Evening star., 1941-07-01
Will Britain Strike?


German successes on the new
eastern front obviously are being
won at heavy cost in both men and
materiel. The Red Army is proving
to be a tough antagonist, requiring
a large proportion of the best Ger
man troops, planes. and motorized
equipment if Germany is to gain the
speedy victory that she so desperately
needs. And it looks as though those
concentrations may be occupied IN
the east during the summer months.
All this is provoking lively discus
SionS in London as to the possibility
of striking the Germans in the west.
Already the R. A. F. has been con-
Quoting sustained air offensive
with relatively slight opposition, in
dicating that most of the Luftwaffe
is engaged in Russia. The cumula-
tive effect of this aerial offensive
upon German industry, communica-
tionS and coastal shipping through
out both Western Germany and the
German,occupied regions from Nor
way to France, must be highly
destructive and disrupting one.
What military experts are discuss
ing in London is the possibility OF
supplementing this air campaign by
a number of troop landings at vari-
Gus points. Possessing both sea
power and local command of the air,
such landings should not be too diff
cult. Britain has built up very
large army, much of it hardened and
we'll equipped. Even though the
Germans have an equal number of
divisions in the west, it is unlikely
that they are of as good quality and
high mechanization as before the
Russian campaign. Furthermore, they
must be spread rather thin along so
vast a coaStline
This does not mean that Britain
will strike unless and until the Rus
slams have proved their ability to
withstand the first German on
slaught and compel the Germans to
wage a relatively long campaign,
costly in firSt-line troops and equip
ment of all kinds. But if this should
come to pass, the British high COM
mand may radically revise not
merely its tactical dispositions but
also its basic war strategy.
Hitherto, Britain's plan has been
to remain strategically on the de-
fensive in the west, not attempting
to pass to the offensive until, with
Americas productive capacity, bid
could be made for decisive superb
ority in the air But such supremacy
normally could not be expected be-
fore 1912 at earliest. The Russian
war may have so altered the situa-
ton that Britain today has, or soon
will have, relatively greater air
strength in the west than it would
have, even after much American aid
has been received, when Germany
had disposed of Russia and could
concentrate once more on the west
The possibilities of large-scale
British landings on the continent are
far-reaching, even though the in
vaders were ultimately forced to
evacuate, provided they could do so
without too serious losses. Besides
destruction of materiel and disloca-
ton of German positions, much first
line man power and equipment might
have to be pulled back westward at
crucial moments in the Russian cam
paign Still more important would
be the psychological effects. All the
subject peoples would be inspired
and perhaps aroused to rebellion,
while German morale would be cor
reSpondingly depressed.
Once more it should be emphasized
that all this is contingent upon Rus
sia's ability to keep the field If the
Red Army collapses, the possibility of
British landings on the continent
vanisheS like a dream. Yet, under
certain circumstances, the dream
might suddenly become a reality
which, for Berlin, would be night
mare of the worst kind.