"\n30.\nCONFIDENTIAL\nLENGTH OF TIME OVERSEAS - 3\nMany make remarks about the large Army in the States.\n\"What is the army going to do with all of those sol-\ndiers in the states? Why not give them some expe-\nrience such as we have had, Some have been in for\n2 years and more and never been out of the States. If\nORIGINAL RETIRED FOR PRESERVATION\n31.\nCONFIDENTIAL\nFURLOUGHS- - 1\nBefore coming overseas: Many soldiers state that they did not have\na furlough before coming overseas, and this they do not understand.\n\"One thing I do not particularly agree with is the idea\nof a large percentage of boys being sent overseas with-\nout a furlough before leaving. From my own experience,\nI was about 48 hours from home by train and I had the\nmoney to go but was not granted a leave. While waiting\nORIGINAL RETIRED FOR PRESERVATION\nto be sent over they gave me 9 weeks of supposedly in-\ntense overseas training which was five weeks more than\nwas necessary. In that time there would have been more\nthan ample time to grant me a furlough before coming\nover. When I left the States I had been away from home\nfor almost a year and it would have done my parents a\njust amount of good to see me before I left. In their\neyes we are coming overseas to be sloughtered no matter\nwhat any one tells them 80 you can plainly see how much\ngood it would have been to them to see me or any other\nboys parents either!\"\nThese men feel that every man should be given a furlough before:com-\ning overseas.\n\"Every man should have at least one furlough in the\nstates before being sent across seas. I never had a\nchance since I've been in the Army to go home on a\nfurlough.\"\nAfter coming overseas: Many soldiers want a rest, preferably at home,\nbefore entering into another campaign.\n\"I think that combat personnel who have been under fire\nconsiderably and flown about 40 or 50 missions should be\nsent to the States for a rest before entering into com-\nbat again. At least given a long rest somewhere where\nhe could more or less forget about fighting. A flier or\nman who participates in aerial warfare can't be too ner-\nvous or jumpy, one mistake is liable to be his last one\nand maybe for four or five others. He should at least\nif the passes are not available, be ground personell for\na period until he figures he is ready for combat again.\nA man won't generally say he wants to quit because he is\nafraid someone will say he is yellow.'\nRather a large number of enlisted men feel that they should have more\npasses and furloughs while serving overseas.\n\"You talk about time off. When do we get it, and how?\"\n32,\nCONFIDENTIAL\nFURLOUGHS-2\n\"Some method ought to be devised to allow men to get\nfurloughs even during campaigns as we get damn sick\nand tired of doing the same things and seeing the\nsame faces all the time.\"\n\"This particular outfit has been in the desert for\nover six months without any relief and I'd like to\nORIGINAL RETIRED FOR PRESERVATION\nsee some means taken to provide a rest or some other\nkind of relief for the troops, even a change in\nscenery would do. If a soldier could look forward\nto a 3 day or possible a 7 day pass once every one\nor 2 months it would help to relieve some of the pent\nup feelings in the men and also raise the morale a\nlittle.\"\n33.\nCONFIDENTIAL\nDO AWAY WITH DRILL - 1\nThere were no questions in regard to training, but none the less a\ngreat number of comments were written about drilling, parades, practice\nreviews and other forms of training. A great number of complaints were\nwritten about this subject, such as:\n\"I think we should be more of a soldier than boy scouts.\nTe drilled and had our rookie training in the States and\nI think we should out it out over here in combat zone.\nORIGINAL RETIRED FOR PRESERVATION\nOther complaints in the form of training were the practice of doing\ncalisthenics:\n\"Having reveille, drill, close order drill out here is\nabsolutely rediculous. In my opinion, it has hurt our\nmoral considerably. Calisthenics after Ive been on\nguard all night and work all day,\nThese drills took up much of the soldier's spare time and some of\ntheir days off:\n\"This idea of taking every Sunday for drill, stupid\nreviews, etc., has lowered the morale of the men\nmorè than any officer would like to admit. If you\nhave work important to do on Sunday, it should be\ndone and when finished, you should be off to rest or\nsome other thing. Im afraid our allies think us\nrather silly at times, when I work I work hard and\ndont feel like going around draging through this\nsand at the shout of 1-2-3-4 afterwards!