Page:Corbach (2018) Air Strategy in Asia Poplar Unpopular Books.pdf/2

Corbach (2018) Air Strategy in Asia Poplar: Unpopular Books Power can attack a blockading fleet with enough submarines and airplanes to make the maintenance of the blockade completely impossible.” 'Disarmament' conferences retarded this development, and the fighting power of the old expensive battleships was protected from revolutionary novelties. Undeveloped countries were prevented from arming themselves with cheap modern weapons. 'Pacts' favourable to the traditional naval domination of the big Powers were created, and they resembled so many 'trusts.'

The struggle for control of the Pacific Ocean has been overshadowed by struggle for the domination of Asia's airways. In penetrating Central Asia by way of Manchuria, Japan is not always seeking for new sources of raw material but is also trying to thrust back as far as possible the points of departure for possible airplane attacks on the Pacific islands. The Americans are now planning to help build a huge airplane-motor factory in Russia in order to enable the Soviet air forces to protect their Far Eastern possessions. The rebellion in Fukien was fomented by pro-American Chinese militarists and politicians. They endeavoured to set all of South China in motion against the pro-Japanese tendencies of Chiang Kai-shek and to provide the United States with a concession on the island of Tung Shan as a base for regular air service with the Philippines and, hence, as a base for air attacks in some future war.

Japan was especially alarmed by this plan because the island of Formosa lies close to the coast of Fukien and to the predominantly Communist province of Kiangsi, whose Red army recently tried to reach the coast by way of Fukien. Furthermore, the Nineteenth Route Army, whose General Staff included six of the eleven members of the revolutionary Foochow Government, served at least to cover the Communist rear.

Meanwhile, Japanese-American rivalry for the control of the rapidly developing commercial and military aviation of China has aroused England. Three air squadrons have been established at Singapore. A flying school has been set up in Hong-Kong. The post of a special air attache for China has been created, and the extensive preparations for the air defence of Australia indicate that England's sudden enthusiasm for an air force second to none reflects the recent changes in the Far Eastern balance of power.

Equally significant in this connection is the speeding-up of work on the Canton-Hankow air line, which is financed by British capital and provides Hong-Kong and Hankow with the one air line that does not follow the sea. Hankow, situated in the centre of the Yangtze basin, may be the ultimate goal of the Tibetan expeditionary troops as they head down the Yangtze through northeastern Yunnan and the Province of Szechwan. It is probable that England is endeavouring to fortify her land routes with air bases in the hope of bringing force to bear from HongKong and India on the hinterland of Shanghai since Japan's control of the eastern Pacific is gradually embracing Shanghai.

But, after America recognized Soviet Russia, it had to strengthen its increasing stake in the Pacific area. More important still, it is to America's advantage to use its navy as a controlling element in the whole world of European-American culture. As a sea Power the United States occupies the same advantageous relationship to Europe as Japan does to America, for the American navy could cut off any European opponent from vital possessions and oversea sources of raw material. While Japan pursues its adventurous conquest into the heart of Asia, not only France but England has tended to welcome the opportunity to come to a dubious understanding with Japan in 2/3