The Evening Star MONDAY, AUGUST 24, 1942. BOMBERS PAVE THE WAY.

Evening Star, Issue 24281, 24 August 1942, Page 2

The Evening Star MONDAY, AUGUST 24, 1942. BOMBERS PAVE THE WAY.

The strategic necessity of taking full advantage of Germany’s preoccupation with Russia has not been lost on the British and American war leaders. The Luftwaffe, by tbo minor nature of the raids it is staging over English towns as “ reprisals ” for the smashing blows being directed by the Royal Air Force against German industrial centres, admits without words that it is in no shape to res unto anything like mass raids so long as it is called upon to support the Axis armies in (Russia. In the meantime British bombers, recently supplemented by American machines and crews, continue to demonstrate in high explosive fashion that Allied air power is becoming a factor that is likely to contribute to the demoralisation of the German people. No one doubts that the German nation is courageous, but the Nazi chiefs have promised the masses so much which is not being fulfilled that the reaction is bound to have a deleterious effect on the spirit necessary to make a last war-winning effort. There remains every chance that a second land front will be established while the Axis'forces are still involved on the extensive eastern front. The British Secretary for Air (Sir Archibald Sinclair) has said in an unhesitatingly aggressive speech that the Bomber Command is paving the way, and that the time will assuredly come >yhen the armies of the United Nations will march along that way to end the war in Europe. The groat task is to gather the strength of the Allies by land, sea, and air and pass to the attack. Sir Archibald’s mention of the growing power of the (Bomber and Coastal Com m a mis is another reminder of what Britain has accomplished in the race to overhaul Goering’s air_ armada in numbers and striking ability. The conservatism which afflicted some of our military leaders early in the war did not extend to air chiefs and aircraft designers, and British industry, with the enthusiastic co-operation of all workers associated with it, has risen to magnificent heights of craftsmanship and speed in output. It was realised that, while an air force could not by itself decide the issue, it was the only fighting arm in modern warfare that could operate successfully in isolated but important actions without support from one or other of the sister services. To their cost the Nazis know what failure to dominate the skies means. In 1940 it lost them the Battle of Britain, and, it mav eventually be conceded, the whole'war. Britain sadly lacked air strength in Norway, the Balkans, and Malaya, and thus was forced to accept the axiom that no land, or sea operations are possible unless control of the air has first been achieved. In the final analysis the aim of armed conflict to-day is to disarm the enemy, and it is clear that the R.A.F.’s persistent pounding of German industrial target areas is bringing nearer and nearer tbo time when the nrst aggressor in Europe will be rendered helpless to carry on the struggle.