Evening star., 1941-06-29
British Air Offensive

GermanyS military nightmare has
always been war on two fronts. So
far as land fighting is concerned,
that spectre was laid a year ago with
the fall Of France, and since the con-
quest of the Balkans it is difficult to
see how British eXpeditionary force
could establish itself anywhere on
the continent now or in the near
future.
Very different is the story in the
air. Here, the Luftwaffe is nipped
by two-front war which, unless the
Russian Air Force is speedily de-
stroyed, should produce momentous
consequences.
Long before the diplomatic crisis
which preceded the present Russo
German conflict, the R A. F. dis
played its growing power by devas-
tating bomber night raids deep into
Germany and along the so-called
invasion coasts" supplemented by
daylight attacks on coastal points
and on German shipping from Nor
way to Southern France. At that
time the Luftwaffe was able to re-
taliate in kind. So, throughout the
spring mighty blows were exchanged
on both sides. The interesting point
is that, even then, the R. A. F. seemed
able to meet the Luftwaffe on sub
stantially equal terms.
About three weeks ago, leSsening
air attacks upon Britain made it
fairly obvious that large portion
of the LuftWaffe was being concen-
trated elsewhere, presumably on the
Russian border. Promptly, the R. A.
F. stepped up both its night and day
attacks. which have now reached
proportions fully equal to the heav-
lest blows that the Luftwaffe ever
dealt the British Isles.
For eighteen consecutive nights,
aerial armadaS of Britain's heaviest
bomberS aggregating several hun
dred planes have blasted military
and industrial objectiveS in Northern
France, the Low Countries and the
industrial regions of Western Ger
many centering about the Rhineland
and the Ruhr. The devastation must
be terrific, with no chance to repair
cumulative damage. Equally con-
secutive have been daytime raids
upon coastal points and shipping,
with highly destructive results.
All this has been accomplished
with only fraction of the air losses
which the LuftWaffe experienced in
their assaults on Britain. The Ger
mans no longer have local air
strength sufficient to meet the in
vaders in the skies Furthermore,
marked slackening of anti-aircraft
fire suggests that much of this equip
ment has had to be temporarily
transferred to the eastern front.
Thus Britain's gigantic air often
sive develops in intensity with each
succeeding night and day. Two OBJ
jectives suggest themselves; one i'm
mediate, the other of lOng-range i'm
port. Should this offensive continue
to grow in deStructlveneSS, moment
must come when Germany will be
compelled to pull back planes and
anti-aircraft equipment to meet it,
no matter what the effect on the
Russian campaign. This might save
the Russians from the worst conse-
ouences of defeat and thus keep
them in the war.
Yet, even though Russia is ultl-
mateIy beaten to her knees, the ter
rife destruction going on in the west
may we'll disorganize German indus
trial production, disrupt conlmunica-
tions and decimate shipping to
point where an attempt to invade
Britain will be impossible this year
for technical reasons, even though
the elimination of Russia as mill
tary threat should free GermanyS
hands as never before. That is the
larger goal toward which the R. A. F.
Is working. If it be attained, the
most complete German victory in
the east would, to that extent, be
harren one