U.S.A. FORECAST

Hokitika Guardian, 5 December 1940, Page 5

U.S.A. FORECAST

BY MILITARY EXPERT.

(United Press Association—By Electric Telegraph—Copyright)

WASHINGTON, Dec. 3

A United States official observer, General Chaney, has returned from Britain He reported: “The air batties in September were as decisive as Waterloo. Britain will not lose the war unless she is careless or is overconfident.”

General Chaney described the air battles ot August and September as being as decisive as Marathon or Waterloo. “I do not believe Britain will lose the war, unless she becomes careless or over-confident,” he said. “The German planes are good, but the present German fortress warfare will never bring Britain to her knees. The United States observers have gained secret technical information worth a hundred million dollars.” General Chaney expressed the opinion that Britain needs at least one hundred destroyers, merchantmen, aircraft, and munitions from the United States, and also bases from Eire. Genera 1 Chaney said: “The air battles in Britain have been divida.ble into three phases. Firstly came those that began on August Bth. Those featured wave after wave of German bombers, escorted by fighters, these attacked shipping and aerodromes, but they spared the port facilities that could be used for the invasion of Britain. The second phase began on August 18 and finished on September 15. This was a destructive phase, but the German losses v ere immense. The third phase has been that of concentrated attacks. These are now continuing. Britain was overwhelmingly victorious in the first and second phases. This la-gelv was due to ground detection facilitating the British figher planes in their work and permitting the archies to shoot down one-seventh of the total German casualties.

General Olianey said that in liis opinion the quality of the German petrol is high, while in some of their features, the German engines are superior to those of Biitain and America. On the contrary, the German hombsight is not as good as that used In the British. He also was of opinion that the German Messersohmitt planes were not capable of further improvement, due to inherent limitations.

He said: “The American planes are inferior in armament, compared tj the British and German planes ” Tie added- “f am optimistic as ti the outcome of the wax as far as Britain is concerned.”