Evening star., 1940-05-15
Stories Nazis Will Tn
10 Seize Britain
By Air Are GROWING
One Version Has It
100000 Men Con Be
Landed in One Day
BY DEVON FRANCIS,

Associated Press Aviation Editor.
NEW YORK, May 15.-The threat
of imminent total war" on England
voiced by German newspapers, was
lent credence today by continuing,
but unofncial and unsubstantiated
reports that the Germans have been
prepared for a year to attempt seiz-
ure of the British Isles.
Stories of gigantic preparations
made by the German high COM
mand-tales which few months
ago, before the invasion of the Low
Countries would have been discarded
as fantastic-include the construc-
ton of 10000 planes for the express
use of an expeditionary force.
To fix time, place and a method
that the Germans would attempt to
break the geographical isolation OF
the British Isles would be to ap-
propriate the privilege of reading
the minds Of the German high COM
mand-which means the mind of
Adolf Hitler.
But the stories, related by persons
not given to exaggeration, persist
They fit perfectly into the pattern OF
the German offensive as it has un-
folded thus far. Repeatedly the
German fuehrer has said that Eng
land is the enemy of his people. 1t
Is England which must feel the full
force Of German arms.
Could Land 100000 In Day.
The German strategy would seem
to be the subduing of Holland, the
acquisition of air bases close tc
England, the immobilization of Brit
,ish and French forces on the Con.
tinent and then a swift, decisive
stroke from the air to reduce" and
capture the seat of the British
Empire.
That may sound like q long
gamble, but so did the invasion
of Norway and the march into
the Low Countries.
Ten thousand German airplanes
each carrying fighting armament
a small quota of bombs and four
parachutists, could land 10000 mer
in England in space of two hours
BY now the German method OF
seizing airdromes and using them
to increase the expeditionary force
in any given area is kell known.
Even with considerable losses due
to attacks by home defense fighters
and anti-aircraft fire those orig
inal 10000 planes by frequent round
trips should be able to land 100000
men in the course of day.
Nazis Willing to Lose Planes.
The Germans have introduced 9
new note into aerial warfare. Air
planes are considered, like infantry
expandable. In an invasion of Eng
land, Germany would count or
losses and on sheer preponderance
of numbers to achieve results.
Germany has the planes. Un-
counted thousands of them are
being hurled into the battle which
began last Friday Other uncounted
thousands are used for reconnais-
sance and troop transport. 1t is
known that of one type alone
withdrawn from competition on
South American air routes because
they were too slow-Germany is
using hundreds to move infantry
men, 40 to a machine.
The pattern of such an attack on
England likely would be an inten-
sive bombing Of highways, railroads
factories, airdromes and electric and
water supply systems to soften re-
sistance to the actual troop invasion
New Explosive Is Speculative.
Then the troop carriers, accom-
panied by protective fighter planes
would swoop down. How many men
could be landed safely, how good q
fight they could put up with the
weapons of relatively low fire power
they could take with them, and how
spirited defense the British could
offer remain unanswered questions
Among the many conjectures
which have arisen incident to the
German threat of total war" on
England is the use of new and
terrible explosives by German bomb.
ers. One bomb of a particularly
devastating character was used on
Barcelona during the Spanish Civil
War.
It has not made its appearance
since. The question occurs, what i
IT. heinp saved foro