\"\n\"I cant see where these drills and formations on\nSundays are going to end the war any sooner. Un-\nless we are really doing something toward defense,\nI think we should have that day off.\"\n\"More time for recreation and less for inspections\nand such G.I. things. How can a man ever forget he's\na soldier as long as he is in the Army, does he have\nto be reminded of it by Sunday inspections and close\norder drill.\nAnd still others complained about not being able to attend church as\nthe time was taken up by drills:\n\"I also think that when possible we should have\nSundays completely to ourselves. Last Sunday, I\nwanted to go to church but was refused permission\nto go because of a Post order that we had to attend\n8. practise passing review.\n34.\nCONFIDENTIAL\nPOCKET GUIDES\nThe question was asked, how can the pocket guides to Egypt and North\nAfrica be improved. Unfortunately, most of the men have not seen these\npocket guides, and, therefore, the most frequent suggestion was \"distrib-\nute it to everyone who comes to the Middle East.\" Excluding remarks like\nthe one just quoted, and the next most frequent one, \"Never heard of it,\"\nmost of the comments were favorable. For example, \"I believe anything\nthat isn't in the book must be learned from experience.\" Two types of\nsuggestions are worthy of mention, namely (1) \"A lot of things mentioned\nORIGINAL RETIRED FOR PRESERVATION\nwere out of date. I think things have changed here since the war has been\ngoing on, If and (2) \"If possible to do so, give a list às near as possible\nwhat different articles you may buy should honestly cost.\"\n35.\nCONFIDENTIAL\nEGYPTIAN - AMERICAN RELATIONS - 1\nThe soldiers were asked, \"Would you visit in the home of an educated\nnative of this country if you were invited?\" Then, they were asked, \"If\nyou would go, tell why; if you would not go, tell why not?\"\nTHOSE WHO WOULD GO:\nMany indicated that they would like to visit natives of the country\nin which they are stationed, and some the reasons given were:\nORIGINAL RETIRED FOR PRESERVATION\nTo Improve Relations with U.S.:\n\"To foster better relations between the U.S. and other\ncountries.\"\n\"In the future we will not be able to live isolated\nin any country - now is the time to begin to prepare\nto know every country, and thus they will be better\nprepared to understand the American way of life.\"\n\"To talk of their native country and my own. More or\nless to spread democracy on my own.\"\nBecause of Curiousity:\n\"Because of curiousity and then to be as friendly\nas possible to strengthen the cords of friendship.'\nTo Learn Their Customs:\n\"I would go because I am interested in learning the\nhabits and customs of people in foreign countries.\"\nTo Meet People:\n\"I would go for sheer pleasure of meeting people. I\nwould want to go to observe customs of the natives,\ntheir habits and especially to compare their country\nwith ours - their form of government, their cities,\ntheir trades and economic industries.\"\nTHOSE WHO WOULD NOT GO:\nThe principal reasons for not wanting to go were:\nFear of Food:\n\"The reason for not attending was from a standpoint of\nhealth and not because the man was a native. I know\n36.\nCONFIDENTIAL\nEGYPTIAN - AMERICAN RELATIONS - 2\nof the food and am not sure that my system would stand\nit. I have been forewarned that certain foods in this\ncountry can carry disease.\"\nWant to get war over with:\n\"I want to fight this war, get it over with, and go\nhome - am not interested in natives.\"\nORIGINAL RETIRED FOR PRESERVATION\nDislike:\n\"I would not go because I have no love for them and\nmight unwittingly offend them.\"\nTHOSE WHO HAVE GONE:\n\"I have gone and was welcomed and treated royally.\"\n\"I did go - found them crazy about everything American.\nAmerica is having a profound influence on the Egyptians.\"\n37.\nCONFIDENTIAL\nRATINGS- 1\nSlightly less than 10 per cent of the men making comments had any-\nthing to say about ratings and pay, but among these the principal com-\nplaints were that there is little chance to advance after coming overseas,\nregardless of buy been me works; ratings are given on the basis of who\nyou know ratire what you know: and, finally, quite a few suggested\nthat ratings should be based or come type of test. The most frequent com-\nment was to the alfect that Tables of Organization tend to keep many good\nmen from receiving promotions they deserve.