THE TURNING OF THE TIDE?
SIRS I suggest that the bad news from France need not be taken too tragically, and that, on the contrary, we may be witness- ing the turning of the tides of war. Germany's sweeping suc- cesses have been due not so much to her superiority in numbers of men and machines, as to the development of a particular technique of invasion with characteristic thoroughness. This was the combination of vertical air warfare with swift, thrusting move- ments of mechanised forces below. That combination simply won't work against us if only we can prevent our great anti- tank ditch—the Channel—from being crossed, or, if it is crossed, have field artillery ready to destroy any tanks that are landed. Air-raids there will be, of course, and we must endure our adversity for a season. If we do, grimly, stoically, but hopefully, the end must be victory. Our air-power is growing, and with sea-power it must prevail. In horizontal air warfare, given only sufficiency of fighters—and they are coming—we should be able to establish an absolute mastery, and then the enemy bombing will be only sporadic and ineffective. Already the R.A.F. has shown that it is mightier in battle than the Luftwaffe. Let us concentrate on the air affair (not neglecting our sure shield on the sea and home defence on land), and victory is as certain as the sunrise.—Yours faithfully, J. M. SPAIGHT.
Inglemere, 29 Smithayn Downs Road, Purley, Surrey.
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