BRITAIN'S AIR STRATEGY

New Zealand Herald, Volume 79, Issue 24203, 19 February 1942, Page 4

BRITAIN'S AIR STRATEGY

Sir,—ln Tuesday's Herald there are quotations from an article in the Daily Express on Britain's air strategy. The opinions there expressed ought to be pondered by every man and woman. A democracy is governed bv public opinion and everyone of us is. responsible for the formation of public opinion. Britain, tortured by German bombing, yielded to clamour and concentrated on building bombers that were to smash Germany and "finish the job." W hat. have the results been, as they now stand before us? v Natural feeling apart, it was always plain as the sun in a clear sky that to _ smash Germany by bombing from Britain was impossible. The German air force has always been stronger than * Britain's, her air bases are only a fraction of the distance from Britain that Britain's bases are from Germany, and Britain is a far smaller and more vulnerable target than Germany. Yet in Dombiug Britain Germany failed. She committed many murders, but she won no victories. In trying to do what was impossible to Germany and five times more impossible to Britain a tragic mistake Tvas made. Only too plainly the tragic results are standing before us. In Greece, in Crete, on African deserts, in Malaya and Singapore, on the land and on the seas, everywhere we have had the same tale —unequal combat and shattering losses through want of air support. I am far enough from being an expert, but, bearing in mind the difference in cost between a long-range bomber and a fighting aeroplane, surely any one of us is entitled to ask, "What would the losses and gains have heen if Britain had concentrated on equipping her armed forces in place of concentrating on bombing German towns?" This war must be won by the enemy's fighting forces, not by smashing the enemy's homes. Manurewa. J. Johnstons.