Evening star., 1942-10-18
Allied Attack on Dakar Seen
Full of Grave Possibilities
France Might Be Forced to War of Self'Defense;
Nazis Seen Gaining Through Diversion
of United Nations Supply Ships
By FeHr M orley.

BY Feit
Since Brazil's entry into the war, spec
ulation as to the likelihood of United
Nations attack on Dakar has steadily
increased. And in the relations between
Vichy and Washington there is certainly
no current improvement which would
make the seizure of this French outpost
in the South Atlantic less probable.
The Russian. demand for the opening
of second front seems, this late in the
year, unlikely to result in any large
scale Allied invasion of the Continent of
Europe. Moscow, however, is insistent
that some aggressive action be taken to
relieve the strangling pressure of the
Nazi armies. That insistence, now plain
to all, is a definite part of the picture
behind the increasing rumors that Dakar
Is marked for capture.
Approach of winter would not affect
a campaign against the capital of Sene-
gal, lying as it does only Is degrees
north of the Equator. And while an
attack on Dakar would not of itself ap-
pear to constitute the opening of a sec
ond front, it might well lead in that
direction.
With this important outpost in Anglo
American hands a base would be con-
stituted for an advance, both northward
up the African coast and by air across
the desert, upon French North Africa.
With Morocco, Algeria and Tunisia sep
arated from the control of Vichy the way
would be open for the much discussed
invasion of Italy, as the Achilles heel of
the Axis.
i 1t may not be wholly accidental that
reports of increasing discomfort in Italy
coincide with accumulating indications
that an attack on Dakar is now to be
regarded as very strong possibility.
Vichy Hints Strong Defense.
These indications, for the most part,
come from Europe.
On several occasions lately Vichy has
pointedly let it be known that the de-
fenses of Dakar have been strengthened
since the abortive British and Free
French attempt on that port two years
ago. A f1otilla of 25 French submarines
is said to have made its way to Senegal
within the past few weeks In so many
words the Laval government has an
nounced that if Dakar is attacked it will
be defended and vigorously defended
simultaneously, the Germans, who
certainly have keen interest in all
developments at Dakar have been assid-
uously spreading word that the port is
jeopardized.
The German controlled Paris press
warns the French public that its granary
in North Africa is threatened. Stories
of Allied conveys off the West African
coast emanate from Stockholm, indicat-
ing Nazi origin for these rumors. AT
the same time there is notable absence
of any German statement officially well
coming the prospect of an attack on
Dakar, which perhaps indicates that
this development is desired by the high
command in Berlin.
There is nothing obscure about the
reasons which would encourage Nazi
complacency with regard to large scale
American military involvement In Sene-
gal.
1t would mitigate the present very
disagreeable German uncertainty as to
the location of second front and would
establish new area of hostilities, which
initially at least. would cause Berlin
little anxiety Allied troops, assuming a
successful reduction of Dakar, would
still have to advance the $500 miles to
Casablanca, in Morocco, before they
would begin to constitute a real threat
to the Axis. And the risk of alternating
Spain by such campaign would be
very real.
Would Disperse Shipping.
Moreover, the problem of supply fol
any large army based on Dakar would
add to the dispersion of United Nations
shipping resources. This would make II
more difficult to furnish Russia with
supplies, to maintain successful often.
sive in the Southwest Pacific, to assist
Great Britain in Egypt and the Middle
East or to build up the aviation reserves
necessary for continuous large-scale all
attack from England.
!
foreshadowed by an attack on Dakar
however, would be the closer amalga-
nation of France with the Axis, which
such a move would undoubtedly tend tt
produce.
| If Dakar alone were at stake, and i
its occupation were undertaken b,
American troops as a mere safeguard
against possible use of the port by Axi
submarines, French resistance ther,
might prove to be largely of the toker
variety. But if Dakar were taken ane
then converted into base for opera
tions against North Africa, open wa
between France and the United States
would be all too probable an outcome.
Having no other recourse, Vichy ha
witnessed with resignation the militar.
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