\nORIGINAL RETIRED FOR PRESERVATION\n\"I feel more opportunity should be given for men to\nadvance in rank while overseas. Those of us who are\nunf whinate enough to join an outfit in which the\nTatlet of Org. are filled are unable to advance de-\nspite the desire of Commanding Officers to have us\ndo 80, I feel new outfits should draw their non-coms\nfrom enlisted men who have proven themselves in the\nfield. Failure to advance men stifles their initia-\ntive.\nThe next most frequent comment pertaining to ratings was concerned\nwith favoritism in awarding ratings.\n\"Once a fellow is overseas he doesn't have much chance\nfor advancement. The ratings are all taken up and no\nmatter how hard you work, it just doesn't do any good.\nAnd a lot of the fellows that have the higher ratings\njust don't give a damn and they get away with a lot of\nthings that the smaller guy wouldn't dare. They ought\nto give credit where it is due and show less favoritism. \"\nAnd finally there were those to think a definite competitive system\nshould be put into operation as a method of selecting NCO's.\n\"Each man should be given a test before being rated,\nto see whether he deserves one or not. There is too\nmuch ball rolling, As example - The way the Navy gives\npromotions.\"\n\"Ratings should be given on a competitive basis. \"\n38.\nCONFIDENTIAL\nDESIRE FOR COMBAT - 1\nOne question which the soldiers were asked was:\n\"If it were up to you, what kind of outfit would you rather be\nin? (Check one)\nIn a combat outfit overseas\nIn a non-combat outfit overseas\nORIGINAL RETIRED FOR PRESERVATION\nIn an outfit in the United States\nWhy?\nIf\nThe answers were varied of course, and many different reasons were\ngiven for wanting to be overseas or at home, in a combat outfit or a non-\ncombat outfit. But let us see what the soldiers had to say.\nCOMBAT OUTFIT OVERSEAS\nSome felt insulted by the inquiry and answered:\n\"What the hell do you think I came over for.\"\nDuty:\nOthers felt that it was their duty to their country and to their loved\nones:\n\"Because I am a father and believe by being in a com-\nbat outfit I am doing my duty towards my wife and child\nback home. With my country at war I would not feel\nright elsewhere.\"\nSome of those who felt that it was their duty, also felt that they\ncould not expect anyone else to do their fighting:\n\"Because someone has to do the fighting, and a real\nAmerican would want to fight for his country. I\ncan't expect other people to do the fighting for me.\"\nIdealism:\nSome were idealistic and are desirous of making the world free for\nthemselves, their children and for all time to come:\n\"Because I want to do my part to make this world\nfree for my children and everyone else for the rest\nof time.\"\n39.\nCONFIDENTIAL\nDESIRE FOR COMBAT - 2\nTo End the War Quickly:\nThe majority felt that by fighting themselves, they could help to\nend the war quickly:\n\"In order to do all I can to finish this war quickly.\"\nORIGINAL RETIRED FOR PRESERVATION\n\"This war has got to be won. Every able-bodied man,\nnaturally, wants action. ft\nAdventure:\nMany are in the war for adventure:\n\"Like to be in the thick of everything and not join\nthe Army to do K.P. Like excitment and adventure.\"\n\"Am in good health, have few family ties, it is most\ninteresting.\"\n\"It's more interesting and educational to have some\nhardships - - makes one appreciate the little things\nof life.\nExperience:\nAnd some felt that it is good experience to participate in the war:\n\"Combat outfit travels more:s and a man can gain morè\nexperience than any other outfit. That is what a\nperson wants - experience.\"\nNON-COMBAT OUTFIT OVERSEAS\nThe principal reason given for wanting to be in a non-combat outfit\noverseas was a combination of a desire to really help with the war effort\nand also, the belief that the individual concerned was better fitted for\nnon-combat work:\n\"Am satisfied with present non-combat unit. I am\nbetter fitted than would be in a combat unit.\"\n\"This question is hard to answer as I have experience\nonly in the second type - but I am fairly satisfied\nthat my job is important enough to warrant my being\nhere. If I were not here, someone else would have to\nbe, so its just a matter of making the best of it and\ndo my part to help get it over with quickly.\"\n40.\nCONFIDENTIAL\nDESIRE FOR COMBAT - 3\n\"Because I believe that I can work better than fight\nand because there is more work to be done by soldiers\noverseas than in the U.S.