Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1943-07-29
People in Sicily Freed
From Fascist Tyranny

People in Sicily Freed
From Fascist Tyranny
We are already helping