Evening star., 1943-01-05
Axis Speeds Building
OF Defenses Along
Mediterranean Flank
so Miles Of Mine Fields
Reported Set Up on
Southern French Coost
BY RICHARD MOWRER,
Foreign Correspondent Of The Star and
Chicago Daily News

BY RICHARD MOWRER,
Forsisn Correspondent Of The Star and
Chicago Daily News.
CAIRO, Jan. 5-Fearful Of inva-
sion from the south, the Axis is
speeding up the construction of a
defense system along the whole of its
Mediterranean flank.
The Nazis are said to be setting
up q coastal defense zone of so miles
in depth along the coast Of Southern
France, as we'll as other parts Of oc-
cupied Europe. They are extending
their mine fields In Mediterranean
waters. particularly around Sardinia
and Sicily. They are laying thou
sands of mines in Aegean waters,
hitherto fairly free OF them.
In this new setup, at present shap-
ing itself on the Mediterranean
front, the islands of the inland sea
are increasingly important. Islands
which the Axis holds: The Dodeca-
nese, the Aegean Islands and Crete
in the Eastern Mediterranean; Sicily,
Pantelleria and Lampedusa in the
Central Mediterranean, and Sardinia
and Corsica in the west are being
converted into strong forward bas-
tions of Europe's southern defense
Islands Held by Allies.
Islands in Allied hands Cyprus.
| in the Eastern Mediterranean, and
Malta in the Central Mediterranean,
on the other hand. are Increasingly
important as possible jumping-off
places for attack against Southern
Europe. They are bound to come
into the limelight as soon as Axis
forces finally are liquidated from
their last foothold In Africa
Tunisia.
The Axis island belt in the Med
iterranean is strong. Crete and the
Dodecanese block the way from the
south to the Aegean. The Germans,
furthermore, have taken over all
the Aegean islands that we're once
Greek. Fortification work has been
going on for q long time on Crete,
the Axis most important air base
In the Eastern Mediterranean.
Crete is q natural aircraft carrier
from which Axis planes can cover
practically half the Mediterranean
waters as we'll as the Aegean be-
hind it.
Vis-a-Vis Turkey.
The Dodecanese. the most impor-
tant of which are Rhodes and Leros,
are strategically located vis-a-vis
Turkey-just as British Cyprus Is.
II Turkey became involved in the
war the importance OF both Cyprus
and the Dodecanese would suddenly
be tremendous.
The Dodecanese. incidentally, were
seized by the Italians from the
Turks in 1911 and the Turks have
never forgotten this. Italian seizure
of the Dodecanese Is part of the
reason why in the last war Turkey
was against the Allies. including
Italy, and part of the rea.son why at
the beginning of this war Turkey
consistently anti-Italian-signed al
liances with Britain and France.
| The Italians have fortified Leros,
! in the Aegean, as a naval base
! Leros nared into the picture in, 1887
when two Spanish Republican ships,
! coming from Russia, we're sunk out
side the Turkish Dardarelles by
unidentified" submarines, believed
to be Italian, operating from Leros.
Importance Of Sicily.
Sicily, at the toe of Italy is prob
ably the most important OF the Axis
natural aircraft carriers because Of
its central location in the Mediter-
ranean. The Germans have taken
over the bulk Of the fortifica tions
work on this largest island and are
laboring like mad to try to make 1t
impregnable Sicily is connected
with the italian mainland by an ex-
cellent train ferry service across the
Straits OF Messina. which are an
important link in the system of Axis
communica tions.
Sardinia has not been mentioned
much in the war so far, but, with
the Allies now In North Africa. this
island assumes greater Importance.
Sardinias most important part is
Cagliari. at the southern end of the
island. which is equidistant from the
Italian mainland and North Africa
Cagliari itself is closer to North
Africa than to Italy
Corsica. Just north Of Sardinia.
completes at least at this writing, the
Axis system of island chain defenses.
Before the war, Corsica was the OBJ
| ject Of italian claims, the Fascist
controlled press clamoring that
Corsica is a dagger pointed at the
heart OF Italy" Corsica Is now oc-
cupied by the italians.
Many Airdromes in Cyprus.
! Opposed to this string of Axis
islands are allied Cyprus and Malta.
Cyprus has many airdromes and,
since the fall of Crete, has been
strengthened to avoid a repetition of
Crete's parachute invasion in the
spring Of 194l.
Malta, for long periods in the past
virtually cut of by the Axis, is one
of the big stories of the war. The
"a O.