Evening star., 1943-07-24
Pattern of Sicily

and the stubborn defense of Catania
combine to clarity the military situa-
tion in Sicily. The Axis high COM
mand has obviously abandoned
whatever plans it originally may
have made to defend the island as
whole and is concentrating on re-
tentiQn of the bridgehead around
Messina, gateway to the Italian
mainland.
The capture of Emma, strategic
center of the Island, by American
forces some days ago marked the end
of organized Axis resistance in the
interior and to the west Since then,
our troops have romped along, while
our air reconnaissance reports the
northern coastal rail and highways
choked with Axis forces Fastening
eastward to the Messina area. Pal
ermo, the metropolis of Sicily, with
its magnificent deepwater harbor
and fine dockage facilities, seems to
have been entered by our fast-mov-
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without so much as wayside skirm-
ish. Such Axis troops as did not get
away are surrendering in droves. 1t
is significant that, save for a few
German technicians and liaison Off
GERS, the prisoners are Italians.
Very different is the story on the
east coast, where British troops are
striking at the Axis stronghold of
Catania. There, one of the fiercest
battles of the war has been raging
for several days. The defenders are
virtually all picked German forma-
tions, and they are giving hard
tussle even to the veterans of Cen
eral Montgomery famous Eighth
Army. Back of Catania rises the
enormous bulk of Mount Etna, whose
lava slopes have been converted into
a massive fortress extending over
nearly 400 square miles. Indeed, the
entire northeastern tip of Sicily, end
ing at the Straits of Messina, is
tumble of rugged mountains. 1t is
into this triangular area that all
surviving Axis forces in Sicily are
retiring for supreme stand.
In many respects this situation is
similar to that in Tunisia when the
Axis armies tried to concentrate on
a defense line extending from the
fortress of Bizerte to the Peninsula
of Cape Bon. The chief difference is
that the Tunisian line had weak
spot in the shape of valley inter-
secting it and leading to the city of
Tunis on the coast. The Allied at
tack broke through there with un-
expected speed, split the Axis de-
tenders, and smashed them to bits.
There is no corresponding hole in
the Messina triangle. The southern
segment is stubbornly held by Ger
man shock troops. The uncertain
factor is whether the retreating
italians from the center and west
of the island can hold their sectors
against Canadian troops working
their way inland behind Catania
and American troops striking north
and east from Emma and adjacent
central points.
The Italians will have to do better
than they have been doing if their
defense. is to hold long against the
coming American Canadian assault.
Thus far, the only stiff fighting by
the Axis in Sicily has been made by
Germans. Italian morale, not high
at the start, has been sinking rap
idly until. in Western Sicily, it has
approached the vanishing point.
There may be some Italian elite
formations held in reserve around
Messina. If so, they will certainly
be needed, because it is hard to i'm
agine the demoralized divisions thus
far encountered pulling themselves
together and making an effective
stand anywhere. This war, like all
previous conflicts, proves that the
strongest natural positions are OF
little defensive value unless held by
resolute men.
The alternative for the Axis high
command, if it really wants to hold
onto the Messina bridgehead, is to
send over strong German reinforce
ments. There are indications that
such movement has already begun
and that fresh German troops have
reached the Catania front. Despite
Allied control of the air, it will be
difficult to prevent nighttime crosss
ings of the narrow strait of Messina.
If so, the struggle may be protracted.
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