Evening star., 1942-11-13
Italy Hastily Looks
To Defenses in Face
Of Invasion Threat
Morale Reaches New
Low as Result Of
Drive in Africu
BY RICHARD G.. MASSOCK,
Former Chief OF the Rome Bureau Of the

By RICHARD G. MASSOCK,
Former Chief Of the Rome Bureau Of the
Associated Press.
Faced with its first threat of
invasion in the war, a quailing Italy
Is hastily looking to its defenses
against American and British troops,
radio reports today indicated.
The obvious apprehension among
the Fascists was considered all the
more significant by those acquainted
with wartime Italy, because an
Allied invasion still is believed to
be a long way off.
italian morale, meanwhile, almost
certainly has reached a new low
as the first effect of Allied occupa-
ton Of French North Africa.
This statement is based on first
hand knowledge of the fluctuations
of Italian morale in the past, par
ticularly during the ill-starred
Greek campaign. It is backed by
the Fascist propaganda ministry,s
broadcasts to the people.
As overheard by American listen
Ing posts, the Rome radio is ex-
horting Italians to cease their
trembling. Dictator Benito Musso-
lini's Popolo d'Italia has called on
Italians to hold fast (tener duro),
a now familiar plea in times of
stress on the internal front. Partic-
ularly, the Duce used it year ago
when Italians began to grumble
more or less openly at the pinch of
stringent food rationing.
Equally indicative of Italian mo-
rale is the ladling out of another
brand Of propaganda soothing sirup
by the Rome radio. Ever since the
RAF bombed Sardinia Tuesday, the
radio has been appealing to the
patriotism of the inhabitants of
that island, 71a miles south Of Cor
sica. The broadcasts have featured
the national anthem Of Sardinia.
Similar attempts to instill spirit
into the Sicilians and Neapolitans
were made when their areas were
bombed by the Raj last year. The
Fascist leaders know that even II
the Sardinians do not fall into panic
under the bombardments, they are
highly individualistic and an inde-
pendent island people whose loyalty
to the Rome regime might waver
under the blows of an unpopular
war.
This is not to say that Italians,
cowed by 20 years of Fascism and
now by the Germans. are ready
for revolt. although rebellion might
develop from successful invasion.
Reports reaching Government
circles in Washington tell merely OF
a little more deterioration in morale
since we left Rome last May, the
same suppressed animosity toward
the Germans and the same friendly
feeling toward Americans.
With such a situation prevail
Ing, with Italians further disheart-
ened by the Knowledge that Ameri-
cans are now within easy bomber
range to blast italian objectives,
with the Germans feeling they can
not trust the Italians to hold Sar-
diana and Corsica, Hitler is said
to be diverting German Army divi-
sions from Russia to Italy.
They would be the first German
infantry to occupy Italy. The esti-
mated 250,000 Germans on Italian
soil thus far have been aviation
units. complete with ground and
supply crews, and sailors for Ger
man submarines in the Mediter-
ranean, as well as gunners. for Ital-
ian WarShipS. MuSsolini has heen
holding million or more men under
arms in Italy against invasion, while
his propagandists were attempting
to laugh off the possibility.
The German infantry reinforce
ments may be expected to drain
further the barely sufficient Italian
food supplies, though no word of