Tuesday, September 3, 1940

HAS THE BLITZKRIEG "SPENT ITS FORCE"? Larry Rue writes in Monday’s Chicago Tribune of a wave of optimism suddenly sweeping England in the wake of Germany’s failure so far to launch an invasion, the Luftwaffe’s high losses in England’s skies, and the R.A.F.’s proven ability to take the war to the Ruhr and even to Berlin --

"The notion here persists that Germany has shot her wad and while attacks will continue on a large scale R.A.F. planes and pilots have proved themselves unbeatable and capable of destroying any attacking air armada, no matter how large, which the Germans may launch. It is further believed here that the British bombers are actually taking the offensive and nightly wreaking the enemy by destroying vital munitions factories, airplane works, and oil depots in Germany. Altho Britain for a week has been fighting day and night to beat back enemy bombers and fighter planes, it is not what is happening in England which is the big news here but what the R.A.F. is doing to Germany."

The bravado in the press has led to comments like this one from the Sunday Express -- "We have shaken him; now to break him." But it’s way too soon for Britons to start talking that way. Surely the newspapermen haven't forgotten the wave of giddiness last April, when the commentators and Chamberlain’s own ministers were full of rosy predictions about chasing the Germans out of Norway by May 15. And then Chamberlain boasted Hitler had "missed the bus" and was no longer a threat in the West-- six days before Nazis launched their greatest offensive. Hitler's drive on the British Isles might have been stalled, at least for now, but the Reich still possesses tremendous resources. And it’s a pretty sure bet that the Fuehrer will turn the bulk of those resources against Britain in the fighting to come, for as long as it takes. Here’s to hoping Churchill will step in to dampen the latest round of enthusiasm.

THE WAR IS AT A CROSSROADS. Hanson Baldwin looks at the war’s one-year mark in Sunday’s New York Times and finds not surprisingly that "the future is obscure." But he finds a few clear points --

"(1) Another German lightning conquest, promised for last Summer, has been averted. (2) Britain must continue to dominate the Eastern Mediterranean if she is to have any eventual hope of winning this war. (3) Air superiority will continue to play a large role, if not a primary one, in the struggle, and Britain is slowly gaining vis-a-vis Germany. (4) Britain is fighting the continent of Europe."

Mr. Baldwin finds the British have opportunities yet still face great dangers -- "In past wars of this nature...Britain has won only with the aid of allies; allies who could give her added power and a base on the Continent of Europe. Britain alone may be able to stave off defeat, but without allies she probably cannot win. Today the United States is closer to actual military participation in the war on Britain’s side than ever before, and Russia and Turkey loom as potential, though possibly far distant, enemies of Germany. But those eventualities, if they come to pass at all, are still well off in the future, and it must be remembered that the full might of the Axis powers has not yet been thrown into the scales in this Campaign of Britain."

GALLUP SURVEY -- DON’T SEND FOOD TO EUROPE. The latest survey from Dr. Gallup, in Sunday’s Washington Post, shows strong opposition among Americans to the idea of sending U.S. food aid to prevent starvation in the countries of Western Europe this winter. The numbers are 38% in support, and 62% opposed. Gallup says there’s two reasons for the negative sentiment that outweigh any feelings of compassion -- "Despite strong neutral sympathies for the innocent victims of the European war, the American public’s first reactions are that feeding nations now under Adolph Hitler’s control would be only an indirect method of feeding Hitler’s Germany. Moreover, they believe that the dangers involved in sending American ships to Europe at the present time are too great to be risked."