The Ypsilanti daily press. (Ypsilanti, Mich.) 1928-1962, 1943-08-09
observations Your Health
Two Way Bombing
of Reich Seen as
Italian Result

Italian Result
WASHINGTON "A hard left hook
10 your opponents solar plexus to
bring his guard down is a highly
successful technique in the prize
ring for a quick k o when followed
BY a right 10 the jaw. Allied airmen
are confident they can topple Ger
man with the same technique oH
using air bases in Engla-d in COM
binat!on with bases in Italy.
Prime Minister Churchill, speak
ing right after Mussolini's fall said
the Allies would not make the mis-
take in Italy that the Germans
made N occupying France. Occupa
ton OF all Italy would tie up too
many Of our men. but It would be es.
sential, OF course. 10 hold the nava.
bases and flying fields
Air bases in Italy. together vita
the bases in England. would enable
Allied air power 10 blanket the en-
tire European continent From
fields around Milan and Turin IN
northern Italy. even short-ranged
fighter planes could cover south
eastern France. southern Germany.
Austria and Yugoslayia Lorg-range
fourier gined Fortress. Liberator
Stirling and Lancaster bombers
could probe further 10 plaster the
war industries working for Hitler IN
Czechoslovakia.
The rich Rumauian Ploesti oil
fields which supply Germany with
one-third her oil for war would be
within range for regular bombing
not Just occasional raids such as
that carried out Sunday by |. :.
Liberators from North Africa.
More important. however. bases
in italy would enable Allied air
power TO adopt new tactics in car
rying the war home 10 Germany.
Thus far. the heavy raids on Ger.
many have all had TO come from
one ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS. knowing
that, Germany is able 70 concen-
trate the bulk OF her fighter
strength in western Germany and
the Netherlands and Belgium TO in
tercept our bombers. II we intend 10
rae Germany's industrial centers
one by one. that means increasing
losses as the Germans concentrate
more and more fighters 10 defend
their cities.
That is we'll illustrated by Raj.
losses in the recent raids on Ham
burg. Twelve bombers were lost on
the first raid Of the series on the
night OF July "a Eighteen were lost
on the JULY 81 raid and Is on the
night Of July %. The most recent
raid or the night OF August ? cost
so Allied bombers. Though losses
were less than per cent OF the
number OF bombers taking part
more planes we're lost in each sue.
cessive raid as the Luftwaffe con.
centrated its strength
The problem OF defending Ger
man industrial centers would be i'm.
mnesely complicated for the Luft-
waite II We gained bases in north
ern Italy. With her aircraft produc'
ton declining output 200 planes
per month. according 10 latest re-
ports) Germany does not have TOO
many fighter planes or the trained
personnel to man them.
strength in western Europe in her
attempt to intercept raids from
England. our bombers could attack
from Italy Similarly. fighter CON
centratiOn In southern Germany
would leave the way virtually clea'
for bombers attacking from Enc.
land Any attempt 10 shuttle light
ers from one airfront TO the other
would be too costly both in gaso-
line and wear and tear on planes
and motors to be feasible, experts
say, even II the Luftwafte knew
just when 10 expect raids from
each quarter.
How long GermsRy could resist
such two-way attacks is problem
matical II the devastation wrought
in Hamburg by the one-vay raid is
any indication. the answer is, rot
long. Bombed nine times (twice by
the L. s. sth Air Force In daylight
assaults) in n days, the r. A. +.
estimates that seven square miles
OF Hamburg have been devastated.
In all, more than 1900 tons OF
bombs were dropped on the naval
yards. factories. and other military
installations in the great German
port. In tonnage. more bombs fell
on Hamburg in 10 days than were
dropped on London in the II months
OF the Nazi blitz OF 1904.