The Waterbury Democrat., 1941-04-22
Desperate Attempt To Save Greece May Fail
hind to harry the German advance as long as possibie.
 Most Critical Phase
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hind to harry the German advance as long as possibie.
 Most Critical Phase
 London, April 22-(UP)-The bat tie of Greece was said today to have entered It's most critical phase In which the Allied defenders must hold a narrow 40-mile line south- west from Thermopylae to the Gulf of Corinth to protect their rear guard withdrawal.
 The line Is studded with moun- tains and was thought to pass just east of Mount Parnassus and Del- phi.
 It protects the retirement of British and Greek forces southeast along the narrow Peninsula where Athens stands, 90 miles away, and, 1t is believed affords a narrow cor- ridor of escape for the Greeks com ing slowly south from Arta toward the Gulf of Corinth at Missolonghi.
 If the Thermopylae line holds, the Greeks from the west may be able to rejoin the main Anglo Greek forces by moving east along the Coast of the Gulf of Corinth.
 Should the Germans break through to the Gulf of Corinth - the narrow body of water which separates the Greek mainland from the Peloponnesus - the western Greek armies would be trapped in the southwest corner of Greece with no avenue of escape except by sea.
 It was admitted here that the holding of the line from T'hermo- pylae to the gulf was Q hazardous enterprise in view of the crushing power of the Nazi atatck. Stubborn British and Greek rear guard en- agreements have slowed the Ger man advance but never have been able to halt 1t.
 May Be Evacuating
 British military informants de- clined to comment on the possibil- ity that the British expeditionary force mght be evacuating Greece under cover of the desperate rear guard engagements along the Thr- mopylae line.
 The next few days were said here to be vital to the question of whether further resistance north of the Gulf of Corinth can be continued.
 It was plainly indicated by the British radio and press that the pub lie is being prepared for abandon ment of the Greek front If the German pressure can not be halted.
 One factor affecting the question of evacuation of the British expe. ditionary corps is the dilemma of the British Mediterranean fleet. That fleet is now guarding against further reinforcement by sea of the German divisions in Africa. If 1t should be pulled back to Greece to cover Q British evacuation, the Ger mans probably could slip strong re- Inducements into Africa with pos sibly disastrous results in the Nazi attack upon Egypt and the sues.
 Crack Naxis Leading
 Elements of three crack German armored divisions are leading the drive southward from Larisa, mili- tary informants said, and are suffer- ing frightful casualties in the British rear guard action which is covering the consolidation Of the new line.
 The informants said the Greeks were suffering greater difficulties than the British because of extra ordinarily bad communications west of the Pindus mountains.
 At Lamia, the battle front had moved to 6 point about 100 miles northwest of Athens.
 The main railroad extends from Lamia to Athens, on the southeast coast of Greece. A further retreat