Evening star., 1941-04-13
Outcome of Struggle in Greece
Involves Destiny of Americans
If Britain Loses, Only Huge A. E. F. Would Be
Able to Furnish Man Power for Overthrow
Of Nazis Observer Declares
By Felix NJ orley.

turing potential, leaves much to be de-
sired as a base. Munitions cannot be
made there in any quantity; they must
be shipped in. But in the present ne
cessity this deficiency has to be accepted.
The foothold in Greece is of primary
Importance and to retain it Egypt must
be protected and developed for supplies.
The same factors which make the
support of Greece vital for Britain also
render its reduction imperative from
the German viewpoint.
That Germany would have preferred
to keep Yugoslavia neutral during the
carefully prepared attack on the Grecian
peninsula goes without saying. But
when the Yugoslavs' courageously re-
fused the minimum concessions de-
manded by Berlin, it became certain
that Hitler would strike to secure this
paSsageway to Greece. And the on
slaught was bound to be the more de-
be reduced, Yugoslavia must be wholly
eliminated as factor of resistance.
Yugoslav Prelude.
If the position of Greece is compared
with that of France last May then
Yugoslavia from the German viewpoint,
is a preliminary impediment similar to
that offered by Holland and Belgium.
There are differences, of course The
mountainous terrain of Yugoslavia, and
the absence of all but primitive COM
munications, have presented much
greater obstacles to blitZkrieg tactics
This time, also, the element of surprise
was wholly lacking and resistance should
be the more desperate because Yugo-
slavs and Greeks both realize that their
continued national existence is at stake.
Last but not least, the British are better
aware of the magnitude of the emer-
gency than was the case in France last
summer.
Nevertheless, events are confirming the
many German advantages. Their
armies, close to Well-equipped bases,
had been able to concentrate over
whelming strength at carefully selected
points On Yugoslavia's long and almost
unforti1ei frontiers. AS the abortive
adherence to the axis Indicated there
is large element in Yugoslavia, espe-
cially among the Croats and Slovenes,
which regards resistance as hopeless
even if it is not actively anti-Serb in
sentiment. In mechanical equipment
the British and their Allies are inferior.
Finally, Germany is Strong enough to
distract the British by continued sub
marine and air attack at home, even
while concentrating tremendous power
on the smashing drive in the Balkans.
History Being Written.
No man with any sense of the awful
issues at stake would care to venture
idle predictions on the outcome of this
appalling death grapple. But it must
be plain to all, and the tension thou
sands of miles from the scene of the
| struggle attests the fact that one of the
great decisive battles of the world Is
under way. History on the grandest
! scale again is being written in that
Eastern Mediterranean area, which was
the cradle of our civilization, and which
through the centuries has been the scene
of conflicts to which the present issue
seems a shattering elimination.
1t is a struggle to which Americans
should not and cannot be indifferent,
| for in its outcome our destiny also is
involved.
This does not mean that if the British
stem the tide such outcome would neces-
| sarily preserve our easy way of life, nor
| that another German triumph would of
itself endanger the security of the United
States Such an analysis of the issue
now being decided is superficial.
| But what we do know is that great
turning point in history has been
reached. And we know further that
| by the turn of the fighting in the
Struma and Vardar Valleys the lives of
| future generations along the Mississippi
have been deeply affected.
Our highly individualistic country is
| soon to realize its memorable entangle-
ment in the sweep of human destiny
For better or worse it is soon to realize
| the full force of the old Roman saying
that 1.-The Fates lead the willing. They
| drag the unwilling"