Evening star., 1943-11-26

ment itself may -
scatter its Offices David Lawrence.
in smaller cities and towns. But
after an interval Of panic the Nazis
may do what the British did-they
may dig in and prepare for the
major battles that must come in
other areas of combat.
There is no gainsaying, OF course,
that the air war has had terrific
effect, but it may be said without in
the slightest disparagement of what
has been done thus far that strategic
bombing by night without regard to
specific military targets such as may
be accomplished In daylight preci-
sion bombing has yet to prove de-
cisive in a military sense.
Experiment as Yet.
Strategic bombing plus tactical
bombing plus a major land invasion
across the English Channel all to-
gether will yield the desired result.
1t was only natural that Prime Min
lister Churchill should speak Of air
bombing as an experiment last
spring, when he declared that the
experiment was worth trying, pro-
vided other means were not excluded.
The other means to which Mr..
Churchill referred have not been ex-
cluded. They are being prepared on
q bigger scale than military men
have ever before visualized. Every
thing in this war is bigger and
deadlier than in previous wars. The
resources of the United Nations
make this possible. No nation or
group of nations can indefinitely
stand up against the might Of the
Allies.
The only question to be answered
Is when the surrender will be effec-
tuated. Military opinion here, al
though giving all praise for the ef-
fectiveness Of the air war, still an
ticipates that the war must be won
on the ground with tactical airpower
and tanks and artillery and across
some Of the same territory where
our victorious armies marched In
the World War.
The air war against Germany will,
OF course. not be diminished. It will
go on with increasing fury. But
the plans for a large scale invasion
are IN the making and 1t cannot be
long now before massive armies
will be landed on the continent of
Europe, probably In several differ
ent places.
The invasion may well be anti
cipated to develop sometime be-
tween now and next April. Un-
questionably the moment selected
will be at the time OF greatest con-
fusion and disorganization inside
Germany. That time may be ap-
preaching and 1t is devoutly to be
hoped that an internal collapse may
come IN Germany which will make
an invasion unnecessary. Then the
argument will arise as to how much
air power contributed, how much
the land and sea forces did in safe
guarding bases from which the
planes flew, but such an academic
argument would be most welcome.
In the meantime, however, plans
are not being made on the assump-
ton that such a collapse is lmmi-
nent.
Meeting Is Hinted.
Judging from the fact that Presi-
dent Roosevelt and Prime Minister
Churchill have met always about
six months ahead of momentous
events related to military or naval
strategy, 1t may be assumed that
a meeting is being held or about
to be held. This is hinted in Lon
don dispatches, passed by the CEN
sor. and Marshal Stain may be
present, too, 50 it is possible that
the big happenings of next spring
are being anticipated by the gov
ernments of Russia, Britain and
the United States and possibly
China.
1t may be that some pronounce
ment to the German people will
be made urging them to overthrow
their leaders and set up q govern
ment with which the United Ma
tions can deal. 1t may be that the
main points or bases Of a peace to
follow unconditional surrender of
the armed forces will be outlined.
Certainly there has not been any
clear statement as yet as to whether
the German nation is to be dis
membered and kept in slavery, as
the Nazis predict in urging bitter
end resistance, or whether the Al
lied governments will deal with the
German people as they already
have with the liberated Italian
people. Possibly an official declara-
tion on these points will soon be
Forthcoming as a step in the psy-
Geological warfare that can help to
shorten the days Of combat.