\"\nExperience:\nA few felt that non-combat work offered more opportunities for worth-\nwhile experience:\nORIGINAL RETIRED FOR PRESERVATION\n\"Only for the experience, but the experience is no\ngood unless there is a future in it, so I believe the\nnon-combative.\"\nPhysical:\nA few felt that physical reasons would keep them from being efficient\nin a combat outfit:\n\"Physical reasons make me prefer non-combat outfit,\"\nCynicism:\nOne or two were bitter and said:\n\"It seems a non-combat outfit gets all the breaks.\"\nOUTFIT IN THE UNITED STATES\nThe most frequent reason given for wanting to serve in an outfit in\nthe United States was simply \"because I like the United States better.\nThere were many expressions of this sort but others combined this reason\nwith various rationalizations and/or truths. Others were very frank\nabout being tired of overseas life and simply want. to return home, but\nthese are some of the reasons they gave:\nI have done my share.\n\"I've done my duty to God and Country - - I need a\nrest. I didn't have any leave at home during my 16\nmonths service overseas. Want to go home - - let\nsome other Joe come over.\"\n\"I've got three hundred combat flying hours in and I\nwant to go home as others before me have.\"\nLet others share the fighting.\n\"I don't mind doing my share of combat duty but I\nthink that all of us Americans should share it. Not\nthe ones just stay and keep on fighting forever,\"\n41.\nCONFIDENTIAL\nDESIRE FOR COMBAT - 4\n\"There are some ten million or more men in the U.S.\nArmy. About one million are overseas. The President\nsaid all would share and share alike in overseas duty.\nWe've done our job, now let the others do theirs.'\nHealth.\n\"I have been overseas for about 10 months and it has\nORIGINAL RETIRED FOR PRESERVATION\naffected my health somewhat. If\nPerforming useless task here.\n\"Because I could do there what I am doing here. (Sit\naround and look silly.) If\nmye got nearly a year in over here and we do close\norder drill, and calesthenics and that sort of things\nthey can be done in the States.\nAnti-English.\n\"To get away from the British.\"\nUndecided.\nOf course, many were torn between the desire to help in the war ef-\nfort and a second desire to be at home amid comfortable surroundings with\ntheir loved ones:\n\"I cant answer that question as easily as that. Like\nbeing in a combat outfit overseas, because it is help-\ning to end this war, then of course my feeling is that\nI'd like to be home like other soldiers with the people\nhe loves.\"\n42.\nCONFIDENTIAL\nMAIL-1\nAlmost everyone recognizes the importance of mail as a morale factor,\nand not only do the soldiers recognize this, but also they write about it\nwhen given the opportunity. Inasmuch as mail service can hardly be \"too\ngood, ft the comments tend to be critical - critical of mail service in gen-\neral, or of V-mail, or of the package system, etc. By far the majority\nexpressed disapproval of V-mail, and many are insistent that rules regard-\nORIGINAL RETIRED FOR PRESERVATION\ning sending packages from home be more liberal. Though there were hun-\ndreds that expressed their opinions, most of them were thinking the same,\nand here are their ideas in their own words:\n\"The question on the two different types of mail, should\nbe carefully considered before making a definite deci-\nsion. Regular mail is something that is quite personal,\nand as I see it, they seem to have taken everything else,\nwhy not at least leave us our mail? Thru my experiences\nwith V-mail, I found that on the average regular mail\nusually arrives at its destination sooner than V-mail.\nTo date, our mail service has been exceptionally Poor and\nI hope there is a straightening out of said subject be-\nfore the men's morale goes any farther in the hole. If\nthey would put a couple bags on these D.C. 3's instead\nof a bunch of brass, things might be somewhat better.\n\"And why can't our mail come more regularly. After all\nmail is, at times, more essential than food.\"\n\"I think that V-mail should be cut out completely, its\nhard to read, not very much to a letter and for all the\nwork they put into it, it ain't worth it. Also from all\nof the fellows that it come in contact with dislike them\nvery much.\n\"If people would use air mail stationery it would be al-\nmost as light as V-mail and also would help all of the\nmorale to the fellows overseas.\"\n\"The main objection I have is trying to make all soldiers\nsend V-mail. Ever since it started I have yet to get the\nfirst V-mail to pass my regular mail in getting over here.