THE CHINA MAIL, SEPTEMBER 10, 1941,
CHINA MAIL
WINDSOR HOUSE
JAPAN AND THE WEST
-Rumours of an immin- ent diplomatic volte-face by Japan may not he altogether accurate, but there will be few who will not ponder on the old adage, "Where there's smoke, there's fire." Ever since the beginning of the China war four years ago relationships between Japan and the Western world have resembled a
poker game in which every one keeps on bet- -ting and no one wants to show his hand. Matsuo- ka's experiences in Mos- cow and Berlin, where he was welcomed by his old enemy, Stalin, and cruel- ly deceived by his old friend, Hitler; his subse- quent downfall; the agonising hesita- tion which then seized Tokyo; the subsequent de- cision to occupy Indo- China; the freezing of Japanese credits by the
Mate
NAZI RESERVE STOCK!
How
THE NEW MOTHER HUBBARD,
Long Can Nazis Ignore The R.A.F.?
the
The centre of gravity of the rightly, thrown in to check the, than it was at the time of the fall. United States and Bri-air war has shifted to some point German advance.
of France. It may have been sate in Eastern Europe. To the east tain; all indicate that the the
German Russian and
It was, of course, a criticism of then for Germany to neglect its air
the Allies' operations on
long-range attacks; but now the forces are locked in tactical game is about up.
operations covering an enormous ed their aircraft for the strategi- the Short Stirling are in service. Western front that they employ new four-engined bombers like area of ground; to the west the cal bombing of objectives far from They are supplemented by other Royal Air Force is engaged on the lines when the urgent need no less remarkable machines
tactical duties was for their employment an like the Avro Manchester and the
in .giving the American Boeing Fortress (as. it, armies support.
may eventually be called).
was,
the strategical bombing of Ger-|
many and on attacks on enemy shipping off the coasts of Holland
and Norway.
Between the air operations in
At the present time, however, To-day the striking power of strategical bombing comes into the Royal Air Force must be its own and there has never been much more than double what it a clearer test of it. For while on wos a year ago, and its Aghter the Russian front the air arms strength is also enormously are both giving their armies close greater; so that it is able to give. support, the Royal Air Force is day bombers strong escorts, some- forced by geographical considera- times in the ratio of ten fighters tions to confine itself to strategical to each bomber, on its big day- bombing. It is attacking objectives light sweeps. in Western Germany and in Oc cupled France. It seeks to disrupt communications and to diminish German war output. It aims at neutralising large industrial areas and at bringing the factories to
The Western Powers might have continued to pay blackmail, so long as Japan refrained from new aggression; but the the east and those in the west a situation
balance is struck of an entirely at best,
novel and arresting kind, and ironic. Directly or in- helps to throw light on the directly, every cargo sent strength of the Luftwaffe in re- lation to the Royal Air Force and from the United States or also on the relative value of from the East Indies to strategical and tactical bombing. Japan helped the Japan- altered dispositions of the Luft- ese in their efforts to bat-waffe from May 10. On that night
--which was also the night ter our friends, the Chin which Hess arrived in the British ese, into submission and Isles - a heavy night attack was made by German bombers, There prepare the way for new followed a lull, during which re-
The value of strategical bomb- conquests. The fact that ports began to come through of
German preparations to attacking is one of the major mysteries there is now a shortage of Russia.
of this war.
It is convenient to date
the
on
a standstill.
What Was Nazi
· Estimate?
Page
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Can the enemy lie down under the blows of this bigger service? It will be remarkable if he does. so. I expect to see the need to withdraw aircraft from the Rus sian frontier: forced upon the tankers and a shortage of Many of the best. German No matter how strong or how Germans in the near future. 1 the Royal Air Force cannot believe that Germany can oil in America's own east-squadrons have gone to the East- frequent
out long-distance take the present scale of attack ern front. Although all such esticarried ern coast. does not dimin-mates of enemy strength must be raids, they did not appear for long without effective coun-
diminish the fury of ter-attack accepted with caution, the infer- to ish the irony. It was dis-acce is that the Germans moved the enemy's onslaughts Strategi It may he that the time during agreeable enough to sup- a very large bomber flect to con- cal bombing, indeed, stood in which Germany, can remain rela- ply Japan out of the Allied ront Russia and a large fleet of some danger of being discredited tively passive under the R.A.F. day fighters; but fewer night as a military force; and it seems onslaught has been calculated and abundance. It is intoler-fighters. The enemy seems to have that the German High Command that it keys in with the time in able that we should sup-he west, and his reason may fects are small. For, in the present can overcome Russian realstance: left his main night fighter strength still holds the view that its ef- which the Germans believe they ply her out of our scar- have been that he expected an instance, it is impossible to avoid That seems probable. But the Rus city. It would be a crime intensification of the Royal Air noticing that Germany has chosen sians have been resisting better THESE FACTS MAKE
Force night offensive directly he to open her Western frontiers to than the Germans expectett to assist her in her activi- moved against. Russia...
our long-range heavy bombers- The evidence is almost com- In this he was correct; but he for that is what her air force plete and enables the case to be ties, regardless of whether may not have expected the simul movements have in effect done presented in some detail they threaten Singapore taneous intensification of the in order to be free to concontrate The Luftwaffe may possibly be
and the Netherlands In Royal Air Force daylight offen- against Russia clearly not Royal Air Force. Its size may be
sive
The Luftwaffe was
numerically stronger than the dies or are merely a bluff On the Russian front the air large enough to enable it to face about the same as the Bussian intended to immobilise operations are chiefly tactical. the Russian air force and at the air force. It cannot fight against vigorous the Russian air force and maint They are concerned in the main same time to offer as American and British with affording close support to a defence against the Royal Air tain anything more than a token warships in the Pacific...
the armies. The Russians have Force. In fact, for the time being, counter-offensive against Britain, concontrated their air force on the German bombing counter Neither by night nor by helping their land forces. It has attack on Britain is so much day are the Germans defonces The statements by the boen bombing enemy troop con- reduced in scale that we may say sufficient to bold up the Royal Air President and Mr. Chu centrations and enemy transport there is no genuine counter-of-Force strategical bombing
It is all a questipe or how hard It has also been used for attacks fensive to the RAF chill indicate that we are on German tanks. In their use of Now, if ever, is the time for a bomb hits If the answer is through with Far Eastern aircraft against, tanks the Rus- strategical bombing to prove its that the bombs that the R.A.F. Blans are showing a full worth. Now, not later, it must so is now using hit very hard indeed, appeasement. ~ Friendly appreciation of the impor- derange the internal organisation the Germans must re-group their toward a peaceful Japan tante weapons. Whether they are must be called back to defend and armies in the east will receive tance of speed in anti- of Germany that the Luftwaffe air forces. If they do that their we could be and would attacking the tanks with bombs to counter-attacks. If the Ger- less air support and the Russian like to be. Attempting to ona method which would seem mans can lie down under the air force will be able to intensity
to be better with cannon fire has RAF assault and still maintain its tactical bombing buy off an aggressive not positively emerged
their gigantic pressure against In the west there is strutogical Japan is suicidal folly Occasional raids have been Russia the value of strategical bombing in the cast there is tacti
made by the Russians on strate bombing-as it can be done by cal bombing, and close support. The best chance for peace gical objectives, notably oll re-existing forcos will be dis- That Is an extreme simplification of the position; but It Is In the In the Pacific now lies in inories in Rumanin and Black counted.
Ben ports; but the main wolght The Royal. Air Forco is much main accurato. No inore fateful firmness.
of the Russian air force is being,, stronger in-bombing neroplanes balance has over boeni struck t
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