THE CHINA MAIL, OCTOBER 26, 1940
CHINA MAIL
WINDSOR HOUSE
IMPROVING ON ANANIAS
LDV
The Battle Of Britain
no,
"When mountains we saw
more, rivers ceased to flow, And we thought the scene had come to an abrupt end, Lo, darkened with willows but
brightened with blossoms. Another beautiful village sud- can be borrowed to describe the denly appeared before us!"
the dark hours of the collapse first mind of the people in England in
of the French Belgium, then forces, and now in the time of the brilliant defence during the first phase of the Battle of Britain. Up to the time of the capitula tion of France it must be confes-
Even in their most am- bitious moments, Ananias and his wife Sapphira would probably have hesi- tated to aspire to the Heights of mendacity at- tained by Dr. Goebbels. Under the tutelage of this gnome-like propagandist the Berlin radio and the German News Agency have learned to retail the lie direct and the lie cir- cumstantial with remark- able proficiency. Yet their falsehoods lack perfection because they deceive so few people outside of Ger-¡ many. Over-emphasis and an exaggerated estimate of human credulity re- duce them, very often, to absurdity. "The Newsed that Germany had been ex- York Times" finds it suf-tremely fortunate. Though the ficient to study freight tow Countries
invasion and occupation of the and Scandinavia rates to obtain complete and the entry of Italy into the war on the side of Germany were grounds for discrediting expected, the sudden surrender of the king of Belgium and Marshal U-boat sinking claims. As Petain's truce-seeking were
great surprises to everybody, in- an instance of uncons-cluding, I think, Herr Hitler him- cious humour, it would be self. While they were very plea- sant surprises to him, they were difficult to improve on the heavy blows to Britain. Herr Hitler the aggressor, with millions recent statement of the of men mobilised, could not afford German News Agency to be idle. He was bound to turn that the R.A.F. "must to the attack on the British Isles. every man and every gun he had take a scientific course if
for land and Wales, Scotland and The part of Ireland is a comparatively it wants to equal the Ger- Allies were in a position of great easy job compared with flying man achievements"-this risk in evacuating a large army over nearly the whole of the con-
hurriedly from Dunkirk. It was tinent of Europe. only shortly after the almost a miracle that more than comparison between "German achievement" of three hundred thousand men were
saved. But they lost nearly losing 187 'planes in a sin- their equipment, and in days like -gle day! Even more amus- these it has taken a long time effi-
ciently to re-arm them, ing was the "circumstan- Herr Hitler, on the one hand, had Whilst tial" broadcast by Berlin subdued his last enemy on the continent and obtained access to a radio declaring solemnly great deal of material in France, that numerous pedlars Great Britain, on the other hand, were selling cocaine she was expecting from the con- throughout the West End tinent, had greatly to increase the of London to people whose nerves had been shattered
At that time the augury Britain was not too good.
two
all
having been deprived of the help
fortification of her coast and hur-
riculy to re-equip her army.
Though faced with these heavy odds, the British never lost their
success in
their
It is clear, then, that if Ger- Air Force want to bomb Berlin or is the Air Force which will be On the other hand, if the Royal many wants to attack Britain it any important city in Germany the decisive factor. With they have to fly a very long dis- numerical superiority, the Ger- tance before reaching their objec-mans have been hoping to gain lives, and to encounter enemy de-air supremacy over Britain. As fences for a much longer time you than the Germans.
will already have heard, back from the attack again they air attacks over Britain. The re- On their way there have been continuous mass are exposed to their enemy for a sults, as again you will long time over his territory. heard, must have been very dis-
appointing to spite of their greater quantity, the quality of their Air Force cannot
Herr Hitler.
have
In
to reach their bases.
and
own
sand aircraft, Including all types., macy of the sea, it appears that or blow up in the air. Any craft Even taking away heavy losses of Germany, even with the help of, which has been damaged a thousand or two, their number the Italian fleet, dare not compete breaks away must still be many times greater with Britain.
to escape is never than the of the Royal Air Force, weapon on sea has been her un- ly, you know, many of the 'planes Germany's only reported as destroyed. And sure- With the occupation of the north limited U-Boat warfare. This thus damaged of France and the whole of Bel- has done a lot of damage to Allied
never were able
way, they have air gium, Holland, Denmark and Nor- as well as to Neutral shipping, but It is true that the country which bases sur- it has not been decisive. Their is on the defensive in an air at- From most of these places they boat of great speed-have rounding Britain in a semicircle. E-Boats-a kind of light torpedo.tack has certain disadvantages. can reach London and all other with even less
met Bombs falling on its soil and dam-. Important British cities and ports Channel.
the age on the ground are unavoid- in a very short time.
