Evening star., 1940-12-26
aackening Of Raids
Indicates Early Nazi
Invasion Attempt
Attack. If Made. Seen
Coming at Night in
Next Six Weeks
BY w. L. WHITE.


LONDON, Dec. 26 MANA. by
Radio .--Nazi tactics in the air war
over England are only one of a
number of signs pointing to the
conclusion that the Germans may
attempt an invasion in the next
few weeks.
For more than a month there has
been a slackening in air raids on
England, the Germans employing
probably not more than one-half or
one-third of their available planes.
The small amount of actual military
and industrial damage to England's
smaller towns would indicate that
the real purpose of these flights may
have been to train German pilots
to find their way when assigned to
key objectives on the island and
familiarize themselves with what
ever devices they may possess. Such
flights would help to guide them to
their destinations at night, as we'll
as to feel out the strength of the
British regional defenses prepara-
tory to real attempt at invasion.
Such an air attack certainly would
be launched at night when defense
is the least effective, and compare
lively large bodies of trained para
chute troops could be towed over
England's key cities with minimum
of risk in the face of fighter planes
and anti-aircraft guns.
Probably In Six Weeks.
II this is the case, the attack
probably would come in the next
six weeks while the nights are still
long and when the largest possible
number of troops could be landed
before dawn, after which troop
carrying planes would become highly
vulnerable to British fighters and
ground fire.
Furthermore, Berlin is preparing
the minds Of the German people for
an invasion as a means of ending
the war with quick victory. The
German people. according to latest
advices, are very confident, and, with
the loot from the German-conquere
countries, have appreciably more
food, butter. meat, clothing and pet
AOi Illdli lldO ldSJ WlIllSI.
They are supremely confident of
victory. But the higher-ups are
confident of victory only if it comes
as result of an invasion of Great
Britain in the immediate future;
for long war, their prediction of
victory is qualified with many
doubts.
Mini,S,iua EHo,< Droex:-~
Berlin also has been suspiciously
slow in reacting to the damage done
the axis prestige by the Mediter-
ranean defeats. This lends color to
recent reports from the axis capi-
tails that an invasion attempt will be
preceded by quick dash down
through Spain and Portugal to seize
the Straits of Gibraltar, just as the
invasion of France was preceded
by the seizure of Denmark and Nor
way.
German control of the Iberian
Peninsula and the Gibraltar Straits
not only would give the Germans
more bases for an invasion attempt
but would relieve pressure on Italy
by cutting of the British and Greek
armies from reinforcements and
supplies from England. It's goal
would be an attempt to force the
British to withdraw from the Med
iterranean via Suez.
Incidentally. the Germans profess
not to regard the Mediterranean
seriously as an important theater
Of war. Nazi officials readily admit
the possibility of Italys collapsing,
and argue casually that this, if it
occurred, would not be important
as it would mean only that Germany
would need to move a dozen divi-
sions into industrial Northern Italy
to stabilize production there. and
Germany at any time can easily
spare troops to do this.
England Real Enemy.
The real battle-ground and the
real enemy, the Nazis insist, is
England.
Great Britain is very much alive
to its present danger, and the
morale of the people and the equip
ment and training of troops have
never been higher. The authorities
are not relaxing their vigilance
over the Christmas holidays.
Neutral correspondents here, who
think there is something better than
a 40 per cent chance that the Ger
mans will attempt an invasion with
in the next six weeks think also that
they stand somewhat less than
40 per cent chance of succeeding.
The attempted invasion certainly
would inflict heavy damage on Eng
land, but an unsuccessful attempt
would mean the complete loss of the
flower of Germany's most highly
trained man power and, undoubtedly,
would be the turning point of the