Evening star., 1943-06-16

7
layed Indefinite David Lawrence.
ly. The theory is that continental
Europe isn't ready yet for the in
Vading force and that much more
air bombing must be undertaken
before 1t will be safe for the invad-
Ing forces to land.
This means, perhaps, what has
often been termed slow war" 1t
assumes that Germany cannot pre-
pare an adequate defense, that her
productive mechanism will be great
ly impaired and that eventually her
defenses and forts will be destroyed
before an invading army is landed.
There isn't anybody in Washing
ton who doesn't wish that strategy
to be successful. Every one is hop
ing the airmen may be right. 1t is
not evidence of disparagement of
the viewpoint of the air power
technique when skeptical comments
are directed to the advocates of all
out air bombings.
Several Questions Unanswered.
The first question which the air
enthusiasts have not answered re-
lates to the long delay before Nazi
submarine bases were bombed. Had
the air forces selected those targets
flrst, would the losses by submarines
in the Atlantic have been as great
as they have been?
The second question often asked is
~hv so big part of the magnificent
British Navy is tied up waiting and
watching for the battleship Won
T1rpitz and the cruisers Gneisenau
and Scharnhorst to emerge from
Norwegian harbors. These hiding
places are visible from the air and,
as for bombing distances, it is not
greater than that which has been
traversed in raids on Italy. Why
have these German warships not
been bombed out of commission?
The third question relates to our
situation in the Solomons. More
than $50 raids have been launched
by air on Munda, which contains a
Japanese airfield, only about $50
miles or so from Henderson Field in
Guadalcanal. Only yesterday an
officisl Navy communique said the
Japanese bombed our troops at
Guadslcanal, They could only have /
done it from nearby airfelds such as
Munds. Yet air power has not been
able to capture Munda.
The fourth question relates to Pa-
baul-a very important japanese
sir base. Our airmen have bombed
1t many times, but it is still func-
tioning
The answer with respect to the
South Pacific may be that the
United States does not have suf-
f1cient air power to render these air
bases valueleSS to the Japanese. But
the total number of raids is con-
siderable and many months of time
have elapsed.
lSiandS Not an Answer.
The air force school of thought
ran point proudly to the capture of
the small islands off the coast of
Sicily as the first time islands have
been compelled to surrender by air
power, but it will be recalled that
the British were forced to evacuate
small islands in the English Chan
mel also because Of Nazi air attack.
It Is questionable whether the situa-
tion with respect to small islands
can be compared with the detectives
on continental Europe.
Air power is looked on by high
military experts as having been too
long neglected but, on the other
hand, 1t would be a grave mistake
If the public expectation of a war
that can be won by air power alone
were to be permitted to intensity.
Our best military tacticians do not
believe air power alone can win.
There is some evidence that Prime
NHAIN'CI SiluI CllHl HAS become an
air enthusiast, since he has said
that he believes air power should be
given chance TO demonstrate what
1t can do. provided other measures
are not excluded.
Time Is Big Question.
The big question is how long shall
the world wait for air power to
prove or disprove the thesis that it
can force the enemy to the point
where land invasion will mean an
easy conquest for surface vessels
and troops. The air men constantly
answer most criticisms by the state
ment that they never have had
enough planes or men to do the
necessary job. They are being given
vast numbers Of planes and unprec-
edented amounts of fuel and sup
plies.
The airmen do not predict when
they can finish their demonstrate
If there is no invasion of the con-
tinent this summer by Allied forces
and landing on Sicily and Sar-