\nI think the V-mail is the most silliest poorest way for\nAmerica to try and save shipping space on plane's when\nmail is the best morale builder in the army. My V-mail\nis any where from two days to two weeks longer on the way\nthan my regular mail. Forget the V-mail I say.\"\n\"The V-mail isn't worth writing.\"\n43.\nCONFIDENTIAL\nMAIL-2\n\"I would sure like to receive some packages. My folks\ncould send me candy, gum, etc. that I miss very much\nand cant get over here. I dont like V-mail. I would\nrather have one regular letter to every three V-mail\nletters.\"\nORIGINAL RETIRED FOR PRESERVATION\n44.\nCONFIDENTIAL\nRESTRIUTEL\nPLANNING SURVEY\nInstructions\nORIGINAL RETIRED FOR PRESERVATION\nDO NOT put your name, or your serial number, or the name of your outfit\non any of the pages.\nThis is not a test, and there is no grade.\nThere is no time limit. Take all the time you need. For most of the\nquestions, you will only have to place a mark before the answer that\napplies to you. Some of the questions have special instructions, so be\nsure to read them all carefully. Remember that there are questions on\nboth sides of each sheet.\nMany of the questions have spaces left for comments. Use those spaces\nif there are any extra comments that you want to make about the ques-\ntions. The last page has been left blank. On it you can write any\ncomments you want to make about your Army experiences, whether they have\nbeen covered by any of the questions or not.\nWhen you have finished, check back through all of the pages to be sure\nthat you have not missed answering any of the questions.\nHeadquarters\nUNITED STATES ARMY FORCES\nIN THE MIDDLE EAST\nCONFIDENTIAL\nCONFIDENTIAL\n1. Please check your rank\nPrivate\nPrivate First Class\nCorporal or T/5\nSergeant or T/4\nS/Sgt. or T/3 or higher\n2.\nIn what state did you spend most of your time during the last\nORIGINAL RETIRED FOR PRESERVATION\nfive years before coming into the Army? Put a check in the box\nabove the group in which the name of your state is found.\nEast\nSouth\nMiddle\nWest\nWest\nConnecticut\nAlabama\nIllinois\nArizona\nMaine\nArkansas\nIndiana\nCalifornia\nMassachusetts\nDelaware\nIowa\nColorado\nNew Hampshire\nDistrict of\nKansas\nIdaho\nNew Jersey\nColumbia\nMichigan\nMontana\nNew York\nFlorida\nMinnesota\nNevada\nPennsylvania\nGeorgia\nMissouri\nNew Mexico\nRhode Island\nKentucky\nNebraska\nOregon\nVermont\nLouisiana\nNorth Dakota\nUtah\nMaryland\nOhio\nWashington\nMississippi\nSouth Dakota\nWyoming\nNorth Carolina\nWisconsin\nOklahoma\nSouth Carolina\nTennessee\nTexas\nVirginia\nWest Virginia\n3. Where did you live for most of the past five years before you\nentered the Army? (Check one).\nOn a farm\nIn a town with fewer than 2,500 people\nIn & city between 2,500 and 25,000 people\nIn a city between 25,000 and 100,000 people\nIn a city with more than 100,000 people\n- 1 -\nCONFIDENTIAL\n4. How old were you on your last birthday? (Check one)\n19 years or younger\n20 to 24 years\n25 to 29 years\n30 to 34 years\n35 years or more\n5. How far did you go in school? (Check only the highest grade\nORIGINAL RETIRED FOR PRESERVATION\ncompleted.)\nLess than 6th grade\nFinished 6th grade\nFinished 7th grade\nFinished 8th grade\nSome high school or trade school\nGraduated from high school or business school\nSome college but did not finish\nGraduated from college\n6. Are the following statements true or false?\na) Mar bonds can be turned in to the post office for cash 60 days\nafter purchase.\nTrue or\nFalse\nb) A soldier can deposit money with the Finance Office through his\nC.O. and draw 4% interest (getting the money upon his discharge).\nTrue or\nFalse\nc) War bonds cannot be turned in for cash until a soldier is discharged\nfrom the Army.\nTrue or\nFalse\n7. How long have you been outside the U.S.? (Check one).\nLess than 6 months\n6 months to 1 year\n1 to 1) years\n1, years or more\n- 2 -\nCONFIDENTIAL\nde\nHow long have you been in the Middle East? (Check one)\nLess than 6 months\n6 months to 1 year\n1 to 1& years\n12 years or more\n9. When did you enter' the Army? (Check one)\nLess than 6 months ago\n6 months to 1 year ago\nORIGINAL RETIRED FOR PRESERVATION\n1 to 12 years ago\n12 to 2 years ago\nMore than 2 years ago\n10. Are you.\nSingle?\nMarried, and have no children?\nMarried, and have children?\nDivorced, widowed, or separated?\n11, What is your Arm or Service? (Check one)\nAir Force\nArtillery\nEngineer\nInfahtry\nMedical\nOrdnance\nQuartermaster\nSignal\nOther - What\n?\n12. When you entered the Army did you come in as a...