DEADLY ATTACK

Dominion, Volume 24, Issue 187, 6 May 1931, Page 9

DEADLY ATTACK

Italian Military Methods

CHEMICALS; AVIATION

Tactics in Next Conflict

“LIGHTNING MOVEMENT”

By Telegraph—Press Assn. —Copyright (‘‘Times'’ Cables)

(Rec. May 5, 8 p.m.) Rome, May 5. Tlie next war will be one of lightning movement, declares the Minister for War, General Pietro Gazzera, in a report on the Army

estimates, in which he asserts that Italy has taken the boldest of initia- * fives in the reduction of armaments to the lowest possible level.

In support of this the Minister cites Italy’s recent renunciation of naval parity with France in light craft, and the comparison of the present military expenditures, namely: Italy, £28,000,000; France, £54,000,000. “Surprise by aerial and chemical aggression will be the main feature of future wars,” says his report, which advocates the most intimate co-ordina-tion between military preparation on the one hand and scientific and industrial preparation on the other hand. “One of the conditions of the rapid solution of the new type of war is aggressive surprise to enable us to swoop unexpectedly upon the enemy. “War in the air will therefore be of the greatest importance, because the direct lightning action of the Air Force will influence the operations of all other armed forces.”