Evening star., 1941-09-05
Fourth of a Series.)
BY JOHN T. WHITAKER,

oy JoEIIN
Foreign CorreSpondent Of The Star an
Chicago Daily News.
The United States has dealt twt
crippling blows to Adolf Hitler which
have upset the grand strategy Of
the German general staff and gained
time for Uncle Sam. Germans ap-
preciate the true significance OF
these moves better than Americans
Both were bold, both were based or
O comprehension of strategy, and
both knocked the German timetable
haywire.
The most important of the two is
undoubtedly the leaSe-lend bill. This
measure baffled the imaginationS Of
the Germans and confronted Hitler's
generals, for the first time in their
carefully prepared war, with the
likelihood of German defeat. Indeed
shat likelihood seemed certainty
when my German military sources
feared that it would be followed
by prompt American entry into the
war.
German reaction to this measure
can be illustrated best by quoting
Hitler's most important cabinet
minister. This individual spoke
frankly to a leading statesman OF
one of the Axis satellite countries, a
man I have known for years, man
i vouch for as entirely trustworthy.
1--WE Have Lost War"
my friend, we have lost the war;
said the German cabinet minister.
who suddenly burst into tears in
che midst of serious business con-
yersation. Il can think of nothing
else. You must forgive me. You
can write in your diary that we
lost the war the day the American
Congress voted the leaSe-lend bill
I cannot sleep because of that meas
ure.
"I bear a grave responsibility be-
fore my Fuehrer. told him that
Britain's empire could not mobilize
enough gold. We had a seven years
advantage in rearamament. 1 said
there wasn't enough gold in the
British Empire to buy enough arms
to overcome that advantage.
made a careful study of British
resources, not only her gold assets
but her export capacity"
The German cabinet minister
blew his nose, Strengthened himself
In his chair and continued, accord
ing to my informant:
1--WE knew that America would
sell Britain arms, of course. But
we never dreamed that America
would give arms. The lease-lend
bill gives Britain the arms she
didn't have the resources to buy.
That bill saves Britain and it saves
America. 1t means the defeat OF
Germany. These filthy Americans.
We knew that they would sell
for gold and gain. We never be-
Aieved that so materialistic people
would give arms
When a German Weeps.
The Germans are notoriously un-
stable emotionally, especially since
the mystically religious experience
of National Socialism which offered
them the vision of a master race
standing as the conquerors of the
world. This cabinet minister's bad
moment must be somewhat dis
counted consequently Like all
bullies, the NaZis blubber when the
going gets too hard.
1 quote him at length, however
because his peSSimism is not unique.
u have heard the same sentiments
brought from Germany by score
OF reliable informants who have
talked with the important men in
control at Berlin. In the spring
Ihere was deep pessimism in the
German capital for fear that Amer
lea would enter the war, and it was
In this mood that Hitler's generals
made the final decision to invade
Russia in preparation for a long
struggle against America.
Americas second Gripping blow
against the Nazis came in the Bal
kans in country called Yugoslavia,
thousands of miles from Americas
shores. To understand what Amer
lea did there and how 1t upset the
Nazi timetable and drove Hitler
against Stain, it is necessary to
re-examine the Greek campaign.
Before Premier Mussolini invaded
Greece Hitler had carefully outlined
to his Axis partner-Italy had not
then been occupied as a subject