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CHAPTER IV
MILITARY SITUATION
1. Genesis of Present Military Policies.
5 Destroyers (recently modernized in
The Portuguese military establishment has
Great Britain)
been developed to maintain internal security
3 Conventional Submarines
and to provide token protection to the colo-
3 Obsolete Submarines
nies. Portugal has not been in a position for
2 Frigates
several centuries to undertake aggressive ac-
6 Sloops (PG's)
tion against any other nation and could not
40 Minor vessels
alone support a defensive war.
All of the ships are based at Lisbon, with the
exception of one destroyer and one air/sea res-
2. Strength and Disposition of the Armed
cue boat in the Azores, one survey ship in Mo-
Forces.
zambique and one in Angola, one second-class
Army strength is 32,000, excluding an esti-
sloop in Portuguese India and one in Macao,
mated 25,000 recruits now in training and
and fishery protection launches dispersed
14,000 native troops serving in the colonies.
along the smaller harbors of Portugal. The
Two quasi-military organizations, the Repub-
naval air arm consists of about 200 officers
lican Guard, with about 7,000 men, and the
and enlisted men and includes fewer than 25
Fiscal Guard, with about 5,480, would support
pilots. It has a total of 91 aircraft of which
the Army in the event of civil disturbances or
70 are operational. Its functions are limited
war. Personnel generally is of low quality,
to training, transport, and courier duty.
most of the enlisted men being conscripts who
The army air force has about 2,000 officers
are for the most part illiterate. Officers are
and men, of whom 280 are rated as pilots.
fairly well trained in theory but lack practical
Total aircraft strength is reported as 370, but
field experience. Adequate, although obso-
aircraft in tactical units number only about
lescent, equipment exists for five infantry di-
100, and are obsolescent British Spitfire and
visions, each of which would probably con-
Hurricane fighters. Because of the scarcity
tain the following major combat elements: 3
of spare parts and trained mechanics, only a
infantry regiments, 1 light artillery regiment
fraction are kept in operational condition, and
of 3 twelve-piece battalions, and one medium
these only with great difficulty. The air force
artillery battalion of 8 pieces. Portugal also
is poorly trained and is considered to have no
has a number of British Centaur and Valen-
combat value. No aircraft are manufactured
tine tanks and a few Humber armored recon-
in Portugal, although primary training planes
naissance cars. Major mobilization difficul-
are assembled at the Air Force Depot, where
ties are shortages of artillery ammunition and
all aircraft and engine repairs are performed.
motor transport.
3. War Potential.
The navy numbers 7,626 officers and men.
There are some 1,300,000 men of military
The quality of naval personnel is slightly
higher than that of the army, as the few con-
age (20-44 years), of whom probably 400,000
have served the compulsory tour of duty in the
scripts taken in each year are carefully se-
army, while the reserve officer strength as of
lected for the naval service. Portuguese naval
January 1946 was about 7,000. This is a
vessels, generally rated as in fair condition,
consist of the following:
* As of 5 May 1949.
SECRET
27
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"ocrText": "SECRET\nCHAPTER IV\nMILITARY SITUATION\n1. Genesis of Present Military Policies.\n5 Destroyers (recently modernized in\nThe Portuguese military establishment has\nGreat Britain)\nbeen developed to maintain internal security\n3 Conventional Submarines\nand to provide token protection to the colo-\n3 Obsolete Submarines\nnies. Portugal has not been in a position for\n2 Frigates\nseveral centuries to undertake aggressive ac-\n6 Sloops (PG's)\ntion against any other nation and could not\n40 Minor vessels\nalone support a defensive war.\nAll of the ships are based at Lisbon, with the\nexception of one destroyer and one air/sea res-\n2. Strength and Disposition of the Armed\ncue boat in the Azores, one survey ship in Mo-\nForces.\nzambique and one in Angola, one second-class\nArmy strength is 32,000, excluding an esti-\nsloop in Portuguese India and one in Macao,\nmated 25,000 recruits now in training and\nand fishery protection launches dispersed\n14,000 native troops serving in the colonies.\nalong the smaller harbors of Portugal. The\nTwo quasi-military organizations, the Repub-\nnaval air arm consists of about 200 officers\nlican Guard, with about 7,000 men, and the\nand enlisted men and includes fewer than 25\nFiscal Guard, with about 5,480, would support\npilots. It has a total of 91 aircraft of which\nthe Army in the event of civil disturbances or\n70 are operational. Its functions are limited\nwar. Personnel generally is of low quality,\nto training, transport, and courier duty.\nmost of the enlisted men being conscripts who\nThe army air force has about 2,000 officers\nare for the most part illiterate. Officers are\nand men, of whom 280 are rated as pilots.\nfairly well trained in theory but lack practical\nTotal aircraft strength is reported as 370, but\nfield experience. Adequate, although obso-\naircraft in tactical units number only about\nlescent, equipment exists for five infantry di-\n100, and are obsolescent British Spitfire and\nvisions, each of which would probably con-\nHurricane fighters. Because of the scarcity\ntain the following major combat elements: 3\nof spare parts and trained mechanics, only a\ninfantry regiments, 1 light artillery regiment\nfraction are kept in operational condition, and\nof 3 twelve-piece battalions, and one medium\nthese only with great difficulty. The air force\nartillery battalion of 8 pieces. Portugal also\nis poorly trained and is considered to have no\nhas a number of British Centaur and Valen-\ncombat value. No aircraft are manufactured\ntine tanks and a few Humber armored recon-\nin Portugal, although primary training planes\nnaissance cars. Major mobilization difficul-\nare assembled at the Air Force Depot, where\nties are shortages of artillery ammunition and\nall aircraft and engine repairs are performed.\nmotor transport.\n3. War Potential.\nThe navy numbers 7,626 officers and men.\nThere are some 1,300,000 men of military\nThe quality of naval personnel is slightly\nhigher than that of the army, as the few con-\nage (20-44 years), of whom probably 400,000\nhave served the compulsory tour of duty in the\nscripts taken in each year are carefully se-\narmy, while the reserve officer strength as of\nlected for the naval service. Portuguese naval\nJanuary 1946 was about 7,000. This is a\nvessels, generally rated as in fair condition,\nconsist of the following:\n* As of 5 May 1949.\nSECRET\n27"
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