Evening star., 1944-06-03
u. S. and Russio Seen
Now Allied in Fact
Soviet Shuttle. Bombing Bases
Believed Result of Teheran

Soviet Shuttle. Bombing Bases
Believed Result of Teheran
By David Laurence
The United States and Russia are at
last allied in fact as we'll as In theory.
For many months the big question
that has been asked over and over
again is why the American Air Forces
do not have bases In Russia.
Today that question has been an
swered by the announcement that
shuttle bombing is an established opera
ton. 1t is reality.
Thus, the dream Of American air.
men that they might be able to fly
direct from Britain, drop their bombs
over France and Germany on the way,
and land in Russia. without the ne
cessity of the hazardous return trip to
Britain, has finally been fulfilled.
The strategic significance of the move
Is incalculably great. Any one who is
familiar with the tactics of the British
and American airmen knows that the
German air force has been able to
exact its biggest. toll when our bombers
had hit their targets and started back
to England. 1t was often possible to
deceive the German air force as to the
destination OF our bombers, but because
OF the way the German air fields are
grouped around industrial cities, 1t was
possible for the Nazis to wait until
targets had been struck and then tackle
the airmen on the return journey.
Feints Now Possible.
The existence Of fields of haven In
Russia will make 1t possible for the
British and American flyers to use all
sorts Of feints and maneuvers as to
their real destination, then make Q
sudden descent on a particular target
and ny on to Russia before the German
air force can concentrate its defenses.
Likewise, flights that start from Rus
sia can be routed in dozen different
ways back to Britain.
The shuttle system can be worked
from Italy over Hungary and Romania
into Russia and then back to our bases
in Italy.
This achievement has been long in
the making. The Russians have been
reluctant and hesitant to grant the
bases for reasons which have never
been fully explained but doubtless were
justified at the time. One objection, it
Is stated, was related to the fact that
the United States and Japan are at
war, but Russia is not at war with
Japan and that any assistance given
the United States in Europe might be
looked upon by Japan as a forerunner
Of comparable assistance given In
Siberia.
Actually, however, no such precedent
Is being established. Russia for her
own reasons will withhold Siberian air
bases until such time as she believes
1t wise to grant them, If indeed they
are ever granted. There is really no
practical difference between the lease
lend aid that America has been giving
to Russia for the war in Europe and
the establishment of air bases which
British and American flyers can use In
the war that Britain, Russia and the
United States are waging In common
against Germany.
Result Of Teheran.
There Is no doubt that the accom-
plishment of shuttle bombing and the
opening Of air bases for American and
British flyers in Russia Is o direct con-
sequence Of the Teheran conference. II
President Roosevelt and Prime Minister
Churchill were able at that conference
to convince Marshal Stain of the I'M
portance Of these bases and II nothing
else had been done there, the risks in
the hazardous journey taken by the
President and the Prime Minister would
now appear to have been well warranted.
Russians and Americans are fighting
side by side from Russian territory
this is truly . climactic point In the
Second World War. More and more air
power will be based on Russia and more
and more help will be given Russia so
that the great offensive from Russia
against Germany this summer or this
autumn will come to fruition with the
maximum possible intensity.
Nazi Germany is slowly being en-
circled. There is no point inside Ger
many now that will be immune from
heavy bombing. 1t may take many
more months to accomplish the result,
but every city and town in Germany
where there is any factory production
for war Is doomed. That Is the mean
ing of the announcement made by Mai.
Gen. John r. Deane of the general
staff here, who went to Russia at the
head of an American military mission
to put into effect large-scale bombing
from Russian bases The new dateline.
Eastern Command. the United States
Strategic Air Force, Somewhere IN
Russia" brings historic announcement
that will mean much not only during
the war but in the friendship that must
ensue between the United States and
Russia after the war.
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