\nSelectee through Selective Service? or as a\nVolunteer in the Regular Army? or as a\nMember of the National Guard\n13. How well satisfied are you about being in your present Army job.\ninstead of some other Army job?\nVery satisfied\nSatisfied\n7\nDissatisfied\nVery dissatisfied\nCONFIDENTIAL\n14. Are you doing the job you expected to do when you left the U.S.T.\nYes\nNo\n15. Below are several different statements about our Allies which\nAmerican soldiers have made in questionnaires like this. You\nmay agree with some and disagree with others,\nOpposite each statement, if you agree, put 8 circle around\nthe word \"Agree\". If you disagree, put a circle around the\nORIGINAL RETIRED FOR PRESERVATION\nword \"Disagree.\" If you are in doubt or just can't make up\nyour mind, put a circle around the \"?\".\na. \"The English people are taking the war a lot more\nseriously than most Americans do.\"\nAgree\n?\nDisagree\nb. \"The English soldiers are going out of their way to help the\nAmericans and show them a good time.\"\nAgree\n7\nDisagree\nc. \"When Germany has been beaten, the Russians will probably\nhelp us against Japan.\"\nAgree\n?\nDisagree\nd. \"When Germany has been beaten, the English will probably\nhelp us against Japan.\"\nAgree\n?\nDisagree\ne. \"The English are doing as good a job as possible of fighting\nthe war, considering everything.\"\nAgree\n?\nDisagree\nf. \"The English are taking it easy in their war effort in the\nhope that America will win the war for them.\"\nAgree\n?\nDisagree\n6. \"After we help Russia beat the Germans, the Russians may turn\naround and start fighting us.\"\nAgree\n?\nDisagree\n- 4 -\nCONFIDENTIAL\nh. \"The English will probably try to get more territory for\nthemselves out of this war.\"\nAgree\n?\nDisagree\n1. \"After we help England beat the Germans, the English may turn\naround and start fighting us.\"\nAgree\n?\nDisagree\nJ. \"The English can take it on the chin and come back for\nORIGINAL RETIRED FOR PRESERVATION\nmore.\"\nAgree\n?\nDisagree\nk. \"The English can be depended upon to cooperate with us\nafter the war.\"\nAgree\n?\nDisagree\n1. \"The Egyptians can be depended upon to cooperate with us\nafter the war.\"\nAgree\n?\nDisagree\nm. \"The Russians can be depended to cooperate with us after\nthe war.\"\nAgree\n?\nDisagree\nn. \"The French can be depended upon to cooperate with us after\nthe war. If\nAgree\n?\nDisagree\nIf you would like to make any comments about any of these statements,\nuse the space below.\n- 5 -\nCONFIDENTIAL\n16. Which do you like better, a regular letter or a V-mail\nletter?\nI like a regular letter better\nI like a V-mail letter better\n17. Do you think that V-mail is easy or hard to read?\nV-mail is very clear and easy to read\nV-mail is fairly clear and fairly easy to read\nORIGINAL RETIRED FOR PRESERVATION\nV-mail is not clear and is hard to read\n18. Which would you like better?\nA V-mail letter two weeks after it was mailed or\nA regular letter three weeks after it was mailed\n19. Which would you like better?\nA V-mail letter two weeks after it was mailed, or\nA regular letter four weeks after it was mailed\n20. Have you ever used the numbered telegrams (cables)?\nYes, several times\nYes, once or twice\nNo, never\n21, Do you like the numbered telegrams (cables)\nYes, very much\nYes, quite a bit\n?\nNo, not much\nWhat suggestions for improving these messages do you have?\n22. Do you think there will be another war in the next 25\nyears or Bo? (Check one)\nYes\nNo\nUndecided\n- 6 -\nCONFIDENTIAL\nIf you think there will be another war, who do you think will\nbe fighting whom? (write below)\n23. What part do you think our equipment has played in the fighting\nof the war up until now?\nORIGINAL RETIRED FOR PRESERVATION\nAn unimportant part\n?\nA major part\n24. What part do you think our soldiers have played in the fighting\nof the war up until now?\nA minor part\n?\nA major part\n25. How good do you think our equipment is?\nVery good\nGood\nFair\nPoor\nVery poor\n26. Do you think that our equipment or English equipment is better?\nEnglish equipment is better\n?\nOur equipment is better\n27. How do you like the English?\nVery well\nAll right\n?\nNot much\nNot at all\n- 7 -\nCONFIDENTIAL\n28. Do you think English soldiers are as friendly as are\nAmerican soldiers? (Check one)\nThe English try to be friendly more than do Americans\nThe English and Americans are equally friendly\nEnglish and Americans are equally unfriendly\nAmericans try to be friendly more than do the English\nIf you think the English are not as friendly as Americans\nORIGINAL RETIRED FOR PRESERVATION\nwhy is it? (Check one)\nBecause they are naturally reserved\nBecause they don't like us\nBoth\n29. Have you ever known any Englishman personally?