BOMBING JAPAN

Dominion, Volume 37, Issue 223, 17 June 1944, Page 6

BOMBING JAPAN

A considerable period has elapsed since the Japanese mainland < received a visit from American bombers. The celebrated raid commanded by Doolittle was reported to have done considerable damage ’.to Tokio and Yokohama, and caused consternation among the Japanese. The experience gained from the raid, however, showed that the conditions then existing f t long-range bombing attacks on Japan were not favourable to a systematic air campaign. It would now appear that some at least of the problems raised by the handicaps then experienced have been solved. This latest attack repoited today is said to have been made by American Super-Fortresses, of which very little has been revealed beyond the fact that they are capable of traversing immense distances with heavy fuel and bomb loads. lie attack,” says the United States Chief of Staff, General Marshal, “was made from distant bases.” Exactly from what spot the enemy no doubt would be very glad to know, and. for that reason the information is likely to be kept a close secret in the meantime. General Marshall’s statement that this attack has introduced a new type of offensive against the enemy, and also creates a new problem in the application of military force,” rather suggests that the raid has been an experimental one, to try out certain tactical theories .■ that have been evolved for long-range air operations as pait ot a general strategical plan of offensive. According to its results and the lessons derived from it will no doubt depend the emergence ot a new phase in the war, with fast, long-range heavy bombers assigned, as General Marshall indicates, to special tasks, as in the case of naval task forces.