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Aviation History
1942
1942 - 1402.PDF
•i8 FLIGHT JULY 2ND, 1942 MORALE IN AIR RAIDS The "Pseudo-scientific Formula" of Lin Yutang : Fear is Generally a Diminishing Factor By DR. V. L. GRUBERG IN the last issue of Flight we discussed the most impor tant factors determining the reaction of people sub jected to air attacks, viz., intensity and frequency of raids, fear, hatred of the enemy, material attachment, A.R.P. and A.A. defence, intensity and kind of influence of domestic propaganda. In a graph it was attempted to illustrate the relation ship of the factors to which a Spanish authority attaches the highest significance. TJiese are fear, hatred, and the moral energy to act collectively, to translate emotions into actions. According to General Herrera, the reaction in favour of peace can be formulated as follows: — R = E(F-H), where R = Reaction, E — Energy, F = Fear, H = Hatred towards the enemy. But while it is admitted that the above are unavoidable components of such reaction, the significance of those other factors, enumerated before, should not he ignored. National Characteristics No doubt in studying the reactions of human communi ties to air raids one has to take into account their inherent national characters, social conditions, etc., etc. Indeed, to put emotions into formulas is to court dangers of mis representation and is, perhaps, as the famous Chinese philosopher Lin Yutang put it, " in itself a lack of the sense of humour, and, therefore, a lack of wisdom." Lin Yutang says that "human beings and communi ties believe differently according to their different com positions, as sulphates and sulphides or carbon monoxide «nd carbon dioxide behave differently from one another." His witty analysis of the national characteristics for which he developed a "pseudo-scientific formula based on his knowledge and on the gaps of his ignorance'' is formu lated in the following amusing manner: — '' Let ' R ' stand for a sense of reality, ' D ' for dreams (or idealism), ' H ' for a sense of humour, and—adding one important ingredient—' S ' for sensitivity. And further, let '4' stand for 'abnormally high,' '3' for 'high,' '2' for 'fair,' and ' 1 ' for 'low,' and we have the following pseudo-chemical formulas for the following national characters: — R., D„ H., S, = English R.. D, H3 S, = French R3 D., H„ S, = American R t DA Ht $., — Germans R, D, H, S, = Russians R., I? _, Hl S, = Japanese /?, D, H3 S3 = Chinese (The Japanese and Germans are very much alike in their comparative lack of humour, yet it is really impossible to give a "zero" for any one characteristic in any nation. . . .)" The "Fear" Factor This convenient and picturesque representation of the national characters should help us to realise the multitude 01 nuances which colour the reactions of different national groups. Only in this light can we attempt to examine the influence of factors which go to.make the morale of people under air-raid conditions. In the last issue we suggested, supported by results of our enquiry into the reaction of 100 people with extensive "blitz " experience, that the factor "Fear " (F) is decreas ing with the continuation of raids. To a considerable t stent is fear influenced by the existence of A.R.P. and A.A. defences (Ar). Thus. 55 per cent, of our enquiries brought the reply that the noise of A.A. guns was " sooth ing," "pleasing," or "calming"; there was a slight variation in the case of women, who, while confirming the above effect, qualified it by stating that it was so "after a short time, when they were able to differentiate between the thud of falling bombs and the A.A. fire." One may assume that " F " is inversely proportional to "Ar." Even before the actual beginning of air raids, the factor Ar is strongly counteracting the apprehensions and fears which are then very high. A good instance is the balloon barrage. Mass Observation states that the reassurance value of the balloon barrage for certain sections of London's population came out in answers to the question, " Do you think there are likely to be air raids in London? Do you think they will be severe or slight? " which was asked over the period of October 13th to November 2nd, 1939, by members of the British Psychological Society. Of the 338 people interviewed, nearly half said there would be no raids on London: an opinion which was largely fos tered by the appearance of the balloon barrage. Let us now take the influence of other factors. There is no doubt that in the case of Germany the influence of propaganda is much higher than in this country. For years now the Nazis propaganda machine has relentlessly; subjected the Germans to cunning propaganda which, a often crude, is just right for German home consumption. Yet the effect of this propaganda does not necessarily mean that it fortifies the resistance of the public to air attacks. In fact, in the case of Germany it is just the contrary. Imagine crowds of Germans intoxicated with the propa ganda of the invincibility of their forces, of their Luftwaffe, of their "air space," subjected to a raid a la Cologne. In fact, two days before the R.A.F. raid on Rostock the Germans were told by a Major Wulf Bley, an official spokesman of the Nazi Air Ministry, that their -air defences were impregnable. "To-day," said the Major, '' German air supremacy has made it impossible for the enemy to endanger German production and supply lines." The subsequent smashing R.A.F. raids must have been to many Germans—no matter how little they may indulge in individual thinking—a sore awakening and a serious psychological shock. Household Goods And then another factor: what we call here "Material "^~ attachment'' is the sentiment of the people to their material possessions. While this is a sentiment inherent with all people of any race or colour, the German appears to have it in higher grade of intensity. The German " man-in-the- street" does not see in his'table, chair or wardrobe, just a valuable article of his household. His is an acute realisa tion of the many working hours he spent on the purchase of the object, and for this reason the table, etc., represent to him something which he prizes highly, and respects profoundly—the fruits of his labour. It is no exaggeration to suggest that the destruction of material values and per sonal property hits the average German far deeper than it does the inhabitant of this island. No matter how much Nazi propaganda may attempt to persuade him that he fights in his defence, he has been intoxicated with the drug of conquest and success of arms. He takes delight in the conquest of Poland, France, Belgium, Holland, Norway, Crete, etc. He has been warned to beligve that he is the irresistible conqueror. Suddenly he faces the dangers at home, deep inside his own invincible country, and witnesses the destruction of his own material values. There is no doubt that the psychological shock is terrific. Of a quite different order than it is to thj man-in-the-street in this country, who took arms in the profound feeling of self-defence and knowledge of un-
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