\nYes, many\nYes, several\nYes, one or two\nNo\n30. If you have ever known any Englishman personally, think\nof the one you know best:\na. Was he:\nA very close friend? or\nJust an acquaintance? or\nJust someone you met?\nb. Was he ever under enemy fire?\nYes\nNo\nDon't know\n31, What is the attitude of your officers toward the English?\nMost of them like the English\nSome of them like the English and some of them don't\nMost of them don't like the English\nI don't know what the officers think about the English\n- 8 -\nCONFIDENTIAL\n32. Do English or American soldiers \"brag\" more?\nAmericans brag more than the English\nThere isn't much difference\nThe English brag more than the Americans\n33. Do English or American soldiers work harder?\nEnglish soldiers work harder\n?\nAmerican soldiers work harder\nORIGINAL RETIRED FOR PRESERVATION\n34. Since leaving the United States, have you heard any talks\nby your officers about:\na. The English people, their customs, and how they are\ncarrying on the war?\nYes, several times\nYes, once or twice\nNo, none\nb. Would you like to hear more talks of this kind?\nYes, very much\nYes, somewhat\n?\nNo\nC. Would you like to hear talks by the English about their\nown people, customs, etc.?\nYes, very much\nYes, somewhat\n?\nNo\n35. Since leaving the United States, have you heard any talks\nby your officers about:\na. The natives of the country in which you are stationed, their\ncustoms, and how they are carrying on the war?\nYes, several times\nYes, once or twice\nNo, none\n- 9\nCONFIDENTIAL\nb. Would you like to hear more talks of this kind?\nYes, very much\nYes, somewhat\n7\nNo\n36. a, Have you read either of the War Department pocket guides to\nEgypt or North Africa?\nYes\nORIGINAL RETIRED FOR PRESERVATION\nNo\nb. If yes, do you think it helped you to understand the people\nhere better?\nYes, it helped a great deal\nYes, it helped some\nNo, it wasn't much help\nHow could it be improved?\n37. Would you visit in the home of an educated native of this\ncountry if you were invited?\nHave been invited and did go\nHave been invited but did not go\nWould go if invited\n?\nWould not go if invited\nIf you would go, tell why; if you would not go, tell why not.\n38. Is Egypt engaged in the present war?\nEgypt is fighting with England, Russia, and the U.S.\nEgypt is not fighting but is for England, Russia and the U.S.\nEgypt is not fighting but is for Germany, Japan, and Italy\nEgypt is fighting with Germany, Japan, and Italy\n- 10 -\nCONFIDENTIAL\n39. About how many words of the native language used here do you\nknow and understand?\nNone\n1 to 6\n7 to 12\n13 to 20\n21 to 30\n31 to 40\n41 to 50\nORIGINAL RETIRED FOR PRESERVATION\nMore than 50\n40. Check the statement that you think is right in each of the\nfollowing pairs.\na.\nV-mail is faster than regular mail\nRegular or air mail is just as fast as V-mail\nb.\nRegular mail is more personal than V-mail\nV-mail is just as personal as regular mail\nC.\nRegular mail is better because one can write as much as\nhe wants to in each letter\nV-mail is better because one doesn't have to write so\nmuch\n41. Do most of your fellow soldiers try to make friends with\nthe native population?\nMost soldiers really try to make friends with the natives\n?\nMost soldiers don't want to make friends with the natives\n42. Did you come overseas on an American or English ship?\nAn American Ship\nAn English Ship\nA Ship from some other country\nwhat country?\nDon't know\nCONFIDENTIAL\n43. Was the food aboard ship good or poor?\nVery good\nGood\nFair\nPoor\nVery poor\n44. a. Have you been under enemy fire during this war?\nORIGINAL RETIRED FOR PRESERVATION\nNo\nYes\nb. If yes, what kind (Check below)\nTorpedoed - - saved by\nAnti-aircraft\nBombed\nShelled\nMachine gun and/or rifle\nOther - - what?\nC. If you have been under fire, did you have a. chance to\nobserve any English soldiers near you?\nYes, I saw some English nearby\nNo, I did not see any English nearby\n45. Do you personally know any English soldiers who have\nbeen under fire?\nYes\nNo\n46. a. Have you been to any parties or social meetings where\nthere were both English and American soldiers?\nNo\nYes\nIf yes, how many?