Evening star., 1943-10-13
Azores Regarded
AS VituI' to Allies
By Maj. George Fielding Eliot.

~ Is hoI enough SIMPLY TO say that they
enable better protection to be given to
transatlantic shipping. We must reflect
on what that means in connection with
the progress of the war in Europe.
The Germans are reeling under the
blows of the Russians limited Anglo
American offensive from the south has
Knocked Italy out of the war and is
containing a certain number of German
troops. The Anglo-American air often
sive is destroying German arsenals and
communications lines But none of these
operations seems likely, as previously
remarked in these articles to deliver the
Knockout punch. That punch seems
almost certain to come from an Anglo
American landing force in Western
Europe. The next great event of the
European war will be the delivery of this
mighty stroke
The fighting power behind that stroke
will come from two chief sources: The
British Isles and the continent of North
America. The British Isles draw most
OF their industrial raw material and a
great percentage of their food from
across the Atlantic.
North American power in all forms
must be sent across the Atlantic. The
Germans are on the point of renewing,
with the fury Of desperation and with
improved methods, their attempts TO
check or reduce this transatlantic move
ment Of supplies and fighting power bv
the use Of their submarines. Even if
they were to lose every submarine they
have in trying to do this, and bought, at
that price, a delay Of six months in the
mounting of the Western offensive, they
would on balance, have made a good
bargain.
Therefore it is of crucial importance
that just at this moment the United
Nations should have opened to them, by
the agreement between Portugal and
Great Britain, the mid-Atlantic base of
the Azores.
Perhaps the best way to emphasize
how much this base means is to make
two statements of fact:
% Aircraft is the most important
antl-submarine weapon.
~ The Azores are almost exactly
equi- distant tabout 1900 nautical miles
IN each case) from the southeastern tip
OF Newfoundland, from the southwestern
tip Of England and from Gibraltar at the
entrance Of the Mediterranean Sea.
In other words, in terms of air and
sea warfare, the Azores are practically
in the middle of the Atlantic Ocean and
not-aS they are so often erroneously
thought of-mere outlying islands of the
European coast. The advantage Of a
mld-Atlantlc base in the operation of
aircraft needs no explanation. since the
chief limitation of aircraft is that of
radius of action.
Within zone which can be thoroughly
patrcLed pf land-baSed aircraft the sub
marine cannot operate efficiently. Pro-
vlded there are enough aircraft and
skilled flying personnel available, the
protection which can be given to ship-
ping in such zones is almost 100 per cent.
. Thus the area within 600 miles of the
British Isles has been practically free Of
SlnklngS for the past year and the coastal
waters Of the United States have been
likewise thorough" protected since the
completion last summer OF an ADEQUATE
patrol system. But in the middle of the
! North Atlantic and also in the vast
stretch OF waters between South America
and the West Indies on one hand and
Africa and Gibraltar on the other sub
marines have been able to operate with
less risk
To the north the bases in Iceland and
elsewhere and the use of the small
escort carriers has brldged the gap to
some extent. But these northern waters
are cursed with bad weather especially
IN winter. 1t is not easy to operate air.
craft of any type in North Atlantic
winter
The use OF bases in the Azores enables
protection to be given to the southern
route across the Atlantic so that it is not
necessary to send all conveys by the
stormy route, nor will it be necessary to
require conveys from the Caribbean or
South America to make the extra detour
necessary in order to keep under the
northern air umbrella.
Bombers and transport aircraft can fv
under clear skies by way of Bermuda
and the Azores instead of having to brave
the northern rigors. Conveys proceeding
direct to the Mediterranean can have
good protection all the way.
From the surface Navy viewpoint this
will reduce the calls on escort carriers
and it will enable the stationing of the
so-called killer groups" of destroyers at
a midAtlantic base. where they can be
more readily at hand to hunt down any
Wolt-pack that may be located.
On the whole, it is not too much to
say that the hazards of trans Atlantic
crossings can be reduced from third
to one-haf by the development of Allied
air and naval bases in the Azores.
This would be of tremendous impor-
tance in any stage of transatlantic
war. 1t comes with especial timeliness
now as we face the task of building
Up a great Anglo american offensive
against Germany, with winter approach
ing and with German U-boats attempt
ing to stage desperate comeback
And it comes with especial significance
as the act of small power thus boldly
giving testimony to its faith in an Allied
victory and in the protection of Allied
arms. We shall, no doubt, hear the usual
bluster from Berlin but even in Berlin
it must have been noted that German