Evening star., 1942-12-18
Sees Another AEF
Marching in France
Military Critic Thinks Rood
To Germany From South
And West Feasible Route

'' ~~"
And West Feasible Route
By Maj. Gen. J. N. Greely, U. S. A.
OF all roads into Germany, that
through France is the shortest and the
best. Our British base is closer to Ger
many than any part of the Russian
front. The facilities for moving great
army through France are much better
than those still existing over the Russian
steppes and through ruined Poland.
Hitler knew this long before he came
to power, and he has made the most
elaborate material provision to meet the
threat. The Atlantic Coast of France
is fortified powerfully and the Medi-
terranean coast will be fortified SINH
larly before We can expect to attack it.
The old Maginot Line will serve to no
small extent for defense against attack
from the west instead of the east
Beyond, in Germany proper, the even
stronger West Wall or Seigfried Line is
the final defensive one before the war
really can be pushed home to the Ger
man people.
There never has been an impregnable
fortress. Corregidor and Sevastopol are
the last to show that. The Maginot
Line did not bar the Germans and the
Seigfried Line will not bar us perma-
nently. In the early months of this
World War, before the great German
drive on France and the Dunkirk evacu-
alton, British troops used to sing, We'll
hang out the washing on the Seigfried
Line" We are grimmer about German
power now. But the line can be driven
over or through-with great losses or
small, depending on the circumstances
at the time it is attacked.
In 1889 the Spaniards had fought a
bloody Civil War in which German dive
bombers and Italian tanks had been
tested out. They had q more realistic
view as to what was likely to happen
than either the British or the French
in the period of inaction on the western
front, lightly referred to as the cock
eyed war" or the Second Bore War"
A famous Spanish general was taken by
the Germans to inspect their new West
Wall. He was properly impressed and
said 1t never could be destroyed by an
attack. But he added that 1t or any
other such system could be taken if
the defenders were neutralized-that is,
killed, wounded or driven into inaction
underground. The break-through Of the
Maginot Line merely confirmed his repu-
tation as far-seeing soldier
The strength of the defense will de-
pend on German personnel. materiel and
morale. They always will have fine SOL
diers: they showed this even in defeat
in the First World War. But Russian
resistance and Russian winter have cut
into their supply OF flrst-class fighting
men. The available materiel will not be
greater after added years Of war, par
ticularly as we now are assuming that
they have been forced on to the defensive
and have lost the resources OF France.
The morale Of the country is likely to
fail earlier than that of It's machine
gunners. The A. E. F. found that out
in 1918. After a succession OF spring
triumphs in midsummer Germany sud-
denly was finished. The inner resources
of the country were drained
In many ways the will of the inhab-
itants of Germany to win is less strong
than in World War l. The 10000, 900
herrenvolk include many German-speak-
ing Austrians and Czechs-as we'll as
Germans-converted only by force TO
the creed that teaches that the highest
glory is death in battle. The factories
Nd AnlI f,,1 of -
captive workers held to their tasks under
the whip. The urge to eat and live holds
them now to their work. but the longing
for freedom comes next, and at the first
moment that promises success they can
be expected to turn on their masters.
1t is expecting much, but not too
much, to think that within year or
two we may face the West Wall from
the eastern borders of France We have
to get there first, and this hardly will
be as swift an achievement as the in
vasion Of French North Africa. But in
long war on great front no defender
can be strong everywhere. There will
be lots Of chances for an alert attacker
The Channel coast is strong; but the
Dieppe raid proved that q landing can
be made on it. Next time 1t may cost
less and 60 farther-to Paris and beyond.
The Atlantic ports of France are where
the A. e. F. landed the last time. They
have fine harbors with good commune
cations all the way to Germany. The
st. Nazaire raid showed that they are
well defended, too; but they can be had
at price. 1t may be paid in audacity,
luck or lives
Perhaps the best chance will be found
on the Mediterranean. A great expedi-
tionary force gradually can be built up
in North Africa, prepared to strike in
many directions, including Marseilles,
Toulon and the French Riviera. The
most reliable German troops cannot be
everywhere, and troops that are less
reliable may lend false security, as the
French North African Army proved.
Allied control of the sea, always in
cluding the sky over it, of course, will be
one great advantage in striking through
France direct. Conversely, the German
strength is greatest on the land. If the
Germans still were strong enough to at
tack us in North Africa, the Spanish
and Italian peninsulas probably would
be used to reduce the distance over
which her troops must cross hostile seas.
The future may open the same avenues
to our own men, preliminary to con-
centration in France Cipre Caesar'c dow