strong air cover, but may be compelled to reintroduce such attacks in an all-out effort to prevent large scale offensive operations from being carried out. Attacks by surface forces on such convoys are less likely, since Germany would consider the risks involved to her ships to be unacceptable except in the mid-Atlantic in the area outside the range of shore-based aircraft. At the same time, as soon as military convoys are known to be assembling in large numbers, Doenitz will appreciate that a sortie by even one heavy ship might considerably dislocate our plans for Naval escorts and covering forces.