The Kennewick courier-reporter. [volume] (Kennewick, Wash.) 1939-1949, 1942-07-30
ECONOMIC HIGIILIGHTS

Both here and in England, mil
lions of people seem to consider
themselves completely qualified ex-
perts on military tactics and STRAIT
egg. They know precisely what is
wrong with the United Nations High
Commands, and they are convinced
that they could remedy matters in
. short order if they were put in
charge. The widespread attitude
underlies the aggressive demand
that the British and the Americans
Immediately open a second front in
Europe.
In theory, the second front would
be of immense benefit to the Allied
cause It would divert men and ma
chimes and supplies from Hitler's
Russian and African offensives. 1t
would give the conquered people Of
France their opportunity to rise up
against their conqueror and help
destroy him. It would mark the start
of real effort to break Axis power
at home-wtere Axis power must
eventually he broken.
So much for theory. In actual fact,
opening the second front now would
be one of the most hazardous opera
tions in all military history. Ac-
cording to all reports, the Germans
have done wonders in fortifying
their continental positions. In France
alone, they have about 100000 sea-
soned troops which have been rigor-
ously trained in preparation for an
Allied invasion. These troops have
abundant equipment of the first
quality, and they have plenty of air
support. Their supply lines are Sc
cure, and they lie across land, not
across water. The Germans have
massed a gigantic amount of heavy |
artillery, much of it taken from the |
Maginot Line, along the French
Coast, and every possible invasion
point is fortress. "
As military history proves again
and again, an over-water invasion of |
enemy-held territory is the most diff
ficult of all martial operations
even after their complete victory at |
Dunkirk, when British military pow
er was all but destroyed, the Nazi
generals didn't feel confident enough |
of success to make the attempt. The
enemy position must be "softened"
first by days and perhaps weeks Of
artillery fire land guns do not exist
which can adequately shell the Ger
man positions from the British side
of the channel. As a substitute for
artillery, dive bombers would have
to he used and their losses would
be enormous. '@
The losses in men which would |
follow when the stage of landing OPP
erations was reached, is also stag
gering. Without artillery support,
the landing troops would have to adj
vance against completely shielded
defenders with a vast superiority IN
firepoWer. Writing in Golfers,
Quentin Reynolds, one of the best
Informed of war correspondents,
draws vivid and probably accurate
picture when he says: "Let those
who shout loudest for the immediate
establishment of a second front in
France -. visualize for a moment |
the cost, in equipment and life. Let
them visualize the waters of the
Channel running blood red under a
white moon, and let them visualize
the bodies of thousands of British
and American soldiers floating in
those waters. If the persuasive elo-
quence of the second front brigade
is followed, no other result is pos
sible." "- -. 49,.
This does not mean that a second
front is impossible. To the con-
trary, every really informed military
man Is convinced that one will be
opened in time. But it cannot be op-
~