TIZE CHINA MAIL, AUGUST 19, 1940
CHINA MAIL
WINDSOR HOUSE
BATTLES OF FRANCE
A second Battle of France is being fought with words across the English Channel. Marshal Petain complains bitterly of the obstacles with which he has to contend and General de Gaulle re- plies swiftly that al- though he does not like it himself Marshal Petain compels the French people to stomach the abject surrender. Tone of the argument, too, suggests that something more sin- ister than unpreparedness will be found to lie behind the French failure to check the Germans at Se- dan. And in the lack of preparedness itself may lurk a scandal which will not be explained away by references to Leon Blum's labour laws, whatever de- ficiencies may be charged to these and other so-call- ed social reforms.
DON'T FORGET THE CHOCOLATE
"1000000 Screaming, bombs, 200000 howling motor bikes, 2000. bawling baby tanks, 100 sticks of chocalate to
pay off odd Quislings... *Votabout der 10Tons of seasickness cună ?".
*Ach, der dump vos blown up by der RAF.
last night.
PREPARATIONS FOR THE INVASION (Copyright in All Countries.)
How Hitler May Plan Invasion of Britain
If superiority in the
air is The counter-offensive, action of established It would greatly the British fighting forces may facilitate the Tanding of further well have a bearing on this result. raiding parties, for the difficulty
This was not the first time that French politi- cians shrank from telling their people the truth about France's defences. In 1870, according to the French War Minister then incumbent, every- thing was in readiness "down to the last button on the last gaiter of the last soldier." But history records the fact that
...Having occupied Poland and It must be remembered, too, I everything was in un- disposed, of, France, having over- that the process of disembarking readiness. Soldiers could run or otherwise secured control large forces with adequate arma- not find their own officers. over all formerly neutral coun-ment takes days, and that it would tries in Western Europe, Hitler is be opposed by powerful land. Ammunition for cannon now free to concentrate the grea-forces. Moreover, the disembarku- ter part of his immense military tion of heavy stores and weapons was lacking. So were power against Britain.
necessitates harbour and port transportation facilities.
untenable. He has announced that he in-facilities. Landing on open beaches The food supply was in-tends to invade Great Britain and then the landing of heavy weights requires fine weather, and even
It might thus be possible for the
to enemy adequate. Men had to challenge. But the form is impracticable. It will be seen, bridgehead which would make the
port secure a
and meet the
therefore, what immense risks a despatch of a large invading army journey clear across the the challenge might take is a mat-large-scale invasion entails as long practicable, if risky. Risky, be- country in many inter for conjecture.
as the powerful British Navy and How would Hitler employ his Air Force exist.
cause it is hard to conceive that stances to get their uni-
either the British Navy or Air vast army and air force? To what
The failure to effect a success- Force could be entirely eliminated forms.
extent does his inferiority in sea
ful landing would spell a majorleven if invasion on a scale suf- And a month after Bis-power affect the issue?
disaster.
ficient to defeat the Army was Jeffected. marck's armies moved in-
Even if a landing were effect- ed, it would still be necessary to Raiding parties, however num- to Paris that city was be-
possesses a fleet of merchant maintain communication acrossferous and formidable, could be sieged by French Com-ships amply sufficient to transport the sea till the British land forces wiped out in time unless they are munists and one of the a great army with its stores, and are overcome. It is hardly be-strongly reinforced and their com-¡
t could be supplemented by in-lievable that a large-scale in- munications kept open. horrors of history ensued. mense numbers of large shallow-vasion would be attempted until And this is why an invasion It is not clear that the in-draft barges either self-propelled surrection reflected director towable.
•
He controls also a great num- dissatisfaction with the ber of ports and Inland canals, in conduct of the war. But which vessels could be collected
and embarkation carried out. it was an outburst of sup- He does not, therefore, lack pressed animosities simi-transport facilities. His chief dif- lar to those which divided armada during the process of em- [ficulty is the protection of his France for some years be-barkation, transit, and disem- fore the
|barkation against air attack and
fire.
