Comments on: Wednesday, 5 October 1938

By: Brett Holman

Brett Holman — Mon, 13 Oct 2008 04:49:49 +0000

Wasn’t just the French who were saying that. In 1934, the Defence Requirements Committee suggested beefing up the Army so that it could prevent the Low Countries from being used to bomb Britain, and in turncould be used as a forward base for bombing Germany.

By: Erik Lund

Erik Lund — Wed, 08 Oct 2008 16:09:29 +0000

Oh, there was plenty of prospect of navigation aids in 1939. While the visionaries were mostly talking about improving dead-reckoning by automating it (which came too), airline work on “radio ranges” and landing aids was of long standing, and any bomber could ask for a radio fix, anyway.

By: Chris Williams

Chris Williams — Wed, 08 Oct 2008 11:28:01 +0000

In 1939/40, that _was_ the place to do it. Attacking SE England from France and the Low Countries is _vastly_ easier than doing so from Germany, as Bomber Command discovered in 1939-42 when it tried it in the opposite direction. One example – the bomber offensive got a lot more powerful in late 1944 simply because Gee transmitters moved east with the Allies.

Even if there’s no prospect or knowledge of triogonometric navigation aids, distance means early warning, a well-known threat axis, and the arrival of an enemy who are already tired and low on fuel. And unescorted. Compare Adlertag and Wilhelmshavn, for example.

By: Erik Lund

Erik Lund — Tue, 07 Oct 2008 23:53:29 +0000

You’d be surprised at just how single-minded French policy makers are about the phrase “British continental commitment.” The place to defend Britain from enemy aeroplanes is on the battlefields of Belgium and Holland!

By: Brett Holman

Brett Holman — Tue, 07 Oct 2008 13:11:37 +0000

Well, it was customary in the British press to use the relevant honorific: Signor Mussolini, Herr Hitler, M. Daladier, Mr. Chamberlain. Mussolini and Hitler were important world leaders and not yet enemies, so it’s not so surprising really.

By: CK

CK — Mon, 06 Oct 2008 12:18:54 +0000

…and blow me down if that sidebar doesn’t deserve comment. Good to see everybody clearing the deck.

“Signor” Mussolini WTF?

By: CK

CK — Mon, 06 Oct 2008 12:12:39 +0000

At some point, Brett, you’re going to have to weave “It was the last summer before the war…” into a post.

But that’s still six months away.

By: Brett Holman

Brett Holman — Sun, 05 Oct 2008 16:16:01 +0000

Could be wrong, but I don’t think there’s much call for tanks until 1939, after the next Czech crisis. (Which I won’t be post-blogging!)

By: Erik Lund

Erik Lund — Sun, 05 Oct 2008 15:01:51 +0000

If the Territorials go on AA guns, who is going to drive all of Lord Nuffield’s new tanks?
Hmm, maybe the French won’t mind fighting the Germans one-on-one if Liverpool has adequate AAA.
Or, well, there’s national service.
But that would be crazy.