⚫able. Even shrapnel and. bullets from the anti-aircraft guns will
Any pilot or crew from the invad- do some damage to its own peo- ple. But there is this advantage.
they bale out by parachute, and therefore have to be counted as ing aircraft will be captured if
lost, while on the other hand, any country, if he is not wounded, can parachutist landing in his
report for action immediately.. Then there is the question of sal-
vice again, and those which are vage. Aircraft which are slightly
badly damaged can at least damaged can be repaired for ser-
salvaged as scrap. It is said that sented Britain with a very large Herr Hitler has generously pre- amount of scrap metal in the course of his recent continuous mass air attacks on this country.
It seems to me that Herr Hitler he intends to invade Britain. At has little chance of success if
Army is at home, and never be- present a large part of the British fore has she had so many men in these islands. The whole coun- try has now been proclaimed as a defence area, and every part of Perhaps these figures, people these islands is well-guarded by: With regard to the armies, these will say, sound too good to be the regular army as well as by either party starts an have to be kept in reserve until true. Then I must tell you that the Home Guards. They are
invasion. they are, in a way, far from be- waiting to give the invaders Germany, though she has a bigger ing correct. They err on the mod hearty welcome. Herr Hitler may and perhaps better equipped army, est side. cannot make use of it until she given out only represent enemy and Holland to the use of parach- These official figures attribute his successes in Belgium obtains the supremacy of the air planes which are seen to crash! utists, but he will find a very dif-
As for the supre- to the ground, dash into the sea, ferent story in England.
As for reconnaissance flights, Germany again is in an advantag- cous position. To fly over Eng
By
Dr. S. I. Hsiung
be compared with that of Britain. On August 15th, no less than 108 German aircraft were shot down over Britain and her coast, and the majority of them were bomb- ers or dive bombers. Three days later, on August 18th, in another big attack 153 aircrait were des troyed. Britain's losses during these two occasions were 34 22 respectively, and it must be added that out of the 31 machines There is no lost all of them single-seater which the Royal Air Force has to out of the 22, 10 pilots are safe. the area fighters-17 pilots are safe and
German Air Force.
cover and that which faces the
and of the sea.
and.
The Moral Weapon
By R. A. Scott James
be
all
4
by bombing raids. A large courage and their firm belief in ten since the downfall of France mostly
Much has been said and writ-country--and I think they would er friendly neutrals.. shipment of the drug, anal victory. It was then that about Great Britain's means
be outside who might But there is an asset of another, the whole nation began to pre-
of say to it: "What can you hope to kind of which too little is heard "disguised as wheat," had, pare for the Battle of Britain withsisting a German invasion. An gain by continuing the war? You the moral or spiritual asset. We
redoubled determination it was stated, arrived in al
aticmpted invasion of Britain ars undefeated. All your armed never cease to hear that this is and seemed the obvious sequel speed, and in a very few months the occupation of France; and your freedom and your ideals for volves the mobilisation of all re- to forces are intact. You retain total war, and that total war in- récent convoy, presum-their achievements have been the prespect of so sensational a the citizens of your own ably one of the convoys munitions and vehicles which they thoughts.
truly magnificent. All the guns, move held first place in
coun- | sources, of all kinds. Of these men's try, and for citizens of the Do- morale, and moral influence, are that did arrive! Perhaps lost in Belgium and France have strongly emphasised that the ob- Colonies.
But if cannot be too minions, and controï of your of the first importance. Adolf an exploratory examina- long ago. been replaced.