·By- Major-General
Sir Chas. Gwynn
How could this
*
of keeping a hostile coast and the Intervening sea under ob servation would be increased and naval bases might be made
will fail.
:
..✡
*
of
In the attempted forecast steps by which Germany might prepare the way for an invasion, I have presented the dark side] of the picture.
It must be realised, however, what difficulties each step would encounter.
A mass air attack would be met by powerful ground defences and bean Air Force, incomparable in quality. Raiding parties, dir-borne for sea-borne, would meet with [strenuous resistance and be sub- ject to counter-attack by superior
*
"Discomboomerate”
President Roosevelt is quoted as having said that there is no ropeon for this country to become "discomboomerated." By. this, Judging from the con text, he meant that conditions did not warrant our becoming panicky, unduly fidgety, dis- comfited..
But what of "discom- "nomerate"? The word sounds all right, but, so far as, “can - lewined,. no one has en- countered it before. However, a similar word, meaning ap- prodnately the same thing,: has been in common American usage for many generations- in all parts of the country. That word is "discombobulato." has no respectable place any dictionary, and, yet it has from the Jong been familiar
Kennebeo to the Arkansas. When a person gets thoroughly discombobulated he sometimes le co fed up with everything that he will go away from there
that is to say, he will absquatulate.. New York "Herald Tribune."
It In
HAPPY MARRIAGE
present war the accurate and immensely des-the Britist Navy and Air Force What it and other out-tructive fire of the guns of war-have been made comparatively breaks in France indicate acids and torpedo attack would done?
ships. The danger from mine ineffective. is the capacity for indig-also be present, and opposition to nation which Frenchmen disembarkation would be strong.
Against air attack he could pit] develop when they feel his own air force and no doubt a It would be consistent with pre-land forces.
It is customary for the happy of they have been betrayed great volume anti-aircraft cedent if the Germans attempted
pair celebrating their anniversary by their own leadership.
it by a step-to-step process. The these preliminary steps recure a
Yet my argument is that unless to let it be understood that for first step might be an effort to measure of success, which is high-cross word." I am not going
a 25 years "we have never had Possibly Mr. Churchill
secure air supremacy by a mass ly improbable, attempts at a large- and the French patriots Against an attack by power-air attack on British air bases and scale invasion, by which alone the we have had frightful rows.
be guilty of any such nonsense. with para-price of success could be secured,} who have gathered in ful surface vessels he must, how-aircraft factories,
ever, rely mainly on his aircraft chutists and air-borne troops co- could lead only to disaster. are quite capable of having London are counting on and torpedo craft either sub-operating. In furtherance of an
frightful row to-morrow. To me, Even `allowing a large mea-the conception of two people 'liv- this capacity to prevent marines or small fast motorboats air attack it is possible that sea-
nure of success for preliminary ing together for 25 years without -neither of which has so far borne raids might also be attempt-
operations, a the Third Reich from or proved very effective against all-ed. It is admitted that compara-
great invading having a cross word suggests tively small forces, conveyed in
army would still be confronted lack of spirit only to be admired ganising France for Ger-armed surface ships.
fast ships, might evade Navy or
with immense wifficulties and in a sheep. Where there is spirit man purposes which
dangers and would still have to there must be sparks.. Air Force observation; and one for more which succeeded in effect- meat and defeat the British The only hint I would offer on
Army.
the subject of a happy marriage
in
to
We
a
a
the long run are against ment's surrender means, ing a landing might co-operate France's own best inter-the Nazis may have to with air-borne detachments. They The conclusion I reach is that à is, "Don't imagine that your first might, as in Holland, for a time mass air attack and sea-borne row will be the ond of every- ests. If the French people fight a second battle of secure possession of aerodromes raids will be carried out or at-thing." It may be the end, but can learn in time what France while they fight which would then provide bases tempted, but that Hitler's mass it is more likely to be the real be- for close-range air action; or invasion, like that of Napoleon, ginning,-(A. P. Herbert in Lon- the Bordeaux Govern-the battle of Britain.
'might effect demolitions.
Iwill prove a still-born project: Idon "News Chronicle.")