User:HumayunMirzajr/World War II maps

Introduction
The following sketch maps show but the greater geographic features of the areas presented-canalizing the terrain, forming either barriers to or channels facilitating major military operations. On land these natural features are definite parts of the problem confronting a commander of ground troops and to a great extent must also be considered by directors of aerial forces. On the water the sea lanes are restricted only where they pass between natural defiles. These maritime passes must be reckoned with in determining the objectives of sea power. Last but not least, on both land and sea, the art of war embraces the artificial elaboration, suppression or evasion of these natural features, to facilitate defence on the one hand, invasion on the other.

The data sheets facing each map represent in much simplification the available military force of each nation concerned. The yard-stick and presentation is that of fighting power. On land it is the division, made up of infantry, supported by field artillery and a proportion of other arms-the basic self supporting unit of grand tactics. In the air the squadron is the fighting unit, and the bomber is the basic offensive type. On the sea the battleship is the unit of sea power all other vessels are auxiliary to the ships of the line.

Man power alone is a most unsatisfactory and inaccurate yardstick of national fighting power, despite the fact that man is the basic element. Wars are fought by men, not by forget. Men run machines. But unless man be implemented with weapons he cannot wage war against other men properly armed, again a fact often skipped by those unacquainted with military art.

Finally, wars are imitated with the implements on hand. It takes eighteen months to build one anti-aircraft battery with all its vital impedimenta. It takes nearly three years to build one battleship. It takes no longer to build a hundred of either, given the resources, equipment and skilled workers. The point is that they cannot be produced out of a hat by waving a wand. So in estimating national armed forces one can use but single accurate yardstick-organizations of men and material to-day trained and prepared to fight.

The normal divisional formation in the armies of most nations today is triangular three regiments (or equivalent, amounting to nine battalions) of infantry, with a group-ment of light artillery for direct support. Elements of horse cavalry and armoured cars, engineers, signal, medical and supply troops are also included. Divisional strengths vary slightly, with 16000 as a mean. Exceptions to this formation today are Great Britain (12 battalions of infantry organized in 3 brigades), the United States (12 large battalions of infantry in four regiments—2 brigades, supported by a three-regiment field artillery, brigade) and Japan (with practically the same infantry strength as the US and slightly less artillery strength). The US is today experimenting with a three infantry regiment division supported by a field artillery group-ment, but in fact its normal war strength formation is till its World War Division, some 25000 officers and men.

All manoeuvrable fighting formations on land, air and sea are compromises between two diametrically opposed forces, fire-power and mobility, with each nation working out its own concert of compromise.

Bombing time-range tables
The burning question today, as eyes and ears are strained for the droning death from the air, is “How soon can they reach us?” the bombing time-range tables herein included give the answer. Distances are taken from nearest known air base in territory of potential attacker. Calculations are made at the rate of 250 m.p.h., a reasonable speed for modern bombers, and time is taken to the nearest whole minute. The objective is to give the reader a comprehensive idea of the air vulnerability of the capital city and a few key points in each nation considered. It should be remembered that for mass aerial movements air units take off from, one or more dromes at such time as to rendezvous over some given point, ten proceed on mission.

Air line bombing radius
Radius of action for each type of fighting ship is calculated by halving the normal extreme cursing range with full load, less an appreciable fuel-consumption time allowance for necessary manoeuvring. Military airplanes are valuable material, not to be squandered for trivial reasons. They are, therefore, normally sent only on mission from which-hostile attack and destruction always expected-thy may be expected to return.

The Spanish civil war has shown the tactical value of shuttling between two different bases, as opposed to a round-trip mission from any one base. This must be taken into account in any European war where allied nations might well be expected under certain conditions to shuttle their long-distance bomber missions between there respective bases, thus increasing if necessary their bombing radius of action at the same time decreasing the number of air-hours of operation and the fuel consumption; important factors

Average Modern Air Speeds:

Bomber:250 m.p.h.

Fighter:300 m.p.h.

Reconnaissance:250 m.p.h.

Transport:100 m.p.h.