davidaulloa/AmericanStories huggingface dataset:
Evening star., 1941-05-25
VICHY TURNABOUT D|SPLACES CONVOY TALK
ghen Importance Which 10000 Men

which was sent to Dakar. There are
no German forces there at the present
time but the supplies are under the
careful scrutiny of the German Armis-
tice Commission. In the meantime. Ger
mans have established important fuel
depots in Spanish Morocco and. it is
said, outside that territory, to be rushed
to Dakar whenever needed According
TO British sources there are some 400
military planes in good shape in the
French Senegal at the present time
Whether this figure is exaggerated or
not is not quite clear, but from all the
informations at our disposal from our
own usually reliable sources at least half
that number has been already accounted
for. There is good force in that re-
gion composed overwhelmingly of the
famous French black divisions, which are
not moved by any sentimental or poiti-
cal considerations, as the other French
troops might be moved. The Senegalese
will fight anything and anybody if they
are we'll fed, given sufficient light arma-
ment and told to go ahead.
Splendid Picture Given France.
There is no doubt in anybodys mind
in Washington that there is new Ber-
in-Paris Axis, entirely independent of
all the others. 1t took Hitler almost a
year to create this tie, which in the
minds of the Nazi leaders is far more
important than the Berlin-Rome Toxic,
and eventually Moscow, Axis. This lat
ter is combination for the success
full prosecution of the war. But within
this combine there are already visible
antagonistic tendencies.
The Berlin-Paris Axis is intended to
work mostly after the war is over-in
the new order in the world-and, if we
are to believe reliable reports from Vichy,
Paris and Berlin, Herr Hitler has made
large concessions to the French, who,
he is convinced, will become his chief
collaborators in the world
For instance, not an inch of the French
African territory will be given to Italy;
the former German colonies will be re-
turned to the Reich, but in exchange the
French Nazi state will be compensated
with the British colonies in Central and
West Africa. The French inventive
genius and the French technical men
reckoned among the best in Europe-Will
complete and complement the work of
the Germans. Such a splendid picture
of the future was put before Admiral
Darlan when he saw Hitler last that
the successor of Pierre Laval communi-
Gated it with ardent enthusiasm to the
85-year-old Marshal Petain, who in
dorsed the German plan and reversed
his position of strict neutrality towards
Frances former ally in the present con-
fiict.
Frenchmen at Vichy who for a while
looked to the United States as the only
hope to prevent the Franco German
collaboration, not by the sending of a
few cargoeS of food and fine words but
by an active participation in the con-
f1ict, have now thrown up their hands
in dispair. They have either Joined
the new order idea or have retired into
the background without hope of lifting
their heads again.
In Africa leaders like Gen. Weygand
the commander in chief of the African
forces, and Gen. Mogues, the resident
general In Morocco. are also by way
Of giving up In despair. The United
Evening star., 1941-05-25
On Diplomatic Front

Mounting French British tension fea-
tured political developments of this past
week and Britain's dire need for mer-
chant ship tonnage was an important
factor in this condition.
Stung by recently announced accord
between Vichy and Berlin, plus its I'M
fermentation by French cooperation
with Germans IN Syria, London govern
ment through Foreign Secretary An
thony Eden warned Vichy that if France
pursues her declared policy Of collabora-
ton" British blows would be directed
at Germany without any distinction
between occupied and unoccupied terri
tory"
In addition to British bombing of
French air bases in Syria, next step
in this policy OF firmness toward erst-
while ally came with seizure by naval
partol of French tanker Scheherazade,
loaded with oil and listed as one Of
worlds largest tankers. A Vichy re-
capitulation, incidentally, said that Brit
ish and De GauIlist authorities have
seized 100 French merchant ships since
France capitulated in 1910.
Firm against an Axis partner with
whom she is not yet at war, Japan, Brit
ain also advised last week that 90 jap
anese ships now in Pacific service Will
be refused certain port privileges for
failure to abide by wartime British regu-
lations. And in Western Hemisphere.
British were reported negotiating for
purchase from Latin American nations
of Axis ships recently taken into custody
Berlin request that foreign diplomatic
representatives be removed from Paris
Evening star., 1941-05-25
Bv Constantine BrOwn.

