Evening star., 1942-12-13

Mr Stimson said that at present
the Tunisian campaign found light
forces of both the Allies and the
Axis engaged in feeling out" the
strength of the other. In these
! contacts, he added. American troops
are gaining invaluable experience
and losing their buck fever" He
! told of the deed of small armored
task force about week ago.
Two-Pronged Axis Attack.
The Germans. he related had
pushed two-pronged counter
attack against the British lst
Army They we're driving the Brit
ish back, but in doing So placed one
of their flanks abreast the task
force. The latter rushed in with
such vigor and such success that it
destroyed the whole German at
! tack"
Complete surprise. extraordinarily
good weather in normally stormy
sistance at the order of Admiral Jean
Darlan combined, Mr.. Stimson said,
to place the whole North African
operation about a month ahead of
schedule.
Despite lack OF air fields to pro-
vide protection from German planes.
Mr.. Stlmson remarked. American
! 81, ,,.t~
nisia
We knew that if we didn't sue
ceed the Germans could come over
a narrow part of the Mediterranean
/ in full force and dig in" But. he
added, the tactic of the light forces.
despite their vulnera bility from the
air, could slow down the enemy drive
while preparations for massing AL
lied air strength in Tunisia were
made.
That" he said, is the state we
have reached today"
Warns of Overconfidence.
In warning. however, that toll
and sweat and blood" still lie ahead
of us. Mr.. Stimson cautioned the
American public against overcon-
fidence.
Noting that there has been a
tendency in this country to say all
is over but the shouting Secretary
Stimson emphasized that while
everything that has happened is
better than we expected" We are
just now approaching the main
work
He contrasted the North African
operation. which he described as a
surprise attack, with the step-by-
step operations by Japan in the
South Pacific.
Japan. he said. moved first into
Tndo-China into Siam; then against
the Philippines and next into Sing
apore, Borneo. Java, New Guinea
and finally the Solomons.
In each case. Mr.. Stimson ex-
planned, the japanese had large sup
porting air power and large masses
of troops and control of the sea.
Conditions Reversed.
In the cese of the American at
tack in Africa. however, the con-
c-ticns were reversed, he asserted.
"A very powerful enemy both in
the air and on the land held Europe
and islands in the Mediterranean, "
Mr.. Stimson declared The control
OF the Mediterranean was divided
and disputed between the Axis and
The Allied powers. so that in the
case Of an attack on North Africa
a surprise attack was absolutely
necessary and the only way to be
successful"
Careful and successful planning
coupled with extraordinary" luck
and fortune. he continued, enabled
our forces to achieve a surprise at
tack on stormy coast where there
are very few days when such a
landing would be possible.
Mr.. Stimson gave credit to Admiral
Darlan for the surrender OF the
French forces in the area "long be-
fore that could have been COM
pelled."
BY the admiral's action, he said
our forces are now about a month
ahead of schedule. In addition. he
declared, there has been opportunity
for cooperation with the French in
the development of their forces.
He said that during the week end
ing December S, Allied air forces de-
stroyed ~ Axis planes and probably
destroyed 10 others. while our losses
were only II planes.
That is q very good showing" he
declared.