BLOWS AT GERMANY

Wairarapa Times-Age, 27 November 1943, Page 4

BLOWS AT GERMANY

WILL INCREASE IN WEIGHT AND BECOME MORE DEADLY IN EFFECT BRITISH MINISTER'S PROMISE (British Official Wireless.) (Received This Day, 10.10 a.m.) RUGBY, November 26. “The only promise I can hold out to Germany is that our blows will increase in weight and grow more deadly in effect until the war power of Germany has been broken and smashed. It is for them to decide —let them make the choice.” —This was the comment on the battle in the German homeland made by Lord Sherwood, Additional Undersecretary for Air, speaking to the Press. Lord Sherwood continued: “Do not think the members of the German High Command have any more sympathy for the suffering of their own civilians than for those of countries they have overrun. There is only one thing which influences their mind and that is the power to win. Until that is knocked from their hand, they will remain ruthlessly in command, waging war with all their immense powers. That is why we continue to smash and destroy everything that goes to build up that power. That is how victory will come. It is difficult to get information out of a country so completely closed to the outside world, but our photographs show that enormous havoc has been created. As an act of poetic justice, German industrial centres are one by one being rubbed out. There is much loose talk of a break in German morale, but I cannot emphasise too strongly that morale is not one of our objectives. We are striking at the military power of Germany, at its war factories and industries, its total ability to make war.- Comparisons are commonly drawn between the present conditions in Germany and those of 1918. Do not press that analogy too far. I am a complete believer in air power as a decisive weapon of war, but am not so blind to the lessons of history as not to know that before a collapse comes you must first break. the power to wage war by smashing the military machine. In 1918 it was the defeat of the German Army which set on foot negotiations for an armistice. I am not one of those who can prophesy a speedy victory. Dark days lie ahead, though darker days are past. We are facing a resolute and crafty foe, who still possesses tremendous military power. The struggles ahead may be the most bitter we have undertaken, ( but if we bend our energies to their full height; if we do not deflect ourselves from an inflexible resolution to victory, our task will be made easier and the days of peace will draw nearer.”