Rumors are floating about in Wash
ington and throughout the country re-
garding our intervention in the war
within the next few weeks-some say
the next few days. Pools are being
made in the Capital as to the day when
the hOstilltieS will begin.
These rumors and forecasts are inevi-
table in democracy. where the admin
istration is compelled to follow a day.
by-day policy. This unpleasant method
the unfortunate defensive policy-of
dealing with enemies is neceSsitated by
the fact that we cannot foresee what
the morrow may bring and what act of
the Axis powers might be provocation
to this country.
Competent observers, however, believe
that Americas entry in the arena is
still some way off, provided that The
determination of a given date remains
in the hands of the administration. For
the time being the question of the con-
voys, which aroused a controversy in
the last few weeks, is showed into the
background. Not that such move in
keeping with the time -honored freedom
of the seas policies has been abandoned.
Quite the contrary. But the signature
of the French-German agreement of
full cooperation has brought about a
situation far more important than the
matter of conveying ships to Britain.
In political and technical quarters in
Washington it is fully admitted that
unless American men-of-war begin to
escort all ships carrying war supplies to
Great Britain only percentage of those
supplies will reach the United Kingdom.
This matter has been disposed of, as
far as the Government and the tech
nical advisors of the administration are
concerned. Details are now being ar
ranged for the time when the flow of
supplies from our factories to Britain
will be such as to necessitate many more
bottoms and many more escorts.
Vichy Berlin Axis Surprise.
But the agreement between Vichy and
Berlin has brought up a situation not
quite foreseen by the White House and
the State Department. Official WASH
ington believed firmly that Marshal
Petain would raJner see ''UnOCcupled
France" completely collapse than sign
over to his enemies of a year ago the
naval and air bases of the once e-powerful
European republic. Yet. despite the
milder versions of the German-French
cooperation from Vichy, the admins
tration in Washington is now fully con-
vinced that the French state is ready
to help the Axis-even with military,
air and naval forces-to end the Euro
pean war by defeating Great Britain.
There is more going on now between
Germany and her former foe than ap-
pears on the surface. A cursory glance
at the situation gives a few clues to
the shape of things to come. 1t was on
May 10 that the Vichy government
agreed to allow the German air force
to use the Syrian airdromes for their
action in the Middle East; German war
materiel has been percolating through
French North Africa, finding its way to
the combat forces in Libya.
While the French high command in
Morocco has been guilty Of no definite
breach of the armistice terms, it has
received with Joy number of released
planes" and a certain amount Of fuel,
Evening star., 1941-05-25
Dramatic May

Early last week it looked as if incident
which might bring about American par
ticipation in this war finally had come
to pass when startling announcement
was made that Egyptian liner ZamZan.
carrying l38 Americans among its 322
passengers and crewmer, had been sunk
by German raider. En- route from New
York to Alexandria, Zamzam numbered
among its passengers "a American VOL
unteer ambulance drivers, headed for
service with Gen. Charles de Gaulle
and Free French. Principal cargo was
much of which fell within wartime con-
traband classifications.
For "a hours there was anxious specu-
lation about fate of all those aboard,
then on Tuesday came announcement
from Berlin that raider had taken off all
passengers and crew and that they we're
then, one month after sinking of ship,
safe in German-occupied port.
BY end of week all but two wounded
Americans were reported at Biarritz or
Bordeaux, once French ports, and only
Egyptian government had legal grounds
for protesting destruction of vessel. On
Friday, however, American survivors
complained that ship had been shelled
by raider before removal of passengers.
More important in war of Atlantic was
Nazi claim on Friday that submarines
had accounted for no. 300 tons Of British
shipping in recent raidIng operations. OF
this total, Berlin said nearly 1000 tons
had been sunk out of single convoy.
Evening star., 1941-05-25

