Evening star., 1941-12-22
What's Up in Germany?

VHut , Op III ScIIIOIiy:
When Adolf Hitler announces that
he has fired his ranking generals and
is taking over supreme command Of
the German armies, something big is
obviously going on inside the Third
Reich. And that something doesn't
look we'll for the fortunes of the
Fatherland. The significance of this
manifesto is enhanced by the fact
that Hitler speaks about being guided
by his intuition; in plain English,
that he is playing a hunch. An ex-
corporal setting his inspired wisdom
above the far-famed German general
staff is an extraordinary develop
ment.
Ever since Marshal Timoshenko
delivered his smashing blow at the
German salient thrust out to Rostov-
on-Don, the German armies in Russia
have suffered a growing crescendo of
misfortune. From Finland to the Sea
of Azov, the Russian counterattack
has gained rapidly in momentum.
Nowhere have the Germans been able
to make stand against Red armies
which Berlin had declared to be
broken and "annihilated." Only day
before yesterday, a personal state
ment from Hitler to the German
people, relayed by his propaganda
minister, Doctor Goebbels, made the
amazing admission that millions OF
our soldiers" were confronted with
IAN enemy who is superior in num-
bers and in materiel." That extraor-
dinary confession Of weakness was
coupled with an appeal to the Ger
man people, deprived for nearly three
years of new clothing, to donate
everything warm in their depleted
wardrobes to front-line fighters
whom the supposedly superefflcient
army authorities obviously had been
unable to supply.
All recent information from re-
liable sources has indicated widen
ing rift between the army and the
Nazi party. There has always been
a suspicion that the more conserva-
tive sections of the army high COM
mand disapproved Of the war on
Russia. But Hitler has promoted
many Of his partisans to command
ing posts, notably General Won
Brauchitsch, who has been in su-
preme command of military opera
tions. Now, Hitler has fired his own
man and assumed supreme control.
This does not necessarily mean
that Germany is cracking. But the
German retirement in the east
unquestionably is resulting in heavy
losses in men and equipment. It
may well be that Hitler meditates
another purge" either of his un-
satisfactory generals or possibly even
Of party leaders who have outlived
their usefulness. Indeed, even If the
army should attempt to destroy the
party and take over supreme power,
Hitler is still so much a name to
conjure with that he personally
might be spared as a symbol if he
agreed to play along. And his agile
mind is quite capable Of such cynical
ruthlessness.
On the other hand, if Hitler is
backing the party against the army,
Germany's military prospects look
dubious in the extreme. The sound
est brains of Germany are in the
high command, and no mere clever
ness or brazen cunning can COM
pensate for the trained intelligence
of military leadership. The party
may be ideally fitted to dominate
Germans, but it is ul-equipped to
wage foreign wars. Furthermore, the
average German knows this, and the
soldiers know it best of all. Not even
Doctor Goebbels' propaganda can
make them think otherwise.
All this comes at time when Ger
mans are especially susceptible to
bad news. 1t is almost Christmas
ever dear to German hearts. That is
poor moment to swap horses.