Evening star., 1943-12-22

bTlUlSn ana American SCduS nave
worked together as team and the
continuance of that team is their
earnest desire because they believe
it will insure victory at the earliest
possible moment
The invasion iteslf is to be huge
operation employing land, sea and
air forces to an extent never
hitherto visualized in modern war
If air power ever had a chance to
demonstrate that it has earned its
rightful place as service of para
mount Importance in influencing
decisive results it is to be in the
coming invasion.
1t is essential that air, ground and
sea operations be synchronized so
effectively as to exert maximum de-
structive power on the enemy in
tactical warfare. But it is essential
also that the tremendous destruction
wrought by strategic air bombing
over industrial targets be kept at
top strength and even increased so
that Germany does not find it pos
sible to divert any of her fighter
planes for defense on the invasion
front.
There will be losses-probably
heavy casualty lists But the price
TO be paid in lives is being compared
to the higher price over a long
period of time if the Allies do not
deliver a knockout blow and force
Germany out of the war in 1914.
The theory that was can be fought
without much loss of life has been
given some impetus by the remark
able successes of the airplane in
this war, but the time for calm
calculation of the necessity for a
ground operation of unprecedented
magnitude has arrived and our
military authorities have persuaded
those in other countries who NAV
have been somewhat skeptical that
1t can be done.
Russia, incidentally, will cooper
ate to the utmost and when the
invasion is on the Russians will
deliver mighty blows aimed at a
march straight through to Berlin
The Germans will not be able tc
divert ground strength from the
Russian front.
In addition there will be invasion
blows in other parts of Europe-in
the Mediterranean and in the Bal
kans and elsewhere.
The NaziS, on the other hand, are
confident that their system of forti-
fications in Northern Europe is i'm
pregnable. They look so, too, to
many neutral observer who
doesn't know the Allied might and
they certainly seem SO to the Nazi
military chiefs, who while nervous
over the invasion, feel they can
thwart it and compel second
Dunkirk.
But the Nazis have never known
American and British airpower
when combined in tactical opera
tions as an invading army is landing
and as it may be subsequently pro-
ceeding inland. The world has never
seen such a gigantic military opera
ton. Every expert is entitled to his
opinion or his doubts. The debate
has been gong on for months. But
the die now has been cast. The Te-
heran announcement merely con-
flmed what was decided at the
Quebec conference.
The decision is naturally pleasing
to the Russians for at last they will
see Britain and America participant
ing in large-scale war on the west
ern front At last there is to be a
companionship in arms and a part
nership in sacrifice such as the
Russians have believed would pinch
Germany from two or more sides
and end the war
The delay in invading Northern
Europe has not been due to unwil-
lingness or reluctance but to lack
of enough men and materials on
the spot and to a desire to let the
strategic air bombing proceed to a
climax while preparations for the
invasion were under way. The