How can you expect Hitler Their jces of the British aircraft production, in the hands is not merely to repel a German
himself has never for a Government, singlehanded to overcome tion of De Quincey's writ-of Lord Beaverbrook, now largely invasion. but to win the war.
the moment forgotten this factor making for victory. All who ings had already convin- exceeds the output of Germany Great Britain is charged with the
were discontented with the without taking into account the task of destroying the supremacy ced Dr. Goebbels and his aircraft which are beginning to of the Nazis in Europe.
political disorders of democracy, all who desired to be enlisted on fellow propagandists that pour in from America.
the side of arbitrary authority remember Londoners were tradition-
against real or imaginary Indis- will
cipline, were regarded as poten- ally drug-minded; though
Out of such material the Nazi tial recruits to the Nazi cause. it was not cocaine but
agents, working. with Jesuitic "just, subtle, and mighty
I am convinced that the reply zeal, created "Fifth Columnists." prolongation of the British Government would opium," whose praises De
for of the war. Let us look forward be: "That is defeatism. Our ob can play, There are millions of But that is a game that two the ject is to win the Quincey sang. It is well
War. We people in Germany was Germans have either
who detest attempted shall fight on? known that the Nazi pro- nations in an amicable way at the that they have given it up
the regime.. trying to settle the disputes of the to invade Britain and failed, or
There is, an over- I am not going to attempt to whelming majority in the "con- as forecast Britain's military plans.quered countries who despise their paganda machine combs round table, Germany, the aggres- u project too risky. Let us also We shall, of course, be rem.nd-puppet Governments. the literature of the past re-arming herself. The first few ed that in spite of the damage from Italy,
sor, had been secretly and rapidly suppose them to have discovered that Germany alone, apart And outside Germany and the in search of suggestive months of the war were not effi- they may do to British shipping greater than the total white po- force of the side that stands for boasts a population conquered countries the moral ammunition. Apparently, by the time France had collapsed, ade the island, har on the other that it can now use the industrial draw sympathy
ciently utilised by the British, and by air action they cannot block-pulation of the British Empire; liberation will more and more however, they have not Britain was still a long way be hand break Britain's
and win moral blockadej, resources of all the conquered support leading to as much, mus In such circumstances It is materials it formerly had dim with non-belligèrence. tary English saying that the Battle of Britain with, heavy coly that
In the Hitler will make culty in obtaining: and that odds against her.. a little learning is a dan-
offers that he thinks acceptable would be at an advantage in mili-to make, not merely to avoid de- it plan ct campaign that Britain has Now, let us carefuly study: the Herr titler may think that he tary operations on the continent, feat, but to crush its enemy,. it gerous thing." Certainly advantages of the Invaders. As can secure peace and do what euon when Great Britain is fully must use to the utmost this great
their navy is much interior to that he likes with Europo no better proof of Pope's of Britain, they naturally had re- French Empire, if he offers
and the equipped. I leave it to others to asset, doubling the value of its..
It is important to It is quite clear that to win thefts, for the moment war, the offensive must be taken, uredly come when
as might of Germany on the Euro- But the time is not yet ripe for will start a new peace offensive to avoid further bloodshed and the Nazis pean mainland? Is it not better Britain to do this. On the con- and will hope to win over those come to terins now?" trary, she must for the time be- who might think that nothing is ing prepare for a thoroughly de- to be gained by a this is that while Britain, whose a little, and suppose that aim has always been peace,
fensive warfare. The reason
yet encountered the salu-many. That is why she started
hind the preparedness of Ger- of Europt's Atlantic coastline. countries, and has access to raw|terial support as is compatible
aphorism could be advan-course to their air force, which is respect the complete integrity of nomic advantages which Britain, those who use it and the de- to polit out the military and eco-equiptment by the moral force of much superior in size to that of Great Britain and the British on the other hand, would retain moralisation of these, nguinst.. ced than this singular Britain, though not in quality, It Empire. I have no doubt that thanks to command of the occails whom It is used, in the cm- misjudgment of British has been estimated that at the the British Government would and the equipment which it may ployment of this weapon it will
Beginning of the war character and habits.
Germany unhesitatingly say. No. had probably thirty or forty thou
expect to draw from the Domi- not need formal allies-it will be To those, inside or outside the long, the United States, and oth; enough to have sincero. friends.