Evening star., 1940-11-03


Greek Army was against the forces
of Mustapha Kemal in Anatolia in 1922
%. There they had the disadvantage
of poor command consisting of politi-
cal officers who led them against the
fanatlcal troops of the Ghazi. There is
a feeling in military quarters here that
the Greeks will be able to do more
than hold their own against the equally
temperamental Italian forces from be-
hind well-prepared concrete defenses.
The Yugoslavs are watching the fight
close to their borders anxiously. Prince
Paul, still the principal figure in Yugo-
slav international affairs. was not guided
by his pro-British feelings when he
ordered the mobilization of the Yugo-
slav Army. He and his cabinet know
that at Brennero the Italian and the
German dictators agreed to carve up
Yugoslavia. The quarrel for supremacy
between the Croats, Slovenes and Serbs
has been forgotten temporarily because,
however strong the feeling may have
been between the races which compose
the Yugoslav kingdom, their hatred and
fear of the Italians are stronger.
Yugoslavia Ready.
According TO recent reports from Bel
grade there seems to be a determina-
ton on the part of the government 10
oppose by armed resistance any attempt
to break up the country. And since the
best terrain from the military point
of view is offered in Southern Serbia,
where the Yugoslav and the Greek Army
can join, it is believed that at a given
moment the Yugoslav Army will enter
into action against the Italians. The
Yugoslav high command is watching
Britain's effort with greater eagerness
than the actual Greek operations. II
the promises made by the British gov
ernment to the Balkan states that war
material and men would be sent to
them in the event they oppose the am
billions of the axis are fulfilled, immedi-
ate entry of the Yugoslav Army into
the action must be expected. The same
thing applies TO really effective support
from the Turks
The British position appears some
what complicated. Britain has the mas
terry of the Eastern Mediterranean. In
the last few weeks important reinforce
mentS IN men and war materials have
been sent from England to the Near
East without meeting any serious op-
position on the part of the Italian fleet.
The forces in Egypt and Palestine
have been greatly strengthened by the
addition OF war materiel and troops
from the metropolitan area which did
not need them. OF the reported sig
divisions which have been transferred
In recent weeks across the Mediterranean,
the bulk are said to have been sent to
Palestine. Some of these troops have
been landed at Crete, whence others
were reported at the time of this writ
ing to be on the way to Salonika and
other Greek ports.
Problem in Syria.
But the fly in the British ointment Ia
the attitude of the French troops in
Syria.
At the outbreak of the war the British
and French high command had organ.
lied the excellent army of the Levant
under the command of Gen. Maxine
Weygand. The armistice broke up that
army because British troops, Australian,
New Zealand and Indian units. were
withdrawn and taken to Palestine and
Egypt. The French Army remained
intact with the exception of some 25 600
metropolitan troops which were sent back
to France in compliance with the de-
mobilization conditions of the Wiesbaden
armistice. But there still are some 10o.-
600 French troops in that region-natives,
colonials, Foreign Legion and North
African units.
Gen. Weygand visited the officers of
his old headquarters last week. Neither
the Vichy nor the London governments
have any idea what the attitude of these
soldiers will be. 1t is doubtful Gen.
Weygand himself has any definite
knowledge.
But If the British succeed in neutral
izing that force-and active steps are
being taken now for that purpose
large proportion of the troops at present
stationed in Palestine will be sent with
out delay to Turkey and Greece In
any event the war will be raging vio-
lently In the Mediterranean during the
weeks to come.