Evening star., 1943-10-04

1IllS mas WITHOUT QOuOC Deen l1t
most concentrated and interpreted
war in history-in print, by radio
even on the screen. In launching an.
other column of war comment, fee
that few words OF explanation are
therefore, in order.
I trust l shall not be misunder.
stood when I state that this chore il
undertaken as a duty. Rightly OF
wrongly, 1 am convinced that all
power has become the dominant
force not only in gaining victory
but in shaping the peace thereafter
Under these circumstances it seems
to me vital that all Americans should
understand this new force, so that
they may make the most effective
use of it now and later.
1t is in the hope of contributing tc
a more general understanding that
this series of dispatches is being
started. There is an "air power
angle" to every major event on the
battlefronts and the home front
and even more so to every discus
sion of the postwar world. That is
the "angle" this column will try to
explore and explain.
Modern aviation bulks too large
to remain a professional secret. 1t
is destined to affect the life of every
individual too deeply to be left in
confusion, distorted by ignorance, or
buried in technical mumbojumbo.
In the United States we have the
best technical basis and the greatest
creative talents for leadership in the
skies, but we have not yet harnessed
this terrific force. Remarkable as
the progress of our aeronautics has
been. it is the product of the natural
dynamics of aviation. That progress
has come despite the fact that Its
development has been haphazardly
scattered among the various de-
partment of our Army, Navy, Ma
rines. Coast Guard, Civil Aeronau-
tics. etc. Its administration has
been as illogical as if the organiza-
ton and operation of railroads had
been handed over to Coachmen.
We have nothing equivalent to the
British Air Mlnistry-a body vested
with the authority to guide the ma
ton in the development Of its air
power. Until we do have such an
organization We are bound to find
ourselves trailing instead of leading
in spite of our chronological advan-
tages and the skill of our personnel.
Information Is Second Hand.
AS one of the results of this situa-
tion, Americans are getting their in
formation about the role of air power
almost entirely at second hand. fill
tered through Army and Navy minds.
Nearly all our military interpreters
and commentators are either soldiers
and sailors themselves, or brought
up in that tradition. Besides, they
are dependent largely on Army and
Navy pipelines
1t is no accident therefore that SO
much military comment displays
strange eagerness to save face for
traditional strategy and weapons;
and reluctance to concede that
some of these have been outmoded
by scientific progress.
Some time ago battleship in the
Pacific succeeded in surviving a con-
centrated air attack That episode
was blown up in press reports, maga-
zine pieces and full book 1t was
not explained, however that the
ability of battleship to survive is
not an END in itself, when the rest
of the task force can be easily de-
stroyed by air power.
Roma's Sinking Ignored.
On the other hand, when one of
the most modern battleships, the
Roma, was sunk recently by single
bomb in few minutes, the event
was virtually ignored by the mill
tarv writing fraternity Both items
of news have. as a matter Of course,
been reported essentially from
naval standpoint.
In the battle of FL Alamein, as
every one knows, the infantry did
job of clearing the
ground. This fact was impressed
on the public mind by Army COM
muniques. But only the best in
formed are aware that the victory
at FL Alamein was made possible
by air power, which protected our
own supply lines and cut German
supply lines. leaving Rommel high
and dry. 1t was air power that
enabled us to build up siX-to-one
superiority in men and machines
which made Allied success inevi-
table.
These are only examples Of how
differently war events look when
viewed from the ground upward.
through the eyes of tradition and
from the skies downward through
the eyes of modern aviation. 1t is
important that the Amer
lean people should not be limited
in their appraisal of developments.
to a two -dimensional view. Only if
they are given also the third di-
mensiOn, the aerOnautical interpre-
tatlon, can they appreciate the true
relations among the military forces.
Air Power Called Key to Victory.
Air power will win the war for us,
even though it is still being used
fumblingly and despite the fact that
only a small fraction of the full
aviation potential is as yet being
exploited. And air power will also
condition, tho neooe IT lie op,orpipo