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German Invasion of the Low Countries preparatory to attack on the United Kingdom.

20.

Paragraphs 53 and 60 of the appreciation contain

apparently divergent statements as to whether or not a

German invasion of the Low Countries is an essential

preliminary to attack on the United Kingdom.

We consider that a German occupation of the Low

Countries is probably essential for actual invasion of the

United Kingdom; but that Germany could maintain a very

high scale of air attack on this country, its ports and

shipping without violating Dutch or Belgian territory.

21.

Unrestricted Offensive against British Sea-borne Trade.

The Allied Military Committee consider that an

unrestricted offensive against British sea-borne trado by

an intensification of the present naval and air attacks

would offer Germany the best prospects of decisive results

against Great Britain. This, of course, is in accord with

views previously expressed by the Chiefs of Staff.

22.

In this respect wo would draw attention to the fact

that recent air attacks on shipping in the North Sea bear

no relation to the scale of attack which the German air

force may make when the weather improves. The Chiefs of

Staff are well aware of the military measures designed to

meet this threat. They may, however, think it advisable

to invite the attention of the War Cabinet to the need for

accelerating as a matter of the greatest urgency those

measures which are the responsibility of other departments.

In particular we have in mind the reduction of non-essential

imports, the merchant ship-building programme and the

completion of facilities for handling the greatest

possible proportion of our sea-borne trade through West

Coast ports.

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