Evening star., 1944-03-07

klllo oClA-
mite stage and the whole battle Tor
Europe becomes intensified, days OF
anxiety may be expected. The
stakes will be big and the whole
effort will be on such a huge scale
that it is probable the mood OF the
American people will be affected.
What will that mood be in rela-
ton to national politics? Will it so
absorb the people that they will be
impatient about Interruptions on the
radio for long-winded political
speeches? Will they be interested
very much in political news at all?
Events May Be Repeated.
There is no way of knowing how
intense the public mood will be, but
1t is conceivable that the Nation
may witness a repetition of the
grave days of early July, 1918, when
the German push was costing heav-
lily to both sides and the feeling of
worry as to whether the break
through would occur was such as
to drive everything else from the
public mind.
The invasion" inevitably will be
followed by violent period of land
warfare. 1t is not alone the landing
of huge forces but the continued
supply of those forces and the
organization of big armies of mech
anized strength that will be watched
every moment of the day by an
anxious people. For nearly two
years now the problems arising from
an invasion campaign have been dis
cdssed and debated and every con-
ceivable contingency has been
visualized by the military folks.
The Army and Navy and Air
Forces will have to join in a we'll
co-ordinated campaign, and there is
every reason to hope that when the
blows are struck in one part of
Europe there also will be heavy
blows struck by the Russians and by
operations in the Balkans as well as
in other areas. 1t is just ordinary
military sense to try to engage the
enemy on as many fronts as possible
so that he will be compelled to dis
perse his already weakened air forces
and so that he will not be able to
concentrate his armies against the
invasion movements that may be
launched in different areas of
Europe.
So it seems plausible that Hitler
will not be given the chance to con-
centrate his defenses and move his
forces effectively along interior lines
which are so much to his advantage.
The Allied air forces, on the other
hand, have the biggest job in the
history Of air power to do. They
must completely demoralize the
rear lines and communication sys-
tenn of the Nazis and keep them de-
moralized. They must maintain the
so-called strategic air bombing on
Nad supply depots and factories,
but there must be tactical air op-
Grafton, too, such as the European
continent has never before expert
enced.
Examples Offered.
The best examples of tactical
operations of air forces in conjunc-
ton with ground troops were those
in and around Tunis and Bizerte
and, Of course, in the South Pacific,
where Gen. MacArthur's flyers and
the naval and marine air forces
under Admiral Halsey have never
failed to synchronize their efforts
with those of the landing troops.
When the days are longest, the
opportunities for an air force are
best. During the summer months
the biggest opportunity air power
has ever had will develop. The Brit
ish and American air forces work
together splendidly. The British
and American naval units also work
together very well, and as for ground
operations, the cooperation of the
British and American infantry and
tank units has been excellent. Uni
flcation of command has been ac-
complished. The big question mark
Is what the weather will be during
the first days of the invasion and
what the aftermath will bring once
landings have been achieved.
Anxious months of 1914 are COM
tng-how soon nobody can tell, but
when they come all the chickering's
of today will seem relatively unim-
portant as the Nation watches with