The Grey River Argus MONDAY, June 15, 1942. AIR POWER SPELLS VICTORY

Grey River Argus, 15 June 1942, Page 4

The Grey River Argus MONDAY, June 15, 1942. AIR POWER SPELLS VICTORY

Fortunes in the several war theatres continue to vary. The latest news fhom the Pacific makes reading as good for this and the nearby Dominion as for .the Americans, whose forces have | in the past month played the main part in altering a situation that previously had looked perilous. ■ In other seas the enemy submarines maintian their menace, and transport remains for the United Nations a vital prolr lem. ■ There, is a. warning that even in the Pacific it is going yet more over to war purposes, and that in these southern countries civilians must make shift with still fewer imports. The spread of harder fighting along the Russian fronts, especially on the southern ones, where Kharkov is again a scene of battle, and Sebastopol in greater danger than ever, is accompanied by rather a startling item of news. This is th/at of the landing at Murmansk of a P>ritish force, between ten and twenty thousand strong, and it points to the early opening of a second European front as a check upon the Axis spring offensive. More American troops have landed in the North of Ireland, whose mission can be no other thlan that of a second front. On the Asiatic, mainland the Japanese, who have enormous forces tied up in various parts of China, have now Avon at great cost, the Chekiang aerodrame centre of Chuhsien, but the ene- : my is not evidently feeling yet ; sufficiently secure to /attack ln- | dia. On the whole, there appears sound justification for the belief that the tide of war has begun to run against the Axis, because their war material • superiority has qome to an end. The Libyan theatre again presents one of its kaleidoscopic vagaries, and contrary 'to earlier

British, forecasts, the initiative is now with Von Rommel, though his chances of penetrating to the coast and to Tobruk are not Hecessarily any better than they were prior to the enemy turning the Allied left flank at Bir Hacheim. Enemy losses are apparently still greater. Air power is an important factor in the British campaign. Indeed, air power is steadily gaining fresh ascend ancy throughout the war operations, and most significant is the remarkable disclosure that in the Battle of Coral Sea aircraft did practically all the destruction, keeping the warships too far apart for their guns to do more than fire at the planes. Ag.hin in the Midway Island battle aircraft were easily the greatest destructive agency, and in this fact lies a source of great reassurance for all of the ‘countries which the Japanese have menaced in recent months. They are in the wiay of losing finally their numerical superiority in aircraft-carriers, and that is calculated altogether to cramp their style for the future. The Americans can easily outbuild the Japanese in all types of fighting craft, but in bombers they have licked the enemy twice to a frazzle, and it looks as if they can go on winning every round, in the atmosphere. The Japanese have reached out northwards to the Aleutians, land may next renew their attempt to do likewise. to the southwards, Jmt meantime they are doing far the most of the bonib*stopping north of Australia. Their initiative, except on land, is already threatened, The Allies have, however, yet to show th,tit they afie able to assume the offensive against Japan. They at least are demonstrating the ability to thwart her navy and air force, and in the process (are doubtless weakening enemy powers of eventual resistance. On top of Coral Sea results; the Midway 'triumph of United States bombers appears to be radical and decisive. Attack is often the best defence, but the Japanese must weigh in future much more carefully any offensive action in which they risk combat with American aircraft. It is a fact that is very heartening • for every territory American aircraft are defending to-day. As one just brought into such- prominence, it throws an auspicious sidelight on the Flag Day of the United Nations.