The Wilmington morning star., 1944-04-01
Airpower At Casino
Bv ALEXANDER P. de sEvERsKY

By ALEXANDER p. de SEVEhoh1
The saturation bombing of Casino, which
reduced the unfortunate town to ruDole, is
still being widely discussed and interpreted.
From most of the comment in print and on
the radio it is sadly clear that even today, IN
the fifth year of the war, the role OF air power
continues to be misunderstood.
Early reports claimed that 3,4Oo tons OF ex-
nlosives had been unloaded on Casino in about
1000 sorties. Later it appeared that while
such volume had been planned, actually only
300 tons were dropped in about 1000 sor-
ties Whatever the figure it was enough to de-
stroy the town, especially since more than
30 600 rounds of artillery were also thrown
into the target
Despite this thorough destruction the town
did not fall to u.s. We had to continue to fight
for it's ruins Where previously we struggled
from house to house, we now struggled from
rubble heap to rubble heap.
In some cases, indeed, the rubble proved
more effective protection for the enemy, ana
a greater obstacle to ourselves, than the
houses Every foot of ground was blocked by
wreckage and bomb craters. By March a.
dispatches indicate, the Germans were only
$50 wards from the most advanced point
reached bv Americans before the deluge OF
bombs.
to express doubts about the efficacy OF air
power. They tried to relate the Casino episode
to the great aerial offensive against Germany
and to the projected invasion OF western Eu-
rope All of which proves that these people
have not yet grasped the elementary difference
between tactical and strategic use of the air
weapon. They are trying to squeeze strategic
lessons out of wholly tactical episode.
The root OF the confusion is in the versatility
of the airplane. It can do so many dlfferent
things that its unrelated functions are scramb-
led by observers who do not have clear
vision OF the facts
Aviation can be used as transport service
to deliver supplies and men, in that case 1t is
analogous to sea power and other carriers of
goods It can be used as an auxiliary element
in support of surface operations; in that case
if is little more than flying artillery. Or 1t
can be used as an independent strategic force
seeking control of its own special domain,
the skies, as in the Battle Of Germany at this
time
In Casino, it should be understood once and
for ALL air power served as a tactical auxiliary
as field artillery, pure and simple. decision
was made to demolish the town. The neces-
sary explosive could be delivered by guns or
by planes. The commanders decided on planes,
supplemented by guns, and the job was zone.
Whatever the Op6TdIlOn llllSI1C PlOVC oOOSe
the desirability of destroying such a strong
hold. it proves nothing about air power except
it's efficacy in accomplishing such destruction.
The razing of a fortress is effective only
when it is surrounded and isolated. When the
fortress remains connected with continuous
supply lines and sources OF reinforcement.
nothing is really changed.
The surface conditions of the terrain are
altered-rubble and craters instead OF streets
and houses-but the military relations are not.
The rubble remains an obstacle to be traversed.
as the town had been previously.
When we bomb the enemy out OF some island
on the Pacific, it falls to our side. 1t Is IN
effect an isolated fortress, not subject to rein
forcement. But Casino is an advance point
on broad highway to Germany. No matter
how much havoc we cause, whether with
bombing or artillery fire, the enemy forces
still have to be dislodged and overtaken.
Casino does not teach us anything about
air power The airplane has been employed
here as a more deadly type Of artillery In
purely ground operation. 1t does confirm. how
ever. the contention Of airmen that in the tactic
al use of aviation we get the least results for
investment of planes men and bombs
Obviously, the same tonnage of bombs, if
dropped on strategic target inside Germany,
such as an aviation factory, would have wiped
out source of military strength. To the ex
tent that air power was diverted from the
great strategic undertaking in the skies over
Germany for tactical job in Casino. it
interfered with the primary strategy.
All of Germany can be regarded as an iso
lated fortress on a majestic scale. When we
succeed in reducing it to impotence it will
fall to our side because there will be no flow
of supplies and reinforcements such as made
the demolition of Casino futile undertaking
We have certain amount Of air power at
our disposal We must learn not to assume
liabilities on the surface that oblige us to
cut into our limited reservoir of air power
when it is so urgently needed for the number
one job Of knocking out the Luftwaffe and as
Stunning command of the skies over the entire
country New York Times