Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1942-12-22
Sees Modern AEF
In Genoa and Milan
Army Officer Discusses Roads
Into Germany Through Italy
And FIonkinq Countries

the Mediterranean on German controlled
Europe without building up great army
in North Africa However, with the
conquest Of Tunisia, the shortest possible
route across that sea is opened into
Italy.
The italian peninsula stretches out
from Europe like huge jetty built for
landing operations Assuming control
Of the sea and at least a stand-off in
the air, establishing beach heads there
would not be too hard Just how diff
cult would depend on the land forces
encountered and how much air superior
ity could be secured.
The western shore lies open, with all
It's fine harbors and sheltered landing
beaches, to an attack from the south and
west. We know that these harbors
and beaches will be defended. Just how
obstinately they will be defended against
determine the price we have to pay for
real footing on European soil.
Naples with its famous harbor, Rome
with its port and beaches, and Leghorn
with its naval base, dominate the coast.
The seizure Of any one Of these would
be an achievement; but the further
north we can land, the more We save
in time and space. Genoa is the most
northern italian port, and farther away
from North Africa than the southern
coast Of France. But Genoa we will
have to take eventually, and it would
save effort If we could make 1t in one
Jump.
Genoa is the western gate to the
valley of the Pc, whose fertile fields have
been the prize OF so many invaders,
from the Vandals and the Goths to Ma
poleon Bonaparte. Occupation of that
region would cut of Germany from
Italy with one stroke OF the sword, and
make the conquest Of italy merely a
hopping UP on grand scale. The Pc
Valley also is the great industrial center
of Mussolinis shrinking empire. Such
of its facilities as could be seized would
be of the greatest value to modern
army intent on more important job
the attack on Germany.
Even though italy has been called the
soft belly" Of the Axis, it does not house
the vital organs which make its defense
a matter of life and death to any animal
or to man himself The vitals of the
Axis are the coal, iron and oil deposits
Of other parts Of the continent, the
grain fields which stretch from Hungary
to the Volga, and the industries central
lied In Germany itself, which exploits
all Europe to feed its war machine In a
fight to the finish.
Protecting these against attack from
the south is the great natural barrier Of
the Alps, cutting Italy OF from the rest
Of Europe, mountains which armies In
the past have found very tough, indeed.
1t is true that the Alpine passes leading
into France, Switzerland and Austria
have been used by invaders from Han
nibal the Carthaginian and Attila the
Hun to Napoleon himself. But these
narrow gorges to. the north are not the
smooth highways to victory which wise
generals choose when they can find
them. ...-
Too much insistence can be placed on
the. necessity for being tough and the
fact that the hard way Is often swift
and decisive. This Is the stuff to feed
the troops. But real military inteln-
gence In commanders and their STATS
alike will always look for an easy flank
ing action rather than direct assault on
position which is hard to crack. The
present approach through North Africa
rather than an attack on continental
France is case In point. Such strategy
saves lives and wins victories The
mountain barrier between italy and
Germany can and probably will be out
fanked before it is pierced.
The strategic importance Of a base In
the valley Of the Pc Is that from it
armies can move either west or east.
In both directions the armies of Rome
In Its days of greatness moved out for
conquest or in its never-ending struggle
to contain the German hordes in the
north. As consul of the republic,
Julius Caesar led his legions west into
the ancient Gaul which Is modern
France, and up the Rhone into battle
with the Germans across the Rhine.
France was held solidly by Rome for
centuries and used as a base for opera
tions against the Germans as 1t was by
us in 19171S. Cologne was named as
Roman colony, and soldiers of the
AEF along the Rhine saw in Roman
ruins the works Of their predecessors
in the constant struggle Of civilization
against Teutonic aggression. The bor-
ders OF the Roman Empire long were
marked by the Rhine on the west as
they were by the Danube on the east.
The EXTREMIST northern limit Of. the
empire while it was still truly Roman
was line of outposts between the two
rivers to hold the pressure from the
north
To the east out of Italy Is an equally
roundabout but perhaps easier road into
Germany, primarily because 1t is not
as well fortified. The natural obstacles
are greater. Rome used this land route
IN all its eastern campaigns toward the
east, and communications are better
To-Day. In 1917 German Austrian armies
broke through the Italians at Caporetto
ana pushed down to threaten Venice
In 1913 as Austria crumbled, the italian.
| drove back along the same path. Tn.
Austrian naval base was at Trieste
ana road and rail transport goes direct
from the head Of the Adriatic Ia the
heart OF German Austria.
This article Is primarily concerned
with the west coast Of italy as Offering
the best facilities for an attack from
| northwest Africa. The eastern or Adri-
atic shore has its possibilities, but would