Evening star., 1942-07-05
Rommel's Desert Push Recalls
Napoleon's Invasion Of Egypt
Parallel Striking If Not Carried Too Far; Will the
Star of Htler's Lieutenant Rise Politically
as Did the Corsican's?
By Felix Morley.

ton OF CAIRO. Yet IL was MS Egyptian
campaign which stimulated the growth
of Nationalism in that country, and pre-
pared the way both for it's eventual oc-
cupation by British and for the demand
for complete independence which the
Anglo Egyptian treaty of 1886 did not
completely meet.
Now, in the long sweep of history, an
other European dictator Is attempting
the achievement of Napoleon against the
same empire which finally defeated the
latter and succeeded to his control OF
Egypt. Now, as in the Napoleonic period,
nobody pays much attention to what the
Egyptians themselves are thinking.
Herbert Fisher, writing with admira-
ton of the daring of Napoleon's Egyptian
=. campaign, asserted 80 years ago that:
The seizure of Egypt, should it be sue
cessfully accomplished, might change the
political weights and balances of the
world"
A Focal Point of the World.
1t is certain that the Axis has had this
thought in mind ever since 1t became
clear, to Hitler as to Napoleon, that Great
Britain cannot be defeated merely by
sensational string of enemy victories
upon the continent of Europe How.
otherwise, explain why the Axis has
hurled its mechanical strength against
the British defenses of Egypt each time
that the situation called for extraordi-
nary exertion in order to secure final
decision?
The first attack was that by Gen. Gra-
ziani, attempted as soon as 1t became
clear that the fall of France would not
be followed by that Of England. The
second attack was that which Gen.
Rommel carefully synchronized with the
Crete. Repulse of both of these endeav-
ors in no way modified the fundamentals
of Axis strategy, nor the determination
again to strike for Egypt before the full
war effort of the United States could be
exerted.
The present and by far the best pre-
pared of the three Axis offensives, was
begun in late May, when most commen-
tators were neglecting Libya to discuss
prospects of great spring drive against
Russia. Very likely the Germans sought
to divert attention from the African
front. In any event, it is now bitterly
clear that Gen. Rommel's present all
out drive is as important part of Axis
strategy as are all the operations in the
Soviet Union.
Indeed, the supreme German effort
this summer is like that of the boxer
who, in rallying his energies to achieve
knockout, could scarcely say whether
he finds his left or his right fist Of
greater offensive value.
British Champions on Home Grounds.
The British are at their best in the
hour of disaster. Fighting in defense of
their own country they have, already in
this war, proved themselves uncon-
querable.
But the record Is different where the
British have been fighting to prevent
conquest of territory which they them
selves seized only few generations or
even decades ago. There seems some
factor beyond bad luck in the series of
defeats inflicted on British forces defend
ing imperial acquisitions which are not
fully governing.
Whether the military collapse in the
Far East is to be followed by any COM
parable debacle in the Near East IL the
very serious question posed by Rommels
smashing invasion of Egypt 1t is a
question which makes the current re-
action of the Arab peoples, factor
scarcely ever mentioned in our news
papers, of perhaps greater Importance
than the actual tide of battle
There are few, If any, Egyptian
Nationalist who would willingly ex-
change their present large degree OF
independence for Italian or German
overlordship. But there are many native
leaders, in Egypt and in the Arab states
to which it is the gateway, who argue
that their countries will never achieve
complete national sovereignty as long as
varying degrees of British control remain
unbroken,
After the French evacuated Egypt, in
(See MORLEY, Page B-3)