THE AIR OFFENSIVE
SIR,—Postal difficulties have delayed my reply to Mr. Alan Lambert. It is useless to try and ensure that the German nation will not again wish to make war—from fear. Certainly they must be shown that war doesn't pay, but also must they be shown that there is, in life, a " better way."
We wish to stop the Germans having their way because in our eyes it is evil. We also want to show them that we are constant and that there are higher standards even in war. We are primarily fighting against those who wish to make war, and presumably a minority of these will be in the civilian centres.
Moreover we do not know that the German civilians glory in the barbarous bombing of defenceless cities and refugees. The blockade is primarily to limit essential material for waging war, and owing to German policy we cannot starve the combatants alone.
I do sincerely believe that the spirit of deliberate civilian bombing differs from that of attacking the war machine proper. In fighting we have chosen the lesser of two evils, but the spirit in which we fight matters very much. There must be no hatred in our hearts, but rather a desire to stop them having their way so that we can show them a " more excellent" way. It is all important that we should let the Germans become aware of this spirit in every way we can.—Yours
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