The Wilmington morning star., 1940-12-08
War
interpretive
BY kIRhE l., SIMPSON

AAiolollahs delVlng for explanation,
OF dramatic events of this Eurono,n
war, such as the swItt defo,,
france and Italy's disastrous irr,.
sion of Greece, have a rich fiola
to Gull.
A special French tribunal SET IN
10 Fix responsibility for the fall If
the Third Republic promises rove.
latlons as to what and who lea
France to her unhappy fate. In tbe
light of subsequent events in Greeca
and Albania, the pattern Of whic,
IS still evolving, it 10Y seems that
Ii Duce Mussolini himself has given
a key to what underlay that first
big var disaster for the Nazi.Fascist
Axis mates.
The consequences of that Italian
repulse by the valiant but out.
numbered and i%ll-equipped Greeks
are beyond calculation. The defeat
may prove the crucial event of the
Axis-British war. The Why of it NAV
prove to have been indicated in Il
Duce's speech in Rome on Novem.
Der IS.
That was the anniversary Of the
application to Italy of League of
Nations economic sanctions intend.
ed to curb her aggression against
Ethiopia. Mussolini said it was a
decisive date" in Europe, a DAY
of victory for Fascist Italy,
Italian reserves in Greece we're
then beginning. II Duce admitted it
by clustering that italy would break
Greece's back, whether in two
months or twelve, it little matters
Yet he found it e~Xpedient to stress
for Italian home consumption the
contention that Britain alone, en-
cept for "a supine France" was re,
sponsible for the ills the war had
brought or might bring to Italy.
He prepared the italian people for
o bad news saying:
"a strong people like the italian
do not fear the truth. That is why
our war bulletins are documents
lions of truth"
Rome bulletins on the Greek war
do that in a limited sense. They
admit an Italian offensive was
turned quickly Into a defensive, bU'
boast that Fascist forces are even
counter attacking in some sectors
They have not yet told the llallal
people that only Fascist dea''
wounded and prisoners remain vi
Greek soil.
There seems small doubt that u
was reverses against Greece WIN"
shook Italy's foremost soldier, Mar
shall Pietro Badoslio, out of ltaIlF"
military craftsmanship. Whether D'
stepped out as a scapcgoat to save
Mussolini's face at home or gave
way to a younger man to direct "'
major military operation nld.'''
His resignation heavily uno'i
the increasing gravity OIL "'
situation for both Hitler and NUS"
lini. 1t does not help explain "'
Italian disaster.
Mussolini did ~explain-to some :"
tent. He told his Rome aild'ei''7
THE Greeks hate Italy as no gu.
er people. 1t is a hatred WHO! o
first glance appears ineNr-rA'ls ".,
in general, is deep-seated ana
durable in all branches, N tAe VII"
and the villages, high and Io"'
,..
That helps explain the Greens
not the miserable shoWlns OIL
army of attack. For tAal
Duce gave this glimpse nj I''
war morale:
"English aid cannot
he Hellenes from catastrophe
70 think or suspect somethins oin.,
wise means not to know me 0
/ beginning is made, l do nor
[ have already shown tI"''
has happened, is haf'''
ng or may happen, 1 will s7o" J.
This all adds up to open I,.r.
lition of a condition of "ar aF'
Italy strikinsly reflected II,
.rmy in Albania. 1t is the war a.7r
light stimulating British mo'8'e I'd,
Balkan-Turkish resistance to
will