\n1\n2\n3 or more\n-\n- 12 -\nCONFIDENTIAL\n46. b. If yes, were you simply invited or were you ordered\nto got\nI was invited and went willingly\nI just happened to go into the place\nI was ordered to go\n47. If you had the opportunity, would you now go to a party\nor social meeting attended by both English and American\nsoldiers?\nORIGINAL RETIRED FOR PRESERVATION\nYes, I should like to go\nNo, I don't want to go\n48. Do you think there is much ill feeling between Americans\nand Englishmen?\nYes, a lot\nYes, some little\n7\nNo, not much\nNo, very little or none\n49. If it were up to you, what kind of outfit would you\nrather be in? (Check one)\nIn a combat outfit overseas\nIn a non-combnt outfit oversens\nIn an outfit in the United States\nWhy?\n50. If it were up to you to choose, do you think you could\ndo more for your country as a soldier or as a worker\nin a war job? (Check one)\nAs a soldier\nAs a war worker\nUndecided\n51. Do you feel that you are helping in the war effort?\nYes, very much\nYes, a little\n7\nNo\n13\nCONFIDENTIAL\nIf you checked the \"?\" or \"no\", tell why you feel as you do.\n52. Do you have enough work to keep you busy most of the\ntime?\nYes, I have too much work\nORIGINAL RETIRED FOR PRESERVATION\nYes, I have just enough work\n?\nNo, much of the time I don't have any work to do\nNo, most of the time there is nothing for me to do\n53. Considering everything, are more or less people needed\nto do the work in your outfit?\nThe need more people to do the work properly\nWe have just enough people to do the work properly\nTe don't need all the people we have to do the work\nproperly\n54. a. Considering what each of these countries could do,\nwhich one do you think is trying hardest to win the\nwar?\nEngland\nRussia\nChina\nUnited States\nSome other country\nwhat?\nDon't know\nb. Now, which one do you think is trying next hardest\nto win?\nEngland\nRussia\nChina\nUnited States\nSome other country\nwhat?\nDon't know\n- 14 -\nCONFIDENTIAL\n55. About how much longer do you think it will take us to\nbeat Japan? (Check one)\nLess than 6 months\n6 months to 1 year\n1 year to 1½ years\n11 years to 2 years\n2 years to 2/2/20 years\n21/2 years to 3 years\n3 years to 4 years\n4 years or more\nORIGINAL RETIRED FOR PRESERVATION\nHaven't any idea\n56. About how much longer do you think it will take us to\nbeat Germany? (Check one)\nLess than 6 months\n6 months to 1 year\n1 year to 1½ years\n12 years to 2 years\n2 years to 2/2/2020 years\n2/2 years to 3 years\n3 years to 4 years\n4 years or more\nHaven't any idea\n57. How good do you think the Russians are as fighters?\n(Check one)\nVery good fighters\nGood fighters\nFair fighters\nPoor fighters\nDon't know\n58. How about the Germans as fighters? (Check one)\nVery good fighters\nGood fighters\nFair fighters\nPoor fighters\nDon't know\n- 15 -\nCONFIDENTIAL\n59. Now, what about these other countries: (Check one Foreign\ncountry)\nB. The Japanese as fighters\nVery good\nGood\nFair\nPoor\nDon't know\nORIGINAL RETIRED FOR PRESERVATION\nb. The English as fighters\nVery good\nGood\nFair\nPoor\nDon't know\nC. The Americans as fighters\nVery good\nGood\nFair\nPoor\nDon't know\n60. America's greatest help in the war effort has been what\nSoldiers or\nEquipment\n61. What part do the English think our equipment has played\nin the war up until now?\nAn unimportent part\n?\nA very important part\n62, What part do the English think our soldiers have played\nin the war up until now?\nA minor part\n?\nA major part\n- 16 -\nCONFIDENTIAL\n63. How good dd the English think our equipment is?\nVery good\nGood\nFair\nPoor\nVery poor\n64. Do the English think that their equipment or American\nequipment is better?\nORIGINAL RETIRED FOR PRESERVATION\nThey think English equipment is better\n?\nThey think American equipment is better\n65. a. Would you approve or disa prove of the Army seving part\nof your pay each month for you and returning it to you\nimmediately upon your discharge?\nWould approve\nWould approve if they were to pay me interest of 3% or 4%\nWould not approve\nNo opinion\nb. If you approve, how much do you think should be held out?\nJust the foreign service pay\nForeign service pay plus about one-fourth my base pay\nForeign service pay plus about one-third my base pay\nForeign service pay plus about one-half my base pay\nSome other amount - - how much\n?\n66. About how much pay n month does a private in the\nEnglish Army get? (Put a check before the cnswer\nyou think is right. If you don't know, make a guess).\nAbout $16\nAbout $24\nAbout 332\nAbout $40\nAbout 448\n- 17 -\nCONFIDENTIAL"
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