The Waikato Times TUESDAY, SEPTEMBER 10, 1940 HITLER DRIVEN TO RASHNESS

Waikato Times, Volume 127, Issue 21214, 10 September 1940, Page 4

The Waikato Times TUESDAY, SEPTEMBER 10, 1940 HITLER DRIVEN TO RASHNESS

Proof that Germany is still capable of more extensive air raids than have hitherto been delivered was forthcoming in the week-end. Britain was not surprised. It has known from the beginning that Germany has a large reserve of aeroplanes, and it was expected that they would be used more extensively even in the early stages of the war. But Germany has discovered that the more planes she employs the heavier are her losses, and it can be taken for granted that only dire necessity has compelled her to despatch many hundreds of machines over Britain at one time. The British raids have been stinging Germany severely; hence the reprisals. Hitler’s policy obviously was to maintain steady pressure without exposing too many aircraft to the attacks of the Royal Air Force. He hoped by this unrelenting pressure to wear down the British morale and cause the collapse of the resistance. But when he found that Britain could strike back so effectively he was driven to adopt new tactics. Damage has been done in London and elsewhere, but it is perfectly clear that as a step towards subduing Britain, even the most vicious raids have achieved little. Their contribution towards the demolition of the island fortress is insignificant. Hitler must risk a great deal more before the damage he causes will constitute an achievement of much military value, and in taking such risks he is only bringing nearer the day when Britain will gain the ascendancy in the air and the ability to take the offensive. Britain has long been prepared for large-scale German attacks, and indeed has been surprised that they did not materialise much sooner. The plan of preparedness has, in fact, been on a far greater scale than has hitherto been found necessary. For instance, hospital accommodation for 150,000 persons has been in readiness since the outbreak of the war and has lain vacant. The air raid precautions services have been functioning with remarkable efficiency, and damage by bombs is being repaired promptly. Communications have been interrupted very little and thousands of ships are still keeping the storehouses filled to the roofs.

Hitler seems to have missed entirely the one vital target which he hoped would be the first to be destroyed. That target is the morale of the British people. He may damage individual buildings, aerodromes or ships, or he may cause some hundreds of casualties, but so long as his bombs fail to impair the spirit of the people he has failed in his main objective. “ One of us must collapse,” Hitler says. There is very good reason for believing that he expected British nerves to snap long ago, for he judged the British people by the results he had obtained in other countries which fell before the blast. Terrorism as a weapon has served Hitler well, but has limits of effectiveness. The fact that the despised enemy is striking back with equal power is driving him into rashness for which he will pay the inevitable penalty.