NOTES ON THE WAR NEWS

Evening Post, Volume CXXX, Issue 58, 5 September 1940, Page 12

NOTES ON THE WAR NEWS

ATTACK ON BRITAIN

A MISLAID SCHEME

PROBLEMS FOR NAZIS

Hitler's speech indicates that there has been a change in the plans of the Nazis, a change which they do not relish. It raises the question of what has happened to the famous scheme for the rapid conquest of Britain,- of which so much was heard a few weeks ago and. which j it now appears, is indefinitely postI poned. Preparations Reported. That the Nazis thought they could carry this through there does not seem to be the slightest doubt. Foreign newspapers were full of accounts' of Italian troops moving across' to air bases on the Bay of Biscay, of the German regiments in Paris, their holiday over, marching off. to the north, declaring "we are on the way to England," of the conversion of farms and golf courses into air bases to replace the famous flying , fields whicn had been rendered useless by British bombers. There were-also the concentrations of shipping and of barges, which we heard about in Air .Ministry reports, and frequent statements in Axis newspapers that "the hour was about to strike." Then suddenly there came hesitation, protracted delay. What had happened to the invasion plan? The Eastern Problem. Partly, the explanation appears, to be found in the decision of Hitler to occupy himself consolidating the. position of the Reich in the east. The acceptance of the status of a virtual protectorate by Sweden helped the situation in one direction and was emphasised by the permission granted to the Germans to use Swedish railways for the transport of their armed forces. But there was also perturbation about the Balkans. The last thing that the Nazis wanted was to embark on a risky and wearing campaign against Britain with south-eastern Europe in a state of unrest. There are two other things which tend to be overlooked. One is the fact that1 the Nazis' main problem at the moment is not to defeat England,, but to keep Europe a going i concern. If peace were made tomorrow their problem would remain acute because of the way they have disrupted European economy and starved machinery arid men. The second is the fact that, the position of Germany in Europe is far from secure. . ■ Other People's Battles. ' The Germans find themselves in tha position of fighting other people's battles with nothing to win from them. They see much risk and little: gain from a continuation of the war,, and would probably have made peace gladly last July if Britain would haya agreed to leave them masters of Europe and scrap "the Navy^ (Whether or not the peace would have been kept is quite another matter.) Continuation of the war can mean, only physical destruction in Germany and continued ■ wasteful effort, the expenditure of many men, and the pouring out of plundered treasure. Even if the Nazis were able to win and obtain the break-up of the British Empire, they see this as merely enriching other Powers which are not in the fight with them, some of whom are even opposing them. The British possessions in the Western Hemisphere, for example, could be written off to, the United States. Period of Hesitation. Because these considerations helped to cause a period of hesitation, Britain was able to strengthen her defences. Yet, even so, it is possible that an attack would have been launched but for the events of August 15 arid 18. On those days what appeared to be the beginnings of an attempt to smash British air defences/ and open the way for invasion was made. On the first, day about 1000 planes were sent over, and one of the biggest air battles in history began. On the second day a fresh attack was made with 600 planes. Both assaults were smashed;, on the first day the Nazis lost 180 planes, on; the second day 152. Damaged machines and other casualties not included in the official count probably meant that half the raiding force suffered. These two battles put a completely different aspect on the situation. They showed conclusively that for the first time the Germans had to consider a campaign in which they did not possess a great preponderance of air strength and thus could not move according to plan. They "also emphasised the physical barrier of the Channel. In other words, the Nazis rediscovered a fact which for five years their Press has been denying—that England is. an island. No Autumn Victory. From that time there have been.' no more references to imminent attacks on Britain by the German army, arid the peoples of Germany and Italy have bee~ -treated to propaganda which has indicated that, far from the war being over by the autumn, which they had been promised again and again, it would be protracted, and that the attack on England would be a "gradual process" with certain preliminary stages. Apparently these were to.be the wearing down of Britain's strength, by air action. . , And all the time the calm and sunny days sped away. It was realised m Britain last month that if the Nazis hoped to make an attack on Britain before the winter they would have to move at once. September brings rough seas and unfavourable flying conditions, with frequent rains. The small craft which would have, to transport the German army and equipment across the Channel could not live in some of the seas when the winds blow up. Fogs and clouds would impede tiie Nazi pilots and make navigation -difficult. Their Task Grows.. These facts seem to point to an incentive to attack Britain last month, and, with the failure of that attack*, to make the acceptance of a, long winter campaign almost inevitable. They also appear to explain the attitude of Hitler as revealed by his latest speech. But there is no doubting the fact that the recent weeks have enormously added to the task confronting the Nazis. ■ . . Each succeeding day brings an accession of strength to Britain.. The agreement with the United . States which strengthened our destroyer force by 25 per cent, is one example of. what is happening. All over the Empire the transition from peace to war is being made, and it should always be remembered that what Hitler is fighting is the strongest and greatest natio* in the world, ———.