At sea, British naval sources claimed
deadly success as their feet smashed
convoy, sending italian destroyer, two
merchantmen and 40 loaded sailing ves-
sells to bottom.
No single German reached Crete from
this expedition, British asserted grinly.
Obviously, this whole effort so closely
parallels that which may soon be fought
in Britain itself that military experts
are watching every small development
closely.
And beyond Crete lie the real stakes
Suez and Alexandria almost due south,
Syria and Iraq to the southeast
With Britain no longer maintaining
this outpost in Eastern Mediterranean,
a condition which implies defeat of her
feet in this particular important engage
Evening star., 1941-05-25
Continued From Page CID

first line-and the semi-demilitarized
training ship Wyoming
The Asiatic Fleet based on the Philip
pines, our outpost nearest Japan, has
not been strengthened during the year.
1t still consists, apparently, of about 25
cruisers, with destroyers and submarines,
as we'll as minor force of patrol planes.
Regarding Pearl Harbor, Hawaii, an
chorage of the countrys main sea force
naval officers have complained to con-
gressional committees that the channel
at the entrance is so narrow that one
big ship, scuttled at the right spot, could
bottle up the entire Pacific Fleet.
The six aircraft carriers now in COM
mission consist of the Lexington and
Saratoga, converted 33,0O0-ton cruisers,
fast but aging, and too unWieldy for
successful operation; the 14,700-ton
Ranger and Wasp, small, slow and
weakly armed, end two modern vessels,
Yorktown and Enterprise, with speed
of more than 80 knots and displacement
Of 10000 tons each.
No fortification or armament has be-
gun as yet on the bases covering our
Hawaiian front-namely, Samoa, Guam
and Wake, Midway, Palmyra, johnson
and Canton Islands. Personnel of the
naval station at Tutuila, Samoa, is cur
rently 857- The only expenditures at
Guam, about $400O000, are for the pur-
pose of making its harbor safe for naval
and particularly commercial aircraft.
Sudden Need for Auxiliaries.
Between the end of the first World
War and 1885, no auxiliary ships were
built for the Navy. In 1910, there rose
q sudden need for large numbers of
repair ships, tenders for destroyers, sub
marines and aircraft, troop transports,
cargo, store, ammunition and hospital
ships, tankers, ocean tugs, fleet mine
sweepers and mine layers, net layers and
enti-airCraft vessels.
Today there are in service only IT'S
of these auxiliaries, while IS major auXil-
iary craft are under construction. The
Navy has purchased from the Maritime
Commission 48 commercial ships, includ-
ing II tankers capable of carrying H.
100000 gallons of oil at 10 knots.
In case of operations this summer
against Atlantic outposts such as Mar
Unique, the Azores or Dakar, the spear
head would be the Marine Corps. body
with high and ancient traditions of
valor. Though normally stationed
ashore, it is an integral part of the Navy.
1t is a composite force of all arms
infantry, artillery tanks, aviation, anti
aircraft batteries, engineers and signal
and chemical troops.
It's personnel is fixed by law at one
fifth of the Navy's authorized enlisted
strength. The 10000 marines Of June
80, 1910, have grown to more than $4,000
at present, including modified reserv-
lists. In line with the modern aim of
multiplying fire power, the corps has
abandoned its historic brigade forma-
ton and reorganized on basis of two
divisions of the Army's new triangular
type, Each is to consist ultimately of
140O0 men and an air wing OF 307 oper-
sting planes. There are also six bat
talions of $50 men each, heavily armed
with artillery and machine guns. Their
function is the defense of naval bases.
Evening star., 1941-05-25
LAGG|NG OF PRODUCTION SLOWS DEFENSE
Only Navy Is Ready for Any Emergency

