Evening star., 1943-05-09
BY JOHN COLBURN.

Associated Press Foreisn Correspondent.
STOCKHOLM, May 8.-From
all sides come signs that early
summer may see the United Ma
tions start off a four-way Of
fensive to crack the walls of
fortress Europe" while Germany
endeavors to smash Russia.
With ideal weather presaging
early action, indications point to
the most extensive warfare in his
tory in the coming months on the
circular front extending from Rus
sia around the North Cape shores
in Norway, through the lowland
countries, along the French coast to
Bayonne on the Bay of Biscay and
In the Mediterranean against Italy
and the Balkans.
Inside of Europe Germany is re-
ported preparing for another sum-
mer offensive against Russia, in
spite of the belief that in doing
so she would be turning her back
on what military observers here
expect to be multi-pronged Allied
invasion from the west and south.
Across the North Sea in Britain,
island aircraft carrier" from which
Allied bombers have been waging
"softening up" blows in an aerial
offensive, the American, British,
Canadian, French, Polish. Norwe-
gian and other United Nations SOL
diers are anxious to start a land
offensive on European soil.
Rumors are dime a dozen in
Stockholm. where the Allies and
Axis almost rub shoulders, but from
mass Of speculation, propaganda
and facts, this is how the summer
campaign appears to be shaping up:
The Nazis are ready to try for the
third summer to defeat Russia, hop
ing their Atlantic submarine war
fare will prevent any large-sale AL
lied offensive against the western
defenses, which the Germans de-
scribe as the most formidable of all
time.
Gen. Nikolaus Won Falkenhorst's
recent inspection of Norway's de-
fenses came simultaneously with re-
ports from Germany that the Allies
were massing forces in Iceland to
invade Finland in the vicinity of
Petsamo, and thus get at Norway
through the back door"
Such move might be made in an
effort to reduce menace of sub
marine and plane attacks on Allied
Russia bound conveys
Elimination Of German bases in
Northern Norway would permit the
British to shift more of their feet to
the Atlantic anti-submarine fight
and would drive out the remnants of
the German Navy which base in
Norway's southern fjords. Norway
is not considered a possible base for
invasion of Europe.
Despite the submarines, supplies
continue to stream from Americas
arsenal of democracy to Britain, the
point which observers here view as
the jumping off place for the main
attack on Europe. British air bases
could provide ideal fighter cover for
multi ti-engined Allied bombers which
would provide the artillery barrage
over the bridgeheads. An overtime
Channel thrust would permit faster
transportation of troops and sup
plies.
Might Force Axis Split.
There have been reports that the
Russians would employ delaying
actions against the Germans until
they could coordinate their own Of
fensive with the western invasion.
This would force Hitler to split his
forces and supplies and move them
to two widely separated major fronts
over transport lines now being ham,
mered continually from the air.
Meanwhile, the Allies. after clean
ing the Axis out of Tunisia, may
concentrate their Mediterranean
forces on Italy in an effort to strike
through Trieste to Austria. Stimuli
taneously would come a cleanup of
the Mediterranean area, permitting
faster movement of supplies to Rus
sia, India and Australia.
Should the Allies invade Northern
Norway, neutral Sweden might be
drawn into the war. The best route
into Norway above Trondheim is
through Sweden and the Nazis might
attempt to move troops for military
operations through Swedish terri
tory.
AS would be the case in Norway,
terrainal hazards. long communica-
ton lines and lack of air bases are
seen by observers as limiting a
Balkan push to secondary opera
ton.
With striking power dependent on
supply, they view attacks from Brit
ain-now the base for perhaps the