Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1940-09-24
Possession Of Dakar
Would Help Britain
Tighten Blockade
Attack Believed Made
To Bar Use by kozis
As U-Boot Bose
BY EDGAR ANSEL MOWRER,

BY EDGAR ANSEL MOWRER.
The attack on the h.African
port Of Dakar by British naval forces
cooperating with Gen. Charles de
Gaulle. commander of the forces OF
"free France" may mean the prelude
to British attempt to turn the
tables on the Germans and particu-
larry on the Italians.
American naval circles consider
that British possession OF Dakar
would make the blockade infinitely
more effective than it is today, since
Dakar lies in full command Of the
South Atlantic routes. Blockade
running from South America across
Morocco and the Mediterranean
would become virtually impossible.
Furthermore, Dakar. rs the capital
of Senegal, might we'll give the lead
to all the rest of French West Africa
as well as to Morocco. Algeria and
Tunis. Were the French North
African territories to come into the
hands Of Gen de Gaulle and again
take part in the war on the side of
Britain, it ought to mean the end OF
the italian thrust into Egypt.
Might End Italian Threat.
1t would be easy for Gen. de
Gaulle to rally several hundred
thousand North Africans, among
the best soldiers in the world. II
this force could utilize Tunis for
attacking the Italians in the rear
few here imagine that the Italian
offensive would last long.
Such thoughts might justify the
British attack on Dakar. But they
are not the cause of it. The cause
is that Dakar has fallen into the
hands Of the Germans and would
shortly have been fitted out by them
as a submarine base. Hundreds OF
German troops have gradually been
reaching the West African port by
airplane. 1t is this German force
that will doubtless be the kernel of
the French resistance. This resist
ance has furthermore recently been
reinforced by three French cruisers
and three ultra-modern detroyers.
The British navy allowed the
ships to pass through Gibraltar on
their way to Dakar in violatio of
the Franco-German armistic
agreement. But since this violation
could only have occurred with Ger
man consent. it was obvious that
the French ships were serving, not
their own interests, but those of
Berlin.
Z. S. Keeping Close Watch.
When it became certain that Da.
kar was fast becoming a German
stronghold. the British took Gen. de
Gaulle on board battleship-or so
it is announced from Vichy-and
started the attack. Obviously the
British hope that Dakar and West
Africa will rise against the Vichy-
Berlin combination and join Gen.
de Gaulle. The general has been in
Africa since September S in the
expectation of a German attempt
to get hold of Dakar.
1t Is no surprise that the French
government announces that it has
ordered "a powerful defensive opera
ton against q British fleet that has
come to free Dakar from German
troops and bring 1t into the hands
Of Gen. de Gaulle.
In anticipation of what has hap
pened. the State Department some
weeks ago sent a representative to
Dakar to observe events. The Navy
has its representative in nearby
Monrovia, the capital of Liberia. 1t
is no secret that in case of British
defeat certain American authorities
believe that seizure of Dakar by the
American fleet would greatly
strengthen our national defense.
Hence the usual interest in the
event.
Copyright, 1910 Chicaso Daily News, Inc }