Wairarapa Times-Age SATURDAY, AUGUST 10, 1940. ANOTHER NAZI SETBACK.

Wairarapa Times-Age, 10 August 1940, Page 4

Wairarapa Times-Age SATURDAY, AUGUST 10, 1940. ANOTHER NAZI SETBACK.

TN what Marshal Goering described recently as reconnaissance operations over Britain,’ Germany has been employing increasing numbers of planes and siiffering proportionately ..■reater losses. The results of the battle or ™ther seines o battles fought over Ihe Channel on Thursday considerably an impression that the same ruling e<mditions probablv will continue in any intensification ot the na au effort against Britain. Launching-successive waves ot bombeis and protecting fighters against British shipping the enemy suffered a loss of (if) planes. This was not accomplished without some loss of gallant British lives, but the enemy losses were in the ratio of nearly four to one. 1 lamly it was an occasion on which an attempt to bear down opposition by an employment of overwhelming force laded disastrously In view of the demonstrated superiority in fighting power, of the Roval Air Force, which had among its opponents on. Thursday the latest and best of the German fighting machines, it seems likely that the Nazis will continue to suffer altogether disproportionate losses if they throw even greater air forces into the scale.

The failure of the-enemy at the stage to which events have been carried is emphasised even when it is remembered that several ships in the convoy’ attacked were considerably damaged and that three coasters were sunk by motor torpedoboats, against which one of these craft was destroyed and another damaged. The task to which Hitler and his iellow-o-angsters have boastfully committed themselves is not merely that 5 of inflicting some loss and damage on British shipping, but of smashing the defence of Britain. In that task, it may’ be claimed fairly, I hey have not even begun to make pro-o-ress It has been said that the recent concentration of German air attacks on British Channel ports and convoys may be either a preliminary phase of a' general blitzkrieg against Britain or mav denote 'the adoption of a new strategy directed mainly to im attempted counter-blockade of the British Isles. On this subject, the military correspondent of the “Sydney Morning Herald’’ wrote recently:—

An aerial blitzkrieg would be an entirely direct form of frontal attack- an intensification of the coastal blockade would mean a primarily indirect attack, with localised frontal attacks, as against Dover and other key-points along the coast In view of the general degree of preparedness in Great Britain today, many arguments may be adduced in favour of the blockade form of attack. Germany would still be making use of the arms in which she is strongest and would be using to the full the new strategical advantages conferred upon her by the occupation of the French and Belgian coasts; and at the same time would not be staking everything on one blow as she would be doing if she risked her an fleet in a direct blitzkrieg If she failed in the latter case, hex failure would be final and irrevocable, and would mean the turn of the war against her; whereas there would be no finality it her new form of raiding blockade were checkmated, because she would still have the bulk of her air force available.

Against the last-mentioned consideration there has to be set the fact that delay in achieving decisive results is in itself a. thing, of which Nazi Germany has every reason to be afraid. Failing to establish a counter-blockade of Britain she will not be merely where she was at the beginning, but will hate gone very considerably to leeward in the war. To the factor of tjie superior fighting power of the Royal Air Force, which was again demonstrated so valiantly on Thursday, there has to be added that of Britain’s relatively increasing strength in Hie air and in virtually all leading branches of war preparation.

Whatever the lines.it is destined to follow in the immediate future, the conflict with Nazism obviously is not yet at a decisive’stage. The net result of Thursday’s air battle. is Unit Germany has suffered another great reverse. Meantime, as days and weeks go by, Britain is not only maintaining an intact, defence, but is building up her resources to the point at which she will be able to extend and enlarge greatly the oli’ensive in which she is already engaged in her unceasing ail attacks on enemy territory.

The Mother Country has developing resources to draw upon in countering enemy attempts to establish a counteiblockade. Iler, air strength is increasing apace, ft was mentioned the other day that measures are being taken to counter the increased use by the Germans of fast motor torpedo-boats. .Barrage-balloons are now being used as one means of protecting convoys against dive-bombers. At worst, Britain no doubt could'dispense temporarily with the use of her more exposed ports and sea approaches. She has great reserves pf foodstuffs and other essential materials.

All this being said, it remains uncertain how far the are likely to be capable in the immediate future of intensifying their attacks on British shipping and on Britain herself. What is not in doubt, however, is that British air attacks on Germany and on the territories she has occupied will be continued and developed on an increasing settle. During the last month, British squadrons have made some 130 raids a week on selected objectives in eneniv or eneniy-occupied territory, as compared with about sixty raids a week in the preceding two months.

In the conditions in which they are devised and carried onl, these bombing attacks serve an immensely important and valuable military purpose. They are progressively lowering the enemy’s strength and diminishing his striking power. They have already been intensified greatly and will be intensified further and progressively as British air strength expands. In face of the carefully verified particulars that are made public of the results of these attacks, automatic and unvarying Nazi denials that they are doing any damage are merely ludicrous. The Irtilh manifestly is that British air attacks as they are now developing, combine with oilier factors to provide the Nazis with a powerful incentive to make the greatest possible effort for early victory.. It. appears to follow conclusively that nothing else than fear of the outcome will account for the Nazis holding back in any degree from that, effort.