~65of the rival powers in technological development, particularly as it affects the
vehicle for carrying the bombs,
At present the only instrument for bombardment
at distances of over 200 miles is the airplane (with or without crew).
The
controlled rocket capable of thousands of miles of range is still very much in
the future,
The experience of the recent war was analyzed in the previous
chapter as indicating that an inferior air force canqMspally penetrate the
&
Se
aerial defenses of its opponent so long as it is
wi Ling ‘tp accept a high loss
n
,
ratio,
Nevertheless, the same expericnce shows als
Con
vb one side can’ be S50
superior quantitatively and qualitatively in both aerial offense and defense as
to be able to range practically undisturbed over the enemy's territories while
shutting him out largely, even if not completely, from incursions over its own.
While such a disparity is likely to be of less importance in a war of atomic
bombs than it has been in the past, its residual importance is by no means in-
significant.°8 snd in so far as the development of rockets nullifies that type
of disparity in offensive power, it should be noted that the development of
rockets is not likely to proceed at an equal pace among all the larger powers.
One or several will far outstrip the others, depending not alone on the degree
of scientific and engineering talent available to each country but also on the
effort which its: government causes to be channelled into such an enterprise.
In any case, the possibilities of an enormous lead on the part of one power in
effective use of the atomic bomb are inseparable from technological development
in vehicles--at least up to a certain common level, beyond which additional
58 ere was stated in the previous chapter, p. 21, that before we can consider a
defense against atomic bombs effective, "the frustration of the attack for any
given target area must be complete." The emphasis in that statement is on a
specific and limited target area such as a small or mecium size city. For a
whole nation containing many cities such absolute standards are obviously in-
applicable.
The requirements for a "reasonably effective" defense would still
be far higher than Would be the case with ordinary TNT bombs, but it would
certainly not have to reach 100 per cent frustration of the attack. All of which
says little more than that a nation can absorb more atomic bombs than can a
Single city.
at