TCDE-Team at 13:10, 27 June 2024

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''A Preventive of Air Raids'' is a letter written by [[Arthur Conan Doyle]] first published in [[The Times]] on 18 january 1916.

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== Editions ==

* in ''[[The Times]]'' (18 january 1916 [UK]) as ''A Preventive of Air Raids''
* extracts in ''[[Daily Express]]'' (19 january 1916 [UK]) as ''To Stop Zeppelin Raids''

== A Preventive of Air Raids ==
[[File:The-Times-1916-01-18-preventive-air-raids.jpg|250px|right|thumb|[[The Times]] (18 january 1916)]]

'''SIR A. CONAN DOYLE'S SUGGESTION.'''

TO THE EDITOR OF THE TIMES.

Sir, — It is continually asserted in Continental papers, and it is
inherently probable, that the Germans are preparing fresh
Zeppelin raids upon London on a larger scale than before. It
becomes a very serious question how we should meet this menace.

All attempts to defeat a raid at London itself are, as it seems to
me, open to very grave objections. To bring down a blazing
Zeppelin with its cargo of explosives on to the roofs of a great city
would probably be as dangerous a thing as to endure its
bombardment. It might fall where it would produce no harm, but
it is equally possible that it might descend on a crowded quarter
and cause some great catastrophe. On the other hand, when once
a Zeppelin has started upon its way it is very difficult to see how it
can be intercepted and stopped before it reaches its destination.
We have, I fear, to face the fact that we can neither stop their
coming nor deal with them with any certainty when they have
gone.

There remains one other course — but it is a very effective one. It
is to stop the attempt by showing that you can and will retaliate.
The German airship coming from the eastern part of Belgium has
to travel at least 200 miles each way upon its mission. Had we an
aviation centre near Nancy we should be very much nearer than
that to great German centres of population. The distance from
there to Wiesbaden would be 100 miles, to Bonn 130, to Frankfurt
140, to Coblentz 120, to Cologne 150. If, then, London is
vulnerable, these are very much more so. Without any delay we
should establish such an aviation centre, defend it with numbers of
the best aircraft guns against the persistent attempts which will be
made to destroy it, and announce to the German Government
through the American Embassy at Berlin that we can tolerate no
more outrages upon our civilian population, and that any further
raids will be followed by immediate reprisals.

If such a policy were at once put in force it might act as a
preventive — which is better than vengeance. But if it must be
vengeance, then the blood is on the head of those who with their
eyes open have provoked it. The whole world has been a witness to
our patience. But for the sake of our own women and children the
time has come when these murders must be stopped. If their
civilians die as a consequence of the deliberate actions of their
fellow-countrymen, then it is they and not we who have doomed
them. There should be no limit to the bombardment of these
towns. We should go on and on until we have a formal promise
that this form of warfare shall stop. The Hun is only formidable
when he thinks that he can be frightful with impunity. "Blood and
Iron" is his doctrine so long as it is his iron and some one else's
blood. When the French began to retaliate at Karlsruhe and
Heidelberg several German journals at once announced that such
warfare was inhuman, and it has as a matter of fact been
discontinued — for France.

It is eminently a subject for ventilation, for it is clear that the
Government cannot act in advance of public opinion, or pledge
themselves to a course of action which the public might repudiate.
The danger is a very pressing one and this is the only way to meet
it. If there were a general concurrence upon the subject in the
Press the authorities would feel strengthened in any action they
might take. If we move quickly we may be in time for prevention.
If we delay only vengeance may be left.

Yours faithfully,

ARTHUR CONAN DOYLE.<br />
Windlesham, Crowborough, Sussex, Jan. 15.

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* [[Sir Arthur Conan Doyle:Complete Works|Back to Complete Works]]
* [[Sir Arthur Conan Doyle|Back to Conan Doyle]]

A Preventive of Air Raids - Revision history

TCDE-Team at 13:10, 27 June 2024