Evening star., 1941-01-26
BY MAI. GEORGE FIELDING
EIIOT

ELIOT.
In observing the progress of the
Mediterranean campaign, it is well
to remember that this is side
show" however dramatic its events.
The main theater of operations and
the decisive theater, is the island of
Great Britain and its surrounding
waters. The Mediterranean opera
tions will be of Importance in direct
proportion to the degree to which
they affect the ability of the two
main ombatants-Britain and Ger
many-to secure a decision in this
main theater.
The chief purpose of the British
In the Mediterranean. considered
in the light Of the foregoing prin-
ciple. is, Of course, to knock Italy
out of the war, gain full freedom of
action in the Mediterranean. and
thus release naval and air forces
and shipping to aid in the defense
of Great Britain: a subsidiary pur-
pose is to compel the Germans. II
they do not wish to see this main
purpose accomplished, to detach to
the Mediterranean such proportion
of their land and air forces and
their war material as shall seriously
affect their main campaign against
Great Britain. or shall delay its be-
ing brought to full effectiveness.
These considerations gain added
weight when we reflect that they
are based on the purely strategical
oF ,,-loi1 rto1u
strategical but also political in its
motives and consequences. 1t is
probable that the collapse of Italy
would have serious repercussions in
France. Spain and the Balkans; the
Germans may not wish to face so
tremendous a loss of prestige, and
its possible consequences may COM
pei them to strategical decisions
otherwise unjuStiflable.
Nazis May Have to Aid More.
So far. however, they have hewed
to the line. They would wish, if
thev could. to contain the British
land. air and naval forces in the
Near East with the Italians alone
(who are of little or no value for
attacking Great Britain or with
the Italians, plus an absolute mimi
mum of German stiffening. This
minimum is represented, to date,
by what seems to be about a wing
of "Stuka" dive bombers-Junkers
87s-operating from Sicily. A nor
NAL German wing can operate 81
planes and has an establishment OF
l36, including command flights and
squadron spares. This is not very
great detachment of the total Ger
man air strength and could quickly
be returned to Germany II 1t were
needed. But it seems quite in the
cards that the Germans may soon
have to put aid to Italy on some
thing far greater than this shoe
string" basis or face the military and
political results of complete Italian
collapse.
In East Africa, the Italian EN-
pire" is folding up around the edges.
and is weakened by native unrest
in the center. Its condition reminds
the military student OF Gen. Jor-
dams remark to Gen. Beauregard at
the battle of Shiloh: Sir, our
troops are in the condition of
vater-soaked lump of sugar which
yet retains its shape but is ready
to dissolve at a touch" Halle Sc
lassie has unfurled his banner on
his own soil. and from the west
and south the British forces are
pressing on against Italians who are
cut of from any hope Of support Or
supply.
In Libya, the fall of Tobruk is
being followed by a relentless British
advance which strongly suggests the
approaching end of Italian resist
ance. Italian air operations have
ceased. OF the 250,000 men with
which GRAHAM began, 114000 are
prisoners; certainly at least 25 per
cent of the original total are to be
accounted for as unavailable for
first-line service-line of communi-
cations troops, base depot and hos
pital personnel, administration,
transport and supply services and
the like. This would leave perhaps
$4,000 men-but one must consider
that at least some sort of garrison
force must have been left in Tripoli-
tania, and that the rate of desertions
among the native troops must be
rapidly rising.
Britain May Win All of Libya.
Retirement from Bengasi, along
the single coastal road to Tripoli, is
hardly to be thought Of. We are,
therefore, very close to a consunma-
ton which will put all Cyrenaica,
and perhaps all Italian Libya, in
British hands. This will release for
service elsewhere a magnifcently
seasoned and thoroughly co-ordi-
mated instrument of modern war
fare: The combined British naval,
air and land forces of the Middle
East commands. That this instru-
ment will sit quietly in Cyrenaica
admiring its laurels is unthinkable.
Remember always that the Mediter-
ranean is side show. how can this
force best be used to advance British
interests in the main theater?
Obviously by a smashing blow at
italy. In Albania? This is posi-
bic, but the difficulties of the ter
rain make it unlikely. The Greeks
can better be aided by war mate
rial and perhaps some additional
air assistance. Much more likely,
on the map, appears to be descent
upon Sicily. Were this large island
to fall into British hands-indeed,
were the British but able to gain a
secure foothold in 1.-THE final blow