862.248/179: Telegram
The Ambassador in the United Kingdom (Kennedy) to the Secretary of State
[Received 8:20 p.m.]
997. I venture to repeat below the substance of an interesting talk I had yesterday with Colonel Lindbergh regarding the present relative air strength of the great European powers as he sees it, which he has confirmed today in a memorandum. Lindbergh has had unusually favorable opportunities to observe the air establishments of the countries he discusses and has in fact just returned from a trip to Russia. You may feel that this confidential expression of his personal opinion may be of interest to the President and to the War and Navy Departments.
[Page 73]“Without doubt the German air fleet is now stronger than that of any other country in the world. The rate of progress of German military aviation during the last several years is without parallel. I feel certain that German air strength is greater than that of all other European countries combined, and that she is constantly increasing her margin of leadership. I believe that German factories are now capable of producing in the vicinity of 20,000 aircraft each year. Her actual production is difficult to estimate. The most reliable reports that I have obtained vary from 500 to 800 planes per month. The quality of German design is excellent and the extensive research facilities which have been built in that country are a guarantee of continued progress in the future. The Germans long ago established their ability in the design, construction and operations of aircraft. I believe they have the greatest ability of any European nation in the field of aviation. In fact I believe that the United States is the only country in the world capable of competing with Germany in aviation. At present however, Germany is rapidly cutting down the lead we have held in the past. In numbers of fighting planes she is already ahead of us. In time of war, her weakness would undoubtedly lie in her supply of raw materials.
Germany now has the means of destroying London, Paris, and Praha if she wishes to do so. England and France together have not enough modern war planes for effective defense or counter attack. France is in a pitiful condition in the air. England is better off but her air fleet is not comparable to Germany’s. France is probably now building in the vicinity of 50 planes per month; England probably in the vicinity of 200 first line aircraft. I understood that France hopes to have about 2500 first line planes by the spring of 1940.
Czechoslovakia has no completely modern aircraft except those obtained from Russia. I saw a number of Russian built bombers on the field at Praha. The Czechoslovakians have excellent machine guns and anti-aircraft guns.
It is not possible to estimate the Russian air strength. The Russians have copied American factories and purchased American machinery of the most modern type. If operated on American standards these factories might place Russia next to Germany in military aviation. The production is certainly much less on Russian standards. Judging by the general conditions in Russia, I would not place great confidence in the Russian air fleet. However, Russia probably has a sufficient number of planes to make her weight felt in any war she enters. Her aircraft are not the best but their performance is good enough to be effective in modern warfare. I believe the Russian weakness lies in inefficiency and poor organization.
German military strength now makes them inseparable from the welfare of every civilization, for they have the power either to preserve or to destroy it. For the first time in history a nation has the power either to save or to ruin the great cities of Europe. Germany has such a preponderance of war planes that she can bomb any city in Europe with comparatively little resistance. England and France are far too weak in the air to protect themselves.”