Evening star., 1942-03-20
(SecOnd OF q SerteS.)
By DIR. HERMANN RAUSCHNING

BY DR.. HERMANN RAUSCHNING.
Looking back, Hitler cannot but
call 1941 the year of puzzling fall
ures. To the Allies it was the
crucial year-the year OF salvation.
At the beginning of the year the
British Empire and its few allies
were quite grotesquely inferior to
the Axis powers, then at the peak
of their strength; as layman, one
only now begins to realize how in
ferior.
The German military command,
probably having complete and re-
liable information on the adversary's
inferority, must nave looked on 1941
as the year of supreme triumph.
Victory was sure. With complete
freedom in the rear - England's
offensive strength for an attempt
at invading the European Continent
was Hif1ing-the entire force OF the
German Army could be concentrated
on the East and Southeast. Why on
the East? Why not on England
herself, the center Of resistance?
Why this suicidal war with Russia,
which has brought Germany to the
brink of catastrophe in six months
and saved the war for the Allies?
The reasons for this disastrous
choice are hard to understand out
side the Reich. To put it as simply
as possible, war with Russia was
necessity in nationalist eyes. Two
giant military nations as rivals for
power in one small continent were
an impossibility for the future.
The concentration of resources, mill
tary and economic, required that one
power should gain sole possession OF
them.
War with England was not
necessity. On the contrary, England
was tomorrows ally, even II she had
scorned to be today's partner. Be-
yond the second World or European
War. the third, the true World War,
was looming on the horizon. Italy
and japan, enemies of Germany IN
the first war, were allies today. Why
should not England, too, be an ally
tomorrow?
Resume OF German ran.
The German plan Of war for 1S4l
can be reconstructed with some
assurance. First stage: Covering the
right flank and occupation OF the
strategically vital key positions IN
the East. It's execution was COM
bination of individual military and
nolitical ENGAGEMENTS. Italian and
German forces would occupy Egypt
and cut off the Suez Canal. Greece,
the springboard to Asia Minor,
would be overthrown by military
and political bluff and gently COM
pelled to take her place in the Axis.
The willing capitulation OF Yugo-
slavia would be beyond question.
The helpers would be available when
needed. Vichy France would hand
over Syria. In Iraq and Iran coups
d'etat would remove the last pohtl-
cal obstacles to union with the Axis.
Revolts are always as cheap as
blackberries in Palestine and Trans
jordania.
AS soon as hesitant Turkey saw
herself encircled and Suez and
Egypt falling. she would be ready
to ioin the winning side. Practically
without bloodshed, with a. couple
of rebellions and short colonial
war in Libya. Egypt, and if necessary
a German eXpeditionary force drlV-
ing from Syria through TransJor-
dania and Palestine to the Red Sea,
Hitler would have a spearhead OF
completely motorized shock troops
In the Asia Minor oil fields (Which
are also a first-claSS strategic key
position) by early June.
From here Germany could push
on to India if necessary; but that
was something to worry about later.
For the moment, there would be oil.
From here double attack on Russia
would be feasible from the south.
Russia could be gripped in a mon
strouS pair OF pncers.
West and east of the Caspian Sea,
advancing across the Steppes, the
mobile German panzer divisions
could penetrate the newest and most
modern Russian industrial regions,
cutting off communications with
Asiatic Russia at the rear Then an
auxiliary operation to occupy the
Caucasian oil fields could be carried
out. supporting the main attack
from the Black Sea and preventing
destruction of the costly installa-
tions. Russia would be held in
wise as no such great country had
ever been before.
Whether by capitulation or by a
blitzkrieg of three months at most,
Russia would be crossed off the list
of dangerous antagonists. That |
would leave England. England
would have the choice of a compro-
mise peace, with guarantee of her
empire status, surrendering her posi-
ton in the Mediterranean, North
Africa and Asia Minor, and sharing
the Central African sphere of inter-
est, or a war of annihilation against
Fascist Europe and Japan together,
which would mean certain loss of
the empire, including India. In the
minds of the National Socialists
there could be no doubt that Eng
land would prefer alliance with
Germany.
The year began with small mis-