Evening star., 1941-10-04
Internal Front

InternQI FRONT
internal Front" is the apt phrase
just coined to describe the growing
wave ofrmilitant unrest among all the
peoples of Europe subjected to Axis
domination. This unrest varies all
the way from sporadic sabotage and
covert SLOW w-down" tactics of work
ers to open inSurrection such as
has broken out in Yugoslavia and
threatens to erupt in Bohemia. The
Internal Front stretches from the
Arctic fjords Of Norway to the sunny
Mediterranean isles of Greece, and
from the Atlantic -girt peninsula of
French Brittany to the latest section
of Russian soil overrun by German
armies forging far to the eastward
Only the presence of German or
italian occupation troops, backed by
Gestapo terrorism with its hangmen
and firing squads, prevents this far
flung Internal Front from bursting
into spontaneous conflagration, it's
flames fed by the deep hatred which
Axis oppression has inspired.
That is the situation which Ber-
lin official spokesman acknowledged
when he admitted use of the stern
est possible measures" of repression
and attempted to justify them by
saying, With Germany herself deep
in fight for life, it is understandable
that we cannot tolerate an internal
front against u.s."
The vaStneSs of the problem which
confronts the Nazi conquerors can
be viSualized when it is remembered
that the total area of those domi-
mated lands is several times as large
as the Reich, and that the aggregate
numbers of those rebellious popula-
tions total over 100,0O0,000 Many
divisions of soldiers are already
needed to maintain even the relative
degree of order which now prevails,
and should unrest continue to mount
despite terroristic repression, Axis
troops badly needed on the firing line
may have to be diverted to the In
ternal Front In addition, the cumu-
lative effect of countless acts of
sabotage, such as the burning of
warehouses, damaging of factories,
derailment of trains and blowing up
of bridges or tunnels, must be to
slow down appreciably the effective
exploitation of the conquered terri
tories on which the Axis vitally
depends.
The uncertain factor is, of course.
the degree to which the Internal
Front can be developed Our SYM
pathies are so inevitably enlisted on
the side of those devoted patriots
riSking their lives to restore their
national eXiStenceS that wiShful
thinking tends to make us glimpse
general insurrection which will
precipitate the speedy downfall of
the Axis new order" Yet the dis
passionate analyses of political and
military students seem TO show that,
so long as the Axis war machine
continues to function efficiently,
largeScale revolts in Nazi-domi-
mated Europe would not of them
selves overthrow Hitlerism. Only in
certain mountainous areas like
Serbia and Bosnia can they have a
precarious local success In the days
of smooth-bore muskets and light
field pieces, cities and open country
sides might stage revoltS when the
troops were not much better armed
than the insurgents. In the grim
present, cities can be blasted out of
existence by unopposed dive bombers,
while tanks invulnerable to rifle and
machine gun fire can careen through
the remotest villages and fields The
Czecho-Slovak government in exile
has warned its citizens not to venture
open resistance at this time, but to
stick to discreet sabotage and await
more favorable hour. This is OBJ
vious common sense. Premature in
surrections would simply disclose the
best patriots to the Nazis for ruthless
elimination.
During the coming winter, Europes
Internal Front doubtless will become
a serious handicap to Axis efficiency,
and thus a contributing factor to-
ward its eventual undoing But Axis
| defeat cannot come solely from
within. 1t must be imposed from
without. To think otherwise is
| dangerous deluSion.