SEVERSKY’S THEORIES

Wairarapa Times-Age, 5 January 1944, Page 4

SEVERSKY’S THEORIES

“VICTORY THROUGH AIR POWER” One of the most controversial pictures e Y er produced in Hollywood will shortly be shown to General MacArthur and his staff. It is Walt Disney s animation of Major Alexander sky’s book, “Victory Through An Power.” Russia's foremost air ugmei, Major Seversky was in the Great War. The film, as narrated by Seversky, depicts Germany as an iron wheel wit a rim (front lines) supported by spokes (supply lines) radiating B ’ om hub (industry). If the rim is at ackedGermany can shift its P lemfoice the threatened sector. If the rim is attacked at all points on the circumference, Hitler can contract the wheel. But if air power strikes at the industrial hub, knocking out the spokes (supply lines), then the entire structure will crumble and surface forces can move in and clinch victory. Seversky argues. Of Japan, with its infinitely larger sphere, Seversky says that it is almost hopeless to defeat Japan bv inch-by-inch, island-by-island, land-and-sea process, which is far too costly in lives and time. He says, in effect, that so long as the army and navy regard the air force in the Pacific as only an auxiliary, the Allies will get nowhere because they are giving time to Japan to consolidate her gains. How to bomb Japan’s hub is the question. By way of Siberia? “No, that is only two’ hours away and the Japs are as well aware of this as we are.” By way of China? “No, inability to get vital supplies into China make it necessary to drive out the enemy from Burma first, then advance from there. This means another major war, plus years of exhaustive fighting.” By aircraft carriers? "No. To destroy Japan with small doses of TNT dropped from na v al planes would require thousands of carriers.” The Seversky solution is: “Long range land-based bombers based directly on continental America-Alaska.”