HITLER’S TACTICS

Manawatu Standard, Volume LX, Issue 242, 10 September 1940, Page 7

HITLER’S TACTICS

EARLY DECISION SOUGHT. RACE AGAINST WEATHER. LONDON, Sept. 8. A highly placed authority told the British Associated Press that the present “reprisal” attacks on London appear to be a diversion from the German main purpose, namely, an endeavour to cause Britain to use up her fighters, thereby paving the way for unlimited bombing attacks as the prelude to an invasion. The German bombing appeal's.'to be limited by the fighter strength available " for escort, for which reason if the necessity to send heavy' fighter escorts is reduced Germany will be able greatly to increase the number of bombers.

If this hypothesis is correct, it explains why during attacks against London, when nearly 700 German planes are estimated to have visited Britain, the activity outside the capital was comparatively slight. In this endeavour to subjugate British fighter strength the Germans counted on ' suffering considerable losses, but did not expect to face such stubborn resistance) which well-inform-ed circles believe will be more stubborn as the month proceeds. CRESCENDO APPROACHES. It is pointed out that September is likely to bo a very critical month in which Hitler is engaging in a race against the English weather and hopes to gain superiority in a week or so. The air operations are mounting in crescendo, hut the top note has not yet been reached, Answering queries as to why formations of bombers on Saturday were able to reach Central London, the authority quoted stressed that it is not possible for fighters to prevent a proportion penetrating the defences. German night bombing thus far has been largely indiscriminate though apparently the enemy is endeavouring to copy the British attacks against rail communications.

TOUR BY MR CHURCHILL. The Prime Minister. (Mr Churchill) toured the East End late yesterday afternoon, talked with the homeless, and viewed the damage. He said he wanted first-hand news of the happenings. Hundreds cheered him in spite of their own troubles.

Londoners, sleepy-eyed but stouthearted, went to work to-day determinedly. Nevertheless many were late owing to traffic difficulties in some areas. People living in the unbombed districts quickly realised the happenings elsewhere when they saw unfamiliar buses which had been diverted from other routes to avoid craters or debris littered on the roads. The fires have already been extinguished. Some of the workers were obliged to change buses three or four times. The proximity of bombers forced newspaper staffs to abandon work, consequently the printing of the papers was extremely late and distribution was also delayed by interruptions on some of the usual routes. NAZI PUR-POSE FAILS.

The Times, in a leader, says: “Many of Saturday’s casualties were caused by the attacks falling on men of the Services. The enemy attempted a crushing blow to reassure the Germans, and strengthen the world’s rapidly waning estimate of his power to fatally injure England. The raid, however has not impaired the R.A.F.’s strength, it 'has not seriously damaged the national war effort, and emphatically it has not shaken the civilian morale, which was a large part of the enemy’s purpose. The verdict of the victims was that the experience was a mere incident in the process of winning mastery over a ruthless enemy.” Authorised statements in Berlin say that 35 of Germany’s biggest bombers departed for London shortly before midnight carrying the heaviest calibre bombs. The fliers reported that the London' fires spread smoke so thick that the bombers had difficulty in seeing their targets. Authoritative circles claim that the heaviest bombs, the most destructive Germany possesses, are being reserved for knock-out blows against special objectives. It is claimed they are capable of levelling anything within 500 yards of the explosion and tossing thebombers like boats in a wild sea, even at 1000 ft up.