Evening star., 1941-01-07
Taking Martinique
Could Prove Costly
In Seizure Attempt
Determined Defenders in
Hills Might Give U. S.
A Tough Bottle
Eighth and Last OF a Series }
BY STEPHEN TRUMBULL.

menC may De 1UU per cent COrreCC,
so let's see how extensive that battle
might become and how costly.
Events might move so rapidly that
the United States could await no
further negotiations toward the
plugging of this long and strategic
gap in the chain of steel across the
sea routes between Europe and the
Panama Canal.
If one of Adolf Hitler's highly
touted secret weapons" knocked
England out of the war tomorrow,
the next day might find the masks
of diplomatic politeness dropped in
this hemisphere. The need for this
finest and easiest-to-defend deep
water harbor on the long sea route
from Cuba to the east coast OF South
America would be more than
theoretic need Then what?
Costly Fight Possible.
The French authorities here admit
their stand against first-class
power probably would not be a
successful one, but it could be costly
to the attacker.
Of the military ability Of the
leadership here-Admiral Georges
Robert in supreme command and
Col Emile Quenardel in charge of
land forces-there is no doubt in
the minds of observers of this
scene. The question mark comes
on the tools with which they have
to fight, and even more important.
the 5000 to 1000 French soldiers and
sailors who would be called upon to
handle these tools.
The soldiers are. for the most
part, French colonial Negroes. 1t
is difficult to picture them putting
up much of a fight if they have
even lurking suspicion that it may
be for the benefit of Herr Hitler.
Hereabouts there is the opinion they
would just throw away their SOL
dier shoes and join their brethren in
the hills. In the past they have
been valiant fighters for France,
but today issues have changed.
With the white lads wearing the
uniform of the French Navy, the
story might be different. but just
what could they do about it?
French seapower here is con-
fined to the aircraft carrier Bearn.
the cruiser Emile Bertin and two
light auxiliary cruisers. The Bearn
probably could not withstand the
assault of such comparatively light
units as destroyers. The Bertin
and the cruiser Jeanne dare, at
Guadeloups, lis miles to the north,
are capable fighting craft, but the
Jeanne dare could be cut off long
before it joined the forces here.
Three Main Forts.
Three main Notifications guard
de Saix and Fort Tartenson, in the
hills above the harbor, and old Fort
st. Louis. The latter post, on the
strip of land between the two bays
that make up this harbor, is regard
ed as of far more historic than mil
itary value
These posts have been prepared
to protect this one harbor from
attack by sea- Whether they are
equipped to protect it against attack
by air is matter for speculation.
Little attention was given this island
until after the sudden collapse of
France demonstrated the need of
air defense.
There is small auxiliary position
on Point Des Negres, at the north
ern approach to the harbor There
are other lightly-held positions in
the area where armament is believed
to be limited to French 75s and
light and heavy machine guns.
Granting that the American Navy
is as ready as official circles say it
is, the move here could be a light
ming one, with speedy reinforcement
for the destroyer f1otilla based at
Port Castries on British st. Lucia
Island. just to the south. Let's
grant also that our bomber squad
rons from San Juan could bridge the
mile gap between that port and
this and working with the fleet,
knock out these major land posi-
tions. One bomb would cancel the
local field of aircraft.
Would it all be over, just like
that? Not if some determined
fighters took to the hills with
machine guns, of which there is
reported to be an adequate supply
here, and with ample ammunition.
Natural Cover for Defenders.
The scattered beaches here where
whaleboats may approach are, for
the most part, backed by high and
rough hills, with perfect natural
cover. The western and north
eastern coasts are aptly described
in the nautical publications as bold
and steep-to," which means noun
tains rise abruptly from the sea.
The south, southeast and east coasts
are officially described as irregular,
deeply indented and dangerous"
Grazing the landing could be ac-
complished, there is still the prob
lem inland. Mountain roads twist
and turn through deep and narrow
valleys, where the possibility OF am
bush is high. There are spots where
few sticks of dynamite would start
slide which would render a road
impossible.
These are possibilities of today.
If there is a Hitler-to-Vichy-to-
Martinique pipeline. as has been
officially and repeatedly denied, the
potentialities of tomorrow might be
even more dangerous.
So maybe this answers that ques-
ton, why don't we just go in and
take it?" Maybe this answers part
of the question why the new Amer
ican Ambassador to Vichy, Admiral
William D. Leahy, was dispatched to
his post with such speed. The ne
gotiations route is both easier and
safer. Maybe it answers many more
of the questions as to our national
concern here where two great deep
water passages from the Atlantic to