The Naval Review The copyright of this article rests with the author, or the author's estate.

THE ATOMIC BOMB

I.

IT has been both interesting and amusing to read in .our daily papers the reactions towards the advent .of the Atomic Bomb and all that it implies.

These reactions have varied from those who voice a sense of despair on the assumption that, failing complete international harmony amongst peoples, man will utterly destroy himself and the world he lives in, to those at the other end of the scale who call far moderation of thought and care not to over-estimate the potentialities of the new weapon; emphasizing the historical fact that there was always a tendency to regard any new weapon, e.g., the submarine, the torpedo, or the heavy bomber, as being the end of all warfare owing to its ability to exterminate completely all former weapons.

Similarly, solutions to the problems were equally divergent. On the one hand there were those who hoped to ban. the use of such a weapon for ever, and on the other hand there was, for example, a particularly outspoken statement made by a leading Army officer in the United States who was emphatic on the importance of pressing on with the development of the weapon in an offensive role to ensure that the United States, at least, would not be outstripped in such weapon development by any other nation.

What are WE going to do about it? This is an interesting debatable subject; so much so that if we are not careful we shall find ourselves sitting on the fence still debating whilst our Continental neighbours press on with its development and may, unexpectedly and soon, confront us with a weapon lethal to our existence as a nation. Shall we have no counter, either offensively or defensively?The following is a tentative line of thought which is offered as an initial cockshy.

This last six years of war has brought home to us most thoroughly the inescapable fact that any future war threatening this country is bound, if our race is to survive, to call for the concerted support of the whole Empire. This applies equally to any individual component of the Empire. No single member can hope to survive a major assault without the concerted aid of the remainder.

And yet, in spite of this, far from finding our naval forces being reorganised as the "Naval Forces of the Empire" with a single network of control and administration, recruitment and training, and sharing of building yards, repair yards, operational bases and training grounds, is there not already a drift back to our old sub-division of unco­ordinated and limited "private" units?

The former would ensure a common doctrine throughout our naval forces and enable them to be called into action as a concerted whole in a minimum of time with a common understanding of the requirements in the event of sudden expansion and the action to be taken in the event of anyone of the Empire components being overwhelmed unexpectedly.

Surely, even more than ever before, our strength lies in the world-wide distribution of our forces, induding the resources to maintain and produce them. Should we not set up, in all of our Colonies and Dominions, rocket batteries which can be directed to shower upon any aggressor a hail of “V20" missiles?

In this manner any intending aggressor nation might be induced to come to terms, knowing that even should they succeed in exterminating one area they would themselves in turn be "vaporized" by the counter-attack which would come from all other directions.We must be prepared for the complete annihilation at any moment of anyone of our Empire units. For instance, London, the Admiralty and all naval forces based in home waters may be "vaporized" immediately prior to a declaration of war by an aggressor. A few minutes later the aggressor should be receiving the Empire counter-attack; but to ensure this it is essential that adequate alternative administrative centres be in existence with the administrative staffs and machinery to take over control at immediate notice secondary Admiralties, War Offices and Air Ministries. That one best situated for dealing with the aggressor concerned would become the "Controlling Director," and should be capable of controlling all the remaining Empire forces to the best advantage.

Is this opportunity going to be lost, and are we instead going to creep back to our old petty "private national navies" with their individual jealousies and financial limitations? The orange flash and Dominion arm tallies are indicative. In which case, will we remain one of the "Great Powers"?

NOTE.-Both these articles were, of course, written before the announcement, on the 15th of November, of the statement on Atomic Energy by the President of the United States and the Prime Ministers of the United Kingdom and Canada.-Hon. EDITOR.

UNION.