Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1940-10-11
Axis Drive
To Be Planes
Versus Ships
Mediterranean
Fight Seen as Test
Of Relative Merits
By DEWITT MACKENZIE.

The projected axis offensive
against Britain in the Mediter-
ranean theater may be expected
to develop quickly into a titanic
struggle for control of this strate-
gic area control for one of the
foundation stones Of the British
Empire.
Numerous small nations which
now are acknowledgement are likely
to be drawn in. Into this vast OPP
Grafton Hitler and Mussolinj are
bound to throw every ounce of
power which they can muster.
This battle of the Mediterranean,
as I see it, will break fresh mill
tary ground in that 1t will in its
essence be a conflict between air.
ships and warships-netween the
combined axis air fleets and the
British Navy.
Why? Because England rules the
waves. Her domination of the wa
tiers of the Mediterranean is so COM
plete at this moment that Italy
can't even move troops or supplies
to any great extent to her African
possessions.
The axis must depend on its air
power, which is much greater than
that of Britain, TO counter this
great naval strength.
Sea-Air Test.
The big offensive will give us a
more complete test of the relative
effectiveness of these two fighting
arms when employed against each
other.
We have seen that the German
armada, which some experts ex-
pected would be able to pillow Eng
land under in a few days. and
smash the naval battle line, hasn't
been able to achieve this. 1t would
appear that in order to subdue Eng
land the air attack must be supple
mented by an invasion with in
fantry. The air hasn't been able to
do it alone. Neither has the air
been able to drive the British fleet
to cover.
But this doesn't prove the big
point of relative strength because
the resistance of the Royal Air
Force has been a major factor.
In the battle of the Mediterranean
the British will-certainly at the
outset-lack this air power, for they
must maintain their present defense
of the mother country. Thus there
will be a vast inequality in the OPP
posing air forces. Then We may see
whether the great axis bombers can
break the British surface fleets in
the Mediterranean. and also whether
warplanes alone can reduce popu-
lations to impotence.
Signs of Balkan Drive.
The land operations naturally will
include a continuation of the italian
invasion of Egypt across the desert
from Libya, The Fascists also may
strike into the Sudan from Ethiopia
and thence down the Nile
Then. of course. there are many
signs that the axis may try to drive
down through the Balkans in an
effort to clamp a great pair Of
pincers on the British by attacking
them from the east as well as the
west
The extent of such operations will.
to my mind, depend on Russias
attitude. The Muscovites with small
doubt are tuning over this axis in
vasion of the Balkans, since it not
only is inimical to Russian interests
in that region. but establishes a
direct military threat against the
Soviet.
Not to put too fine a point on i.
1t seems to me that the well-night
inevitable war between Russia and
Germany is mighty sight nearer.
However. should the Russian threat
become grave. the Nazi Fuehrer and
his colleague may confne their
activities in the Balkans to CONSOLE
dating their position and acquiring
bases for operations.