Evening star., 1942-06-01
Member Of the Associated Press.
Record Air Raid

The Royal Air Forces plastering of
the German city of Cologne in the
night hours between Saturdays eve
and Sundays dawn sets grim rec
ord in the annals of aerial warfare.
In the short space of ninety minutes
some 1850 planes maneuvered over
single target, did their deadly work,
and were gone. This was an amazing
feat OF coordination, though perfect
flying weather and full moon aided
in the operation. There was evi-
IDENTIFY stout anti-aircraft defense,
since London acknowledges the loss
Of forty-four planes. But that was
less than 4 per cent, a bearable ratio
under the circumstances. The dam
age inflicted must have been enor-
NOUS. The great city of Cologne. a
major communications center as we'll
as manufacturing seat. ought to be
as badly wrecked as Lubbock and
Rostock-probably more so. Ger
tainly, London in it's worst hours
as did the Rhineland metropolis.
Thus has the R. A. F. redeemed it's
pledge to put 1000 planes over Ger
many in a single night. In fact, it
did better than that, because other
squadrons we're bombing airdromes
elsewhere in Germany to hinder in
reference by the Luftwaffe while the
main British force was dealing with
Cologne. And there can be no rea-
sonable doubt that this is no isolated
feat. Rather should it be judged
the first of similar raids, smashing
methodically at important centers all
over Germany. Risks can be taken
and losses accepted, now that Britain
is in full-scale aircraft production,
backed by a stream of planes and
pilots from America which is becom-
ing a portentous torrent Germany
Is in for a bad summer from the
skies, and the Germans undoubtedly
realize it.
This aerial mass offensive puts the
German high command in a grave
dilemma. Already, the purely mill
tary handicap is considerable. Re-
Gently, the London Spectator esti-
mated that between 100000 and
1000 900 German soldiers, airmen and
full-time civil defense workers were
being pegged down to counter British
air attacks and possible commando
raids on the coast. This is a serious
diversion, in view of the Reich's acute
shortage in manpower both for the
army and industry. If the Anglo
American air attack promised for the
summer on an unprecedented scale
is to be even partially met, Ger
many's supreme offensive against
Russia must be proportionately
weakened. If the high command
determines to stake everything on
the eastern front, Germany will be
systematically devasted, the morale
OF the German people will be shaken,
and the Luftwaffe will lose all pre-
tense of guarding the air over occu-
pied France and the Low Countries.
That, in turn, would lay the basis
for an invasion of the Continent by
British and American forces under
conditions which would minimize
losses and render the operation less
q rash diversion to succor Russia
than a venture strategically justi-
fable on its own merits. In that
event, the acrimonious debate over
the second front" would automati-
cally settle itself.
OF course, this is speculation which
should be kept restrained and not
exaggerated by wishful thinking.
The German high command is re-
sourceful, and has not yet played its
last card. Yet sustained mass bomb
ings OF the Reich undoubtedly will
cause disruption greater than that
inflicted upon Britain earlier in the
war. To that extent, Germany will
be weakened and "softened up"
Thereby, It's ultimate defeat will be
proportionately fastened