Word: germanic
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Dates: during 1930-1939
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Actually, Britain is boss of the waves to a greater extent than in 1914, when the German Navy was second in the world, not sixth. But air menace makes the value of England's navy a conundrum, the tradition of Nelson a question mark. London, nerve-centre of the Empire, is 330 miles closer to German airports than Berlin is to English airports. British aircraft and munitions factories are easy targets in the open. And in another war Britain's food supply from overseas may be threatened by air raiders as well as submarine raiders...
Meanwhile Britain is organizing to meet the air threat. Her air armada-pursuit planes, fast Handley Page Hampden bombers-is rapidly being increased as her manufacturing program begins to hit a good stride. The Royal Air Force is equal in morale to the German, its older pilots have had longer training. The British Army's mechanized units (tanks, armored cars), although too few for war strength, are the most advanced in the world. And its officers-neither scholars like the French nor technicians like the Germans-are excellent leaders of men, if only rule-of-thumb strategists...
Professionals criticize the free lances for using popular stereotypes (the "robot" Germans, the "individualistic" French, the "cowardly wops," the "bemused" Russians). They point out that before the World War the German Imperial Army was drilled to the teeth, yet the German mechanical marvel did not fall apart before the attacks of the "individualistic" French and British. Always good military technicians, the Germans teach their men infiltration tactics, stress individualist action by small groups of soldiers, encourage initiative all through the ranks...
...monthly plane replacement capacity at 600, professionals say it is closer to 240. They admit, however, that the British production rate is rising. But, while the British may have solved some of their production problems since Munich, the professionals doubt that Royal Air Force expansion will catch up with German replacement capacity...
Another major subject of debate is over the merits of present military equipment. Although the French have publicly claimed that Germany lacks artillery, most professionals believe that the Nazis, who started from scratch in 1933, have an edge in modern guns, superior to hoary French models. The Germans use a new 105 mm. howitzer while the French rock along with antiquated Seventy-fives. Some professionals also contend that French rifles are out-of-date, "tall as the Eiffel Tower," hence difficult to conceal, whereas the Germans use a short carbine that snuggles neatly into shallow trenches and shell holes; that...