The Daily Alaska empire., 1944-01-17
SAYS JAPAN BE DEFEATED FROM ALASKA.
Noted Air Authority Urges Offensive from
 Territory

The few million dollars worth of bonds purchased by Alaskans last year were put to good use right in the Territory during l943 as United States and Canadian troops routed the Japanese invader from the Aleutians and civilians all the way from Nome to Juneau and Ketchi- kan rested easier.
 At present outside of few small raids on the Paramushiro Japanese bases, things are pretty quiet in AL aska--but huge bases are being rushed to completion, and these bases are going to be used to attack the Jap at home.
 Alexander P. deSeversky, widely known authority on anything that flies. is convinced that the ultimate aerial offensive against Japan will come from Alaska-smashing soon across the 5000 miles of water which separates the northern Ter ritory from the enemy homeland.
 And the necessary aviation pro- gress to make such an aerial of fensive decisive and less costly n lives and substance will come more rapidly than any progress than can be made in step-by-step approach from Australia or China or by is -to-island conquest, he states.
 Says Seversky:
 Viewed as region for island-to- island activity in combined land, sea and air operations, the Alaska Aleutian approach naturally is the least favorable of all, because it is difficult and sometimes impossible to coordinate all these three forces in blinding storms, sleet and fog. When we talk of a strategic attack on Japan, we are considering stra- tegic aerial action and not local tac- tical operations such as we under took in the Attu-Kiska situation.
 When we forget amphibious teamwork and look upon the region simply as base for a direct aerial offensive, the picture changes. In strategic attack through the skies, we are interested in the weather over the target, not in the weather at the base of origin
 Science Aids
 'The advance of radio, electron- ics and instrument flying has been such that weather is no longer an obstacle in operating aircraft. The take-off and return landings can be made in zero weather with the same precision as on a clear day. The operating bases in Alaska from which the offensive would be car- ried on against Japan would be elaborately equipped with every aid to instrument navigation. Our only concern would be the weather over ! Japan, but that would be the samt, whether we attack from Alaska, China or aircraft carriers.
 ITO retaliate, the Japanese would have to strike back at Alaska, and iiere we lave a series of advan- tages. Will,e we are hitting at the industrial heart of the enemy, the Japanese would be able to strike only at our Alaskan outposts Our airports. being operational bases, would have only the essential facil- ities for fueling, arming and neces- sary repairs. The real sources of ou: power would be in the United States proper. In the exchange of blows, therefore, we would be strik- ing vastly more vital targets than the Japanese.
 And most important-the wea- ther factor, while it would not in- terfere with American operations, would seriously interfere with en- emy retaliation When we strike, our targets--in Japan will be viS- ible. Their targets-in Alaska-for the most part of the time will be shrouded in fog and shielded by bad weather. It will be good tactics to start an aerial offensive against ] Japan in the time of season when meteorological conditions will give us the benefit of this weather diff ferential.
 Beat Weather
 Experience has shown that fly ing in low temperatures is not a serious hazard. During three bitter winters in the first World War, the writer fought in the air on north ern Russian front. He found that with proper organization and main- tenance of aircraft the temperature becomes unimportant. Since those days, of course, there has been im- mense improvement in de-icing and heating devices for flying and main- tenance of aircraft on the ground.
 Tt is sometimes forgotten that the maintenance crews suffer more from intense heat than from in- tense cold. There is always escape from cold in additional warm clothes, but there is no refuge from desert heat Besides, our aircraft and equipment are now geared for |