Evening star., 1941-11-23
Noz Expected to Take Over Little Maqino Line in Tunsu
Which Weyqand Is Reported to Have Refused to Surrender
African Fortificotions
Connect to Coast
With Railroads
BY CONSTANTINE BROWN.


German technical officers are re-
ported to have arrived already in
Tunisia and to be inspecting the
Little Maginot Line a chain of
Notifications on the Libyan- Tunisian
frontier.
This line, which was constructed
by the French Col, dOrnano in 1886,
extends from GabeS to Medenine
Thence it crosses to the island of
Dierba, called by the natives the
island of the locuSt-eaters, and
touches the mainland again. eX-
tending to the town of Djerba itself
and into the desert as far as Bordj,
MessOuda.
The French government, which
spent over s1000O0000 on the con-
struction of these Notifications, be-
lieved them to be impregnable
against any attacks from the east.
While the garrison has now been
reduced to a skeleton force, its ar
tillery and classmates are in perfect
shape. 1t is in this chain Of i'm
pregnable" Notifications that the
Germans intend to offer their main
resistance to the British.
Since few months after the sur
render of France the German high
command has had an eye on this
important line. It's value is so great
that the British approved the
United States hopeless Irritation
with Frances former proconSul in
North Africa, Gen. Maxine Wey-
gand, in order to keep the Germans
out OF 1t.
Tunisia Of Great Importance.
In fact, the military value of all
Tunisia is paramount to any power
fighting in the Mediterranean. Be-
sides the fortified line on the Tu-
nisian border the two principal
naval bases at Sfax and Bizerte pro-
vide ideal shelter for a submarine
and light cruiser fleet. From this
point of view Tunisia is even more
important than Algeria and Mo-
rocco.
AS long as Gen. Weygand was
dictator of French North Africa the
Germans we're never able to obtain
a strong foothold there. 1t is true
that some German and Italian
transports put in at Blzerte with
Nazi reinforcements for the Italian
armies which were hard-pressed by
Gen. Sir Archibald P. Wavells Of
fensive last year. Now that French
Chief of State Petain has permitted
Gen Weygand to retire to civil !
fan life the Germans have almost
complete freedom to use TuniSia |
in any way they wish.
According to military observers in
Washington the German strategy in |
Tunisia will be to offer rear-guard |
resistance to the advancing British |
forces while the bulk of the Ger |
man and Italian divisions retire |
toward the Tunisian border.
Axis transports from Italy and |
probably France will endeaVor to |
reach naval bases in Tunisia and |
elsewhere in North Africa. Harbors
like Bone, Philippeville, Bougie and
A1eicrs are connected with the Lit
tie -F2C.not Line by an excellent
system CT railways and highways
Troo-s and war materials landed in
these ports can reach the front
without difficulty.
Plays for Higher Stakes.
In Washington military quarters
It is believed that while the Ger
mans and Italians in Libya may
have suspected that a British Of
fensive was brewing, the German
high command for long time has
been playing for higher stakes than
the mere defense of Libya. It in
tended to adopt defensive position
in North Africa behind strong wall
of Notifications until the Russian
war was finished and enough forces
could be spared for major offensive
In the Mediterranean.
In support of this theory it is ,
pointed out that the crisis which !
led to the removal of honest Wey- !
gand" from his position of respOn- |
sibility occurred only 48 hours be-
fore the British launched their Of
fensive against the Axis forces.
In the meanwhile the Germans |
were working on the aged chief of |
state at Vichy to allow them the
control of the principal fortiflca-
tions In North Africa.
The German high command, |
which ever since the outbreak of |
World War II has been anxious to
avoid a two-front war, apparently |