Evening star., 1942-09-27
Dokur-Pro and Con

dos assertion that the Allies are
blockading Dakar and they will at
tack it soon,' brings that much
discussed French African port once
more into the limelight. This report
has had no confirmation from Lon
don. Indeed, Fighting French off,
cial there, when asked about it, said :
That's news to u.s." Coming as it
does on the heels of other recent
radio pronouncements from Axis
sources that the United Nations have
aggressive intentions" against Da-
kar, this may be merely another
move in propaganda campaign to
rouse French resentment against the
Allies and thereby make them more
amenable to, Lavals program of
collaboration with the Nazis. New
ertheless, the strategic Importance
OF Dakar is so great, and it's occupa-
tion by the United Nations has so
often been urged by military experts
on our side, that the facts about
Dakar may proftably be restated
Dakar is situated at the very tip
OF the great westerly bulge of Africa
which thrusts out into the Atlantic
just north of the corresponding east
ward bulge of South America, the sea
distance between the two land ex-
tremltles being only about 1900
miles. This makes Dakar the ideal
base for airplane flights from the
Old World to the New. Also, Dakar
has the best harbor on the entire
West African coast and has long had
rail connections with the big French
colonial hinterland, thus making it
the commercial outlet for this entire
region. During the past two years,
the Vichy French government has
been pushing to completion the am
bilious project OF railway across
the Sahara Desert from Algeria on
the Mediterranean seaboard, though
whether it is yet open for regular
traffic is not certain. The harbor of
Dakar includes naval base with
good dockage and repair facilities.
Powerful units of the French fleet
are stationed there, protected by
strong Notifications. It has often
been asserted that Axis submarines
are secretly supplied and refueled at
Dakar, though this has not been
proved. Certainly, Dakar as a sub
marine base would be major threat
to the Allied shipping lane around
Africa to the Middle East and
Australia.
Obviously, the elimination of this
combined air and sea threat to the
United Nations would be a major
achievement, It was attempted in
September, 1910, when a Fighting
French force, supported by a strong
British naval squadron, tried to
storm the place. The expedition was
beaten of, however, with heavy
losses. Since then, the vichy French
have strengthened Dakar's formida-
BILE defenses. which are manned by
big garrison, mainly composed of
Senegalese, the warlike blacks of
West Africa whose fighting qualities
are proverbial and who would un-
doubtedly obey unquestioningly the
orders of their trusted Vichy French
officers. 1t has been estimated that
the capture of Dakar would take at
least 100000 troops, adequately cov-
cred by planes and warships.
The attack would undoubtedly
have to come by sea, for there is no
Allied land base near enough to serve
as a starting point. The British
colony of Gambia, about 100 miles
to the southwark, is a mere ribbon
OF land entirely surrounded by
Vichy French territory. In case of
open hostilities, Vichy must have
enough troops concentrated around
Gambia to overrun the colony in
short order. The nearest defensible
Allied base is the British colony of
Sierra Leone, a considerable block
OF territory with a good harbor at
Freetown, the capital. But Sierra
Leone Is some 500 miles south of
Dakar, and the intervening terrain
would be extremely difficult for an
overland invasion. Thus, Dakar will
be hard nut to crack, if and when
its reduction is decided upon.