THE CHINA MAIL, SEPTEMBER 5, 1940
CHINA MAIL
WINDSOR HOUSE
A TRANSACTION IN DESTROYERS
Many and varied are the inferences that might be drawn from the con venient arrangement by which the United States is to acquire important naval and air bases in the Western Hemisphere and the Royal Navy's task is to be simplified by the, ac- quisition of fifty Ameri- can destroyers.
Dr. Goebbels and Herr| Hitler are certain, för in-| stance, to view the tran- saction in a light sharply differing from that used by General Pershing, Col- onel Knox or the Pre- sident of the Unitea States. Tokyo will view the event with feelings which London is quite unable to share.
Speculation, however,
31
HEADS WE WIN;
'OK-
TAILS HE LOSES
FELIPSO THE COIN INĻU,
(Copyright, in All Countries.)
Nazi Strategy At The
air, Anthany, Eden warned on cannot furnish such clear Tuesday, that it would be unsafe grounds for satisfactioned his ambition to defeat Britain
to assume that Hitler has abandon-
by invasion. The weight of recent as the facts as they ap-air attacks suggest that he has not yct abandoned invasion for block- pear on the surface. It is ade.
plain that no such agree-
A Test Case
short weeks, the Fleet will receive additional
It is fitting, then, that what ships, obtainable no other might almost be looked upon as a test case to shape the future
Crossroads
By A Military Correspondent
craft. Thirdly, they can use sub- marines from the French bases south of Brest, and can thus avoid the protective belts of mines which the English have placed across the inner Channel.
Fourthly, they can maka:effec- tive use of the land guns mounted in emplacements in French ports
↓·
coast
recent · mining
the
con-
If invasion does come, it seems described as the culmination of anjupon wave of thousands of Ger where the English Channel is only likely that the venture will be attack in which the Germans con- man warplanes. On the other 21 miles in breadth. These pieces ment as this, setting [made somewhere in the vicinity of centrated increasingly on the hand, it may equally well denote of artillery are mobile, and Ger- worthy precedent in Dover, the point of shortest sea Channel shipping and coastal de- the adoption of new strategy, many also has fixed guns capable
crossing from the Continent. international relations,
fences of England. This canalisa- in which the main emphasis would of firing over a range of more than tion of the enemy, effort, was so be on the counter-blockade of the 20 miles. could possibly be negotiat-saxonicum" or "Saxon shore,"
From the time of the "Litus pronounced that the commenta-British Isles. If this is the new
tor must ask whethers Germany strategy, it would largely aim at Even if Germany were able to Dover has been the outer sentinel ed without complete and Do has southern defences, was more exciting ascertain and then forcing Britain to aban- for ordinary shipping, traffic not experimenting on an blocking the Channel for shipping make..the Channel too dangerous unreserved mutual confid-and its military importance has which is the best method of bring- don her east coast.ports, and per- could still reach the cast coast increased ever since the villain- ing "proud Albion" to her knees haps their defences as well. An ports round the north, and ence. It defines America's ous Bustace the Monk attacked, it
aerial blitzkrieg would be an en-could still use the west with"divers new military, ma- The very fact of experimenta- tirely direct-form of frontalat-harbours. The sympathies in the great chines" over seven centuries ago: tion in different forms of attack tack; an intensification of the of the waters between southern world conflict to a degree
shows that finality is probably, not constal blockade would mean a Ireland and Wales emphasised the It has always kept the narrows yet reached, at the German High primarily indirect attack, with fact that Britain could answer a beyond misunderstand-of the Channel open to traffic; Command: and other circum-localised frontal - lattacks, as counter-blockade on the south by
however much foes pressed on stantial evidence exists to show against Dover and other key- an increased emphasis on ing. It furnishes solid other parts of England. It was the that there is a conflict of opinion points along the coast.
north; Dover. Patrol, from the North in Germany as to the methods to basis for a further Foreland to Beachy Head that be used against Britain. While it In view of the general degree of
Raiders' Losses cementing of common in-enabled London to be fed during is clear that the ultimate goal re- preparedness in Great Britain to- the Great War, and military ex-mains the subjugation of Britain, day, many arguments may be ad- terest relations.
