WAR strategy

Dominion, Volume 31, Issue 251, 20 July 1938, Page 6

WAR strategy

Changes Caused By Aeroplanes

Military adaptation of the aeroplane is revolutionising the strategy of warfare, in the opinion of many European and American experts. Lord Strabolgi says the battleship is doomed by the aeroplane the same as the mediaeval knight was doomed by the invention of firearms. “The immediate past,” he says in writing for “Current History, ” “confirms the belief that the air arm has brought about a revolution in warfare as far-reaching as (the discovery of) gunpowder.” Dr. John H. Spencer, of the American State Department told the Society of International Law that “unrestricted use of aircraft in warfare hints at a fearful interpretation—a new philosophy of war. Instead of confining the conflict to armies, it is spread to civilians in the farthest recesses of the country.”

Philip Marshall Brown, the society chairman, said “one of the greatest problems before international law today is that question mark written in the sky by aeroplanes.” He referred to Dr. Spencer’s assertion that “answering atrocity with atrocity leads into the abyss of barbarism which may engulf the whole of civilisation.”

General Giulio Douhet, of the Italian army says in his “Mastery of the Air” that the aeroplane will be the decisive weapon in wars of the future.

Drawing on British manoeuvres incidental to the Italo-Ethiopian conflict, Lord Strabolgi said that in the next European conflict, “however numerous and powerful the sea surface navies, the flying navies probably will decide the issue.” The American aviation authority, Gy Caldwell, declared that Italy’s air threat stopped British sea power in its tracks.

Recalling that wnen Britain massed her navy at Malta the Italians moved the greater part of their air force within easy striking distance, Mr. Caldwell said the fleet “immediately got up steam and fled to Alexandria ” In the same vein Major-Gen. J. F. C. Fuller, writing in “The English Review,” says he is “appalled” at the little being done to prepare England’s civilian population to face the certainty of aerial bombardments” if war comes.

“L’lllustration” (Paris) joins in saying active defence by anti-air-craft batteries is not enough. Some authorities, says Captain Corley McDarment, U.S.A., retired, in the Air Corps news letter, wotild consider five iter cent, hits high for the best anti-aircraft batteries to-day.

Brig.-General G. H. Breet. United States Air Corps, contends that “we may expect to attack (in event of war) with chemicals (sprayed from aeroplanes) and have chemicals used against us.” Emperor Haile Selassie, of Ethiopia, describing Italian air raids to the League of Nations Assembly in 1936. said:—

“Special sprays were installed on board aircraft so they could vapourise over vast areas a fine, death-dealing rain. It was tints that soldiers, women, children, cattle, lakes, rivers and pastures were drenched continually with this deadly rain.”