servers, the Army decided also to devel-
op 155-mm. field gun with fiat trajec-
tory. The first of these was delivered
May Is. With a weight of 10000 pounds,
it rides on eight pneumatic tires and can
average 80 miles an hour behind a
tractor. 1t is expected to reach a produc-
tion Of two week by the fall of 1912.
At that rate, the program of 400 Of these
weapons would be completed in the sum-
mer of 1916.
The principal anti-tank gun at present
is a 37-mm. model which the Germans
released two years ago because they had
developed a better weapon. The Army
needs at least $500, but the current out
put is only II month. The 81 is in
effective against heavy tanks, will stop
a medium tank up to 300 or 1000 yards
and is deadly against light tanks.
Tank Production.
With light tanks now rolling off the
assembly line at a rate of Is or more
a day difficulties are regarded as ended
with respect to these 13-ton vehicles.
They are armed with 37-mm. cannon
and machine guns. The latter wreak
havoc against unprotected troops, but
are unable to penetrate the armor even
of another light tank. Out of five
manufacturers with contracts for 26-
ton medium tanks, three have only
just finished their first models.
The new $20,OO0,000 Chrysler plant
expects to begin turning out 10 medium
tanks a day in August. The Army's
program for this type at present is 1900
vehicles. The German heavy tank is
said to weigh 80 tons. The first Amer
ican Cotton tank is expected to enter
production next fall and reach quantity
deliveries nine months later.
While the Navy uses 5-inch anti
aircraft cannon, such weapons of this
category as the Army possesses are
almost exclusively 3-inch guns, in
effective above 10000 feet After pro-
longed thought and labor, the Ordnance
Department brought forth a Comm.
anti-aircraft cannon, of which today
there are only four experimental samples
in existence. 1t cannot attain quantity
output for another year.
The Army also desires $500 or more
37-mm. automatic anti-aircraft cannon,
for use against low-fying planes. Cur
rent production is 20 month. More
than a year ago it was discovered that
both Allied and Axis planes were using
20-mm automatic cannon in addition
to machine guns. The first weapon of
this style ever made in the United
States was delivered May 16, 1941.
Quantity production is promised for next
fall.
Bomber Output Lags.
On May IL Maj. Gen. Henry H.
Arnold, deputy chief of staff for air,
announced that the country's output
of military planes in April was 1927
1t is believed that 60 per cent were
tactical planes and 40 per cent trainers.
Out of every TO- seven were exported,
chiefly to Britain. Gen. Arnold's figure
is thought to conceal the fact that pro-
duction of heavy bombers is tagging,
with an output of between SO and so
a month. These powerful ships, in great
numbers, are held to be vital necessity
to both the United States and Great
Britain.
A year ago, the Army Air Corps had
Evening star., 1941-05-25
On the Fighting Fronts

With customary thoroughneSs, since
their conquest of Greece, German forces
have been taking over the hundreds of
islands commanding Aegean and Medi-
terranean waters-steadily reaching out
toward 160-mile-long island Of Crete,
on which refugee Greek government has
been functioning. Holding island under
joint British-Greek pledge to defend it
to DEATH were contingentS of Australian,
New Zealand and Greek troops, limited
numbers of R. A. F. flyers and strong
units of Britains Mediterranean feet.
On Monday came warning, the sig
hiflcance Of which was apparent II hours
later, that Nazi
Troops Pour penetration from
Down on Crete Greek mainland
was moving this
phase of war into "a new stage, the
effects of which will soon become no.
ticeable.' Early Tuesday this new
stage" unfolded in German parachutes
as men, guns and light tanks hailed
down upon island, racing swiftly toward
towns of Malemi and Gambia, their
landing preceded by harsh aerial bonn
bardments and stirling of Suda Bay
defense base.
First press information on assault came
from London when Prime Minister
Churchill announced engagement under
way, but added that the military have
the situation in hand" Bizarre twist to
his disclosure was charge that first 1900
of Nazi 'chutists had been attired in
New Zealand battle uniforms-which, if
true, would have left them subject to
execution upon capture.
Despite relative optimism of British
spokesman that day, attackers were of
sufficient strength to hold landing spots
for reinforcementS during the night. BY
that time German tactics and strategy
were becoming fully discernible.
Initial assault units have been dropped
from more than hundred ioW-fying
Nazi planes near defending air fields
Many of invaders concentrated in first
hours upon remaining hidden while as
sembling light guns, establishing vantage
points from which they could cover sub
sequent landings of larger squadrons ar
irving in seaplane gliders, as many as
Evening star., 1941-05-25

