Evening star., 1942-01-19
Hints Accumu|atinq
That Axis Prepares
Fresh Offensive
New Military Agreement
Signed; Italian High
Command Shoken Up
BY the Associated Press.

SOUIJIIOuO SIIONSH Op
| BY the Associated Press.
Hints and actual circumstan-
tial evidence that Adolf Hitler is
plotting a new move, which have
appeared from time to time since
his Russian offensive was thrown
into reverse, were given official
Axis stamp today, although what
he has in mind is still obscure.
The German radio declared a
military convention signed yesterday
by Germany, Italy and Japan pro-
vided for proper and appropriate
distribution of military forces in
preparation for operations Of great
striking power which will be of out
standing significance.
Speculation, now as before, natu-
rally turns to the Mediterranean
zone, newly strengthened by the
fact that Hitler's naval chieftain.
Grand Admiral Erich Raeder. and
Premier Mussolinis chief of naval
staff, Admiral Arturo Riccardi,
! talked high strategy last week at a
Bavarian rendezvous.
But the Mediterranean is big. A
move in that region might be against
Turkey with the idea of winning
control of the entire Eastern Medi-
terranean zone, including the Suez
Canal, or through Spain aimed at
reducing Gibraltar. or carrying Of
the war to West Africa. or finally
the plainly indicated objective of
turning the British offensive in
Libya.
Bolstering the belief that a new
Axis move is in the making was the
latest shake-up of the Italian high
| command in which Gen Mario
Roatta was replaced by Gen. Wit
torio Ambrosio. until now COM
mander of the 11th Army.
A Rome broadcast said Gen Ro-
alta was being given command of
the I'd Italian Army. He became
chief Of staff last March 25, stepping
up from vice chief when Marshal
Rodolfo Graziani resigned his posts
both in the high command and as
commander and governor of Libya.
Gen, Ambrosio also was a former
been assigned command of an army
corps under the marshal in August.
1899.
The present change NAV be part
of the aftermath of the British
imperial reduction Of German
Italian holdout forces at Halfava
Pass. Bardia and Salum along the
-Libyan border.
Malta Figures Prominently.
In all these indications the
strategic position of Malta. the
little British island just south OF
Italy and Sicily, figures prominently,
and recently stepped-up aerial
pounding of that island has under
scored the likelihood that an Of
fensive there, perhaps in the style
of the battle for Crete, stands high
on the Axis order of business
A high British officer. just re-
turned to London from Malta. said
the Axis air attacks were stocking
up a little Bit" but that the de-
tenders were putting the hard
learned lessons of Crete to good use.
! Perhaps significantly. he would
not say whether he regarded NAL
ta's air defenses as adequate. but
he asserted that they were strong
enough to exact high price for any
attempt at landing in Malta.
Malta, under air alarm more than
1000 times in this war so far, has
shown a capacity for absorbing tre-
mendous, closely based aerial blows
The shore of Sicily is only go miles
away.
The italians announced today that
despite adverse weather, the Ger
man air force yesterday continued
attacks against military objectives
and airdromes of Malta" 1t was
noteworthy, perhaps, that the Ital-
ians claimed no Malta attacks by
their own planes.
Mediterranean Dominant.
! The Mediterranean is becoming
an ever more dominant war scene,
the authoritative Fascist editor
Virginio Gayda. wrote today in II
Giornale d1talia.
Commenting on the military con-
ventions signed yesterday in Berlin
by Germany, Japan and Italy, Gayda
said this constituted "a unique
totalitarian plan against the COM
mon enemy"
The tripartite powers are united
for maximum efficiency" he said
This is a war of destruction and a
conquest of sources of raw material:
He will win that will gain in speed
and produce more"
Gayda, who often voices the views
of Premier Mussolini, said the Axis
must harmonize its efforts from
the Mediterranean to the Pacific.
The Japanese war is making a
gigantic contribution to the Ger
man and Italian wars, and swells
in the war in the Mediterranean
are helping Japan"
He derided the war plans of the
United Nations as confused"
Mussolini was reported to have
cabled to Japan that ITALY is COL
laborating with Japan and Germany
and will fight against the common
enemies with firm decision and
without f1inching no matter what
sacrifice is required until further