LIMITATIONS OF AIR POWER

Dominion, Volume 36, Issue 15, 13 October 1942, Page 5

LIMITATIONS OF AIR POWER

Co-ordination With Army

(Received October 12, 8.10 p.m.)

LONDON, October 11.

“Some British and American military authors are trying to prove that aviation is the sole force capable of achieving victory, and also that land operations are replaceable by air attacks,” writes Major-General Zhuravlev, who is a high member of the Red Air Force, in an article in “Red Star.” “This is devoid o£ all sense of reality. The war will be decided by armies of millions equipped on land as well as the air arm. The air arm must accomplish its task in coordination with the land forces. “The Luftwaffe’s failure in the Battle of Britain and also Stalingrad proves that an air force cannot secure a decision. Aviation is unable to reach full victory on any front, and cannot even create a front.” General Zhuravlev said that the Italian authority Douet declared that 3000-bomber raids would smash any city’s resistance, but Stalingrad was resisting after receiving the equivalent of 9000 J bomber raids.

The Moscow correspondent of “The Times” says that General Zhuravlev, was replying in particular to the Americans, Messrs, Seversky and Drake, who are publicizing the view that Germany cau be smashed from the air.

SOVIET SKI ARMY

(Received October 12, 8 p.m.) LONDON, October 11.

Military skiing is being organized to begin throughout the Soviet Union as soon as snow falls. Ski teams are being formed in factories, offices, schools, and military camps, and the teams will make route marches and long crosscountry runs and receive instruction in military aspects of skiing. The Moscow “Pravda” says that the Soviet Government has ordered a 10 to 15 per cent, reduction in the consumption of coal, oil, and other fuels compared with the consumption at the end of last year. “The fight for fuel amounts to a tight for the very existence of the Soviet Union,” it says.