For fresh equipment needed. includ-
ing 70 field guns, 78 tanks and aviation
n.ateriel, the two Marine divisions are
short in the sum Of s40OOO,OO0 only now
being placed on order.
Army Meets Objective.
When the defense effort started year
ago, the Regular Army consisted Of 243,-
500 officers and men. Through federal
ization of the National Guard and the
Selective Service Act, the Army consists
today of about 1924 300 officers and men,
and is expected easily to meet its first
objective of 1,418,000 by the end of June.
The six divisions Of II months ago
five infantry and one cavalry-have
grown to 30, including q of infantry,
of cavalry and 2 armored divisions. In
process of organization are second
cavalry division and other armored
ones.
Despite this impressive expansion, Sec
retary Stimson himself announced in a
recent address that "at least a year will
pass before we can have an Army and
Air Force adequate to meet the air and
ground forces which could be brought
against u.s." 1t is generally agreed that
the Army as it now stands is only half
armed and half-equipped.
In two respects, Garand rifles and
machine guns the Army is far ahead Of
schedule III fact, the first stage of its
program of semi-automatic rifles is now
virtually completed. Four new machine
gun plants will be in operation by July.
But grave misgivings are possible as to
field artillery, anti-aircraft and anti
tank guns aviation and tanks.
Using 1917 Weapons.
For field artillery, it seems probable
that for months or years to come the
Army will be obliged to depend chiefly
on weapons inherited from the first
World War. These included few
monster 240mm. hoWitzerS, about 1000
155-mm. Schneider howitzers, number
of 75-mm. hoWitzers and something like
1000 French 75-mm. field guns The
number of the last has been depleted in
a measure undisclosed by batteries sent
to England to replace equipment lost in
the retreat from Belgium and France.
The larger howitzers provided with
motor mounts, are still effective weapons.
The 75-mm. field guns have undergone
an expensive process, in which their
firing mechanism was modernized and
their wooden wheels were replaced with
rubber tires. But this famous weapon,
relied on by the French to stop the Ger
man armored advance, failed utterly at
its task, and is now regarded as hope
leSsly outmoded. The Army has decided
to use it as armament for medium tanks.
Only few sample vehicles have been
thus equipped. Before it can be installed
on a large scale, the Is as tank con-
Stituent may well become obsolete
against new processes of hardening steel,
and particularly against cannon of larger
caliber now being used in armored ve-
hicles abroad
In Poland, toward the end of 1899, the
Germans appeared with novel 105-mm.
hoWltZer. Its range was less than that
of the rs, but it threw heavier charge.
With high trajectory, 1t was designed
to fire over obstacles like hills and drop
projectiles on troops, artillery or tanks
sheltered behind them.
For reasons mysterious to some OBJ
Evening star., 1941-05-25

States has kept in close touch with
them since last November and at one
time it appeared that We might count
on their cooperation if and when We
decided to step in. Now. while not en-
thusiastic over the policies of Vichy,
they are determined to follow the mar
shals policies and wishes and go all
the way toward assisting the Germans
to keep North and West Africa free of
any interlopers. And interloper in the
meaning OF the Vichy government is
either Great Britain or the United
States or both. The Germans do not
with a military force unless they have
to assist their associates to repel inter-
lopers.
There is no doubt that Dakar is Of
vital Importance to the enemies of the
Axis. The port is an excellent naval
base and controls the sea route between
the British Isles and shipping from the
Indian Ocean by way of the Cape Of
Good Hope.
But even more important than that
is the fact that to conceive, from the
purely technical point of view. a defeat
of the Axis by war of attrition, mill
tary and air operations are essential.
Since it is doubtful that the British
will be able to maintain themselves in
the Near and Middle East, the only
logical place whence such operations
may be started is that portion of West
Africa which has Dakar as its princi-
pal base. Since 1886 the British and
the French have worked hard together
making out of what used to be an un-
healthy anchorage place in Senegal,
one of the strongest fortreSSes in the
Atlantic, The shore Notifications are
up-to-date and well armed. The islano
controlling the entrance of the harbor
iS.a strong fortress. There is an i'm
portant airdrome behind the city of
Dakar itself. equipped with the most
modern paraphernala and a good de-
fense. There is a lack of anti-aircraft
guns, but these could be supplied in no
time by the Germans, once they have
free access to the French ports on both
sides of the Mediterranean. Besides
the existing forces commanded by
French officers there are some 10000
men in Spanish Morocco-partly Ger
man and partly Spanish-who could be
rushed to the south without much
trouble.
10000 Men Necessary.
This outline Of the position of Dakar
shows that in order to get a foothold
in that stronghold of African France, an
important expeditionary force of mini
mum of 10000 well equipped and trained
men is necessary. Such a force must
be accompanied by an important naval
squadron, since the French have in the
harbor the battleship Richelieu, which
is outmatched only by the British George
V class of battleships and the American
North Carolina and George WASH
ington.
Besides this ship there are a number
of cruisers and small units-including
submarines-which, while of little use
for a naval combat on the high seas,
are excellent for defense.
In spite of the astonishing strides
made in our military preparation, it
will be difficult for the United States
to detail such an important army for q
campaign IN Africa.