Evening star., 1942-08-28
Calls Infantry Power
Decisive in Egypt
Military Writer Sees Each Side
Waiting for Opportunity
To Turn Others Flank
BU Mai, GEORGE Fieldint

The Stdiemate on the Aidmlen lfOTJ
has lasted more than two months.
Neither the Germans nor the British
have been able to establish a sufficient
superiority in men and guns to batter
their way in a frontal assault through
the opposing defenses This is short
front, of only % miles, with the flanks
secured by the sea and the salt marshes
of the Qattara Depression. Both sides
have had time to dig in and cOnSoh-
date their positions pretty thoroughly,
Initially therefore, the job of break
ing through is one for infantry with
strong artillery and air support, 1t Is
not Job for tanks in the beginning;
neither Rommel nor Alexander will
be likely to risk his precious armor
against well-emplaced enemy guns I'M
til the infantry has made way for it
gained passage through mine fields
and Notifications and thus afforded the
armored troops opportunity to maneu-
yer.
1t would appear, therefore, that
great advantage will accrue to the side
which can achieve superiority in in
fantry. but for both sides this is difficult.
The combination of air transport and
small boats upon which Rommels sup
ply system depends can probably keep
food, munitions and fuel moving for
ward in sufficient quantities, together
with a certain number of requirements,
but this system Is hardly adequate to
bring up heavy reinforcements as Well
One German infantry division appears
to have been carried bit by bit to the
Alamein front to add to the one Rom
mel already possessed; other than this,
his infantry is Italian and more or
less unreliable If Rommel attacks, he
will have to expend his German man.
power with a skillful hand.
On the British side the situation IN
the Caucasus and in India, coupled WIN
the worldwide shortage OF shipping,
makes it difficult to find addltlonal
| troops for Egypt. The British by now
NAV have filled up the ranks OF their
| original 9th Army formations, sadly de-
| nleted by losses at Tobruk and In the re-
| treat to Ell Alamein; there are some
hints in official dispatches that one ad-
ditional infantry division has reached
| Gen. Alexander and 1t is also possible
that he has at least some elements OF
| an American armored division. HIS
British. Australian, New Zealand, Soutf
African, Free French, Indian and Polish
| infantry Is all of high quality, equal te
the Germans and vastly superior to the
Italians.
| AS to air power. the British seem II
be maintaining air superiority in TIM
area. but the Germans can switch power
full air forces across the Mediterranean
to Rommel's support whenever sucf
forces can be spared from other theaters
Just now the demands OF the Russlal
front. plus Allied pressure from the west
seem to afford little opportunity TO
transferring any part of the LuftWaf1
to Africa. This would suggest that Rom
mel may attack at a moment when
lull in operations elsewhere has per
mitted the shift of sufficient air power t
support his offensive. In this matte
of transferring air forces frc%l place I
place the Germans have shown marke
efficiency, which might we'll be stud1e
to advantage by their opponents.
AS a tactical proposition, howeve
modern weapons make it very costly t
smash headlong in frontal attack agains
strongly fortified lines. Whichever SID
attacks first may be compelled to do Jul
this at Alamein, but we can be sure ths
each commander is trying to figure o,
some means OF turning his opponent
flank.
For Rommel the only practicable pla
appears to be the use of airborne trooI
and parachutists to effect lodgmer
behind the British lines; the problem
J detouring the Qattara Depression II
. wolves supply difficulties which appes
! | insurmountable. To Alexander the poss
bility of a landing on the coast sstric
Rommel's main supply line, supporte
by the guns of the British Navy,
always open, perilous though such g
operation might be. 1t also Is probable
though we have no recent informatit
}, on this point-that the British still no
, the oasis of silva, and there Is ba
>, possibility that they have built up in tn
area mobile force capable OF strikii
with effect at Rommels communicable
|. simultaneously with a major British a
s. tack on his front.
- At all events, the deadlock in Egg
n seems unlikely to last much longer
e would be tremendous advantage to t
d British to rid themselves of this thre
+ to their Middle East position at tir
when the Germans are gaining groul
=. in the Caucasus and the Russians ne
all the support that Britain can gi
them. 1t would on the other hand,
l. of tremendous advantage to the A:
= powers If they could sweep past the N
e Delta into Asia and threaten the Ira
% Iran system of communications, on whi
It the Caucasian front soon may be entir,
e dependent
J. The stakes are very great for be
- sides. For either a premature alta
- ending in failure might result in COZ
'o plete disaster; but for either to wait t
long might permit its opponent to bu
= up forces too powerful to be resist
le Upon few commanders, indeed, has rest
Is greater measure of personal respo
e, sibility than rests now upon Gen. Ale
). ander and Field Marshal Rommel, faci
,t each other across the arid no-man
land of Alamein.
Copyright. 194c, New York Tribune, Inc