Evening star., 1942-06-22
The Portent of Tobruk

The unexpectedly early loss of
E Tobruk is warning that must be
courageously faced. That Tobruk
was in danger and might ultimately
be taken had been understood, and
the British high command in Cairo
had intimated that, as a long-run
proposition, it might prove too costly
to be profitably held. But it was ex-
pected to serve as a useful check on
the Axis advance on the Egyptian
border, thereby giving the main
British Army time to reorganize and
be reinforced. Since Tobruk had
held out successfully for eight
months against everything Rommel
himself could do when that formi-
dable commander held Eastern Libya
last year, this was not an unreason-
able expectation. And that the Brit
iSh high command set great store on
Tobruk was proved by the fact that
only last week they drove through a
convoy at high cost to supply the
place.
We do not yet know the full rea-
sons why, this time, Rommel was
able to take Tobruk practically by
storm. Apparently it was due to his
formidable combination of tanks,
mobile heavy artillery, and dive
bombers which had already smashed
the outer British defense line and
won command of the desert. Yet
how this technique was able to crack
Tobruk'S permanent Notifications
within forty-eight hours still is a
mystery. 1t is to be assumed that,
since the British relieving army
raised the former siege last Novem-
ber and chased Rommel from Eastern
Libya, Tobruk'S defenses had been
repaired and strengthened against
any contingent shift of fortune. Al
though the docks and harbor of To-
bruk were badly damaged by bonn
bardment and obStructed by the
hulkS of sunken ships, it's strategic
Importance as a block on the main
coastal highway and a source of
abundant fresh water remained un-
impaired. Therefore, the British
would have held onto it if it had
been possible to do so.
So energetic and resourceful COM
mander as Rommel can be counted
on to push to the limit the advan-
tages he has just gained He may
therefore be expected to launch an
attack on the main British Army in
the near future But the British po-
sition is a strong one. The main
coastal road runs through the cele-
brated "Hell-fire" Pass and is backed
by high escarpment south of which
lies a marShy depression unsuitable
for mechanical flanking operations.
The British are fortified in depth,
and their communications with the
Nile Valley are short and easy, with a
railway reaching as far as their field
base at Mersa Matruh. Also, they
have the 9Th and 10th Armies in
Syria, Iraq and Iran to draw on in
case of necessity. Rommel will thus
have his work cut out for him.
Nevertheless, the repercussions of
Rommel's conquest of Eastern Libya
are serious, both strategically and in
the field of diplomacy. The Mediter-
ranean is like giant amphitheater
around which are grouped many peo-
piles watching intently the course of
the struggle and with no theological
scruples to prevent their siding with
the seemingly successful combatant.
Spaniards, Vichy French, North Afri-
cans, Egyptians, Turks, Arabs, Iran
ians-all are frankly fence-sitters,
warily yet cannily speculating on the
outcome. And the scales of destiny
in the Near East again are precari-
ously poised.