perts said then that, if Dover had the events of the last six weeks duced in favour of the blockade There is no reason to suppose, not kept the sea tracks open, a in general, and the past fortnight form of attack. Germany would however, that the southern waters third of the population of London in particulary reveal doubts in the still be making use of the arms will be closed to sear traffic. The Meanwhile, Britain would have had to be diverted to German mind whether that goal in which she is strongest, and German attacks would need to be
the western counties, The break-
would be using to the full the intensified greatly over a gains the most immediate water and harbour facilities of
new strategical advantages. con- siderable period of time, before benefits. Within a few Dover spelt safety for the patrol
ferred on her by the occupation of Britain could be obliged to divert that kept the Channel clear.
the French and Belgian coasts, and her shipping, and, if our shipping at the same time she would not be suffers, the figures of the losses in staking everything on one blow, aerial fighting show that the great- as she would be doing if she risk-er the number of warplanes com- ed her air fleet in a direct blitz-ployed, the greater the attackers' Krieg. It she failed in the latter losses. The employment of con- way in the time, which course of the present war should should be achieved by, a direct, and irrevocable, and would mean heavy bomb and relying on a case, her failure would be final verted fighters carrying: 'n single will greatly relieve the have been fought out over Duver shattering blitzkrieg, or by an in the turn of the war against her rapid "hit-and run" raid, suggests the other day, but this time, the tensifed blockade, with specific whereas there would be no finality the wish to avoid the losses in- strains of anti-invasion divers new military-machines attacks directed mainly against if her new form of ralding block-volved in the direct raids of
threatened Britain's fortress from the vital sea artery through the ade were checkmated, because bombers protected by fighters, patrols and of keeping the the air. The Dover fight may be Channel,
she would still have the bulk of -world's shipping...lanes).
her airforce available, It would be unwise to dismiss
Apart from the growing cost to pen.
the idea that there will be a blitz. Whatever the
the Germans and the soft-proven and armed merchant krieg, for Hitler favours the direct strategy that Germany may adopt, superiority of the British defence, While the Navy is pro-cruisers in service, and it knock-out blow, and he has him there is no doubt that while her there is the fact that, even if Ger- selt said that excessively brutal attacks have not yet reached the many, secures a localised success bably in a happier posi-needs little imagination methods are justified if, at what height of their momentum, they over the narrow.rwaters of the tion than when the war
to perceive how Britain's ever disastrous cost, they shorten have not succeeded. The English Channel, Britain has ample ac
a war. Despite all the difficulties Channel still winesses the pas“ cumulated supplies to carry, her patrol work will be simpli- of reorganisation that arose when sage of merchantmen and the over the period of adjustment started, "her 200 destroy-fied now her destroyer France collapsed, it is surprising patrol work of the naval units; when she is organising 4 diversion that Hitler has allowed weeks to the Port of London still func-of her shipping. Further, her ers have been overwork fleet is to be increased elapse without decisively attack-long in its everyday tasks; and general, shipping position is better ed. No essential work has from 200 to 250 vessels.ing England, particularly in- view the line of commercial ports plong than when the war started, so far
of the fact that, while Germany the cast coast, is still open.
as tonnage is concerned. The chances of a fighting blockade. -been neglected, but des- It is perhaps coinciden- was undoubtedly strengthening
thus appear, no more hopeful for tal that 58 of the Great her position in the interim it was troyers are more suitable war destroyers have been tish were improving their de
obvious to the world that the Brl- Four Ways Of Attack the enemy than an aerial blitz- krieg. or an attempted land in- vessels for many of the modernised and recomences: with every day that was
Having obtained the French vasion.. The very possibility of a bases, the Germans can attack in switchover to a blockade tasks than the types of missioned" by the United
four correlated ways; They can against a blitzkrieg testifles to the. ships now being used. An States this year, and that; Possible New Strategy use bombers against British ship- enormous strength of a besieged ping, especially the dive bombers, Britain. However great may, be American destroyer, even 50 obsolete' ships are The recent concentration on the which are so difficult to answer our losses, an attack on the Bri- of 1914-18 vintage, is now ready for delivery. It Channel objectives, may prove to effectively. Secondly, they can em-tish Isles, would be for, and away
be merely a preliminary phase of ploy numbers of short-distance the most difficult task, Hitler has.. clearly more useful than is a coincidence which the general blitzkrieg,, and it may surface-raiders of the torpedo boat undertaken. That, no doubt, is many of the hastily-com- need not disturb well-at any moment be followed up by type, which, are so small, and so why he has allowed so many of a blow delivered by the full weight speedy that they form most: ulf" the precious summer weeks to missioned convoy vessels wishers of Democracy.
Jof, Goering's air armada, in, waveficult targets for defending airpass without his final offensive.
vouchsafed them.
underlying
ás.