Evening star., 1940-06-02
How Nuzis Will Use Victory
Is Main Question for Eliot
Immediate Assault Against France Found
On Analysis Better Than Blow at Britain

Ah1lS 1iSASAlVo Va lllC SllCllllIl uC
Danes and the forest of St. Gobain.
About the only practicable route for
a break-through is that down the
valley of the Disc in the direction of
Neyon- -Compeigne, and this is none
too promising If we give them too
much time. just at the moment they
are deprived of the services of 3
out of their 10 Cor perhaps I'D
armies. and of the British, save for
few new British divisions hastily
rushed to the Somme front With
this reduced force they are now
holding a line which is slightly over
10 per cent longer than their orig
inal line. They must also think of
the possibility of an Italian attack
in the south.
obviously, the moment to strike
the French is now, while they are
laboring under these difficulties and
while they have not yet had time
to organize in front and in depth a
truly formidable defensive position
on a line of considerable natural
strength; before great reinforce
ments can reach them from Britain
and Africa; before the genius of
Weygand has had its opportunity to
breathe new life and energy into
every sector and every unit, and be-
fore the British and French have
had time to concert plans for air CO.
operation between them under the
new circumstances, remembering
that the French air force is much
weaker still than the British. More
over, if we now attack the French
we can perhaps hope for Italian CO.
operation, while the Italians can do
nothing to aid us against Britain
save by creating diversion in the
Mediterranean.
British Busy at Home.
THE British, meanwhile, can do
very little to injure us in our at
tack on the French. They have no
means Of striking us in flank save
from the air. They can send troops
to aid the French, but they do not
have many fully trained troops and
1t will take some time to reorganize
the B. E. F. and fill up its depleted
ranks. Meanwhile, the blockade of
the Dover Strait will be forcing them
to relocate their whole system of
supply and distribution, which with
few well-directed air attacks will
keep them busy at home.
IF, on the other hand, we now
endeavor to contain the French,
while concentrating our main effort
against Great Britain, we allow the
first military genius of the age time
to organize in full security the
means for our destruction. We can
then expect the French defensive
position to become a springboad for
a great counterattack, which will
be launched against us, we may be
sure, at moment when we are
locked in a death grapple with the
British, and the result may be dis
astrous. Moreover, we have no as
surance that we can successfully in
wade England. We can carry out air
attacks, but air attacks alone do
not. on the basis of experience,
promise to be decisive.
wv SoAA AAOP poi dCIluCS LTOOQS,
but again these are useful only If
promptly backed up by other forces.
We can endeavor to drive our way
across the Strait OF Dover and estab-
llsh bridgehead on English soil,
but this is an operation of doubt
full outcome, to put it mildly, and
the surprise tactics which we used
on the Meuse no longer possess the
value of surprise. We may do the
English much damage, but unless
we can gain a decision quickly we
shall pay heavy price for it. Our
objective must remain the destruc-
tion of our most dangerous enemy,
and that is still the French Army.
Once that is gone, we can deal with
the English-by mere blockade and
air attack until they are worn out,
if need be-"
Case for Attack on England,
To which, the officer favorine at-
tack on English might reply:
Much that my comrade urges
is very true, but already the French
Army under the command of Gen.
Weygand has had more than q week
to consolidate its position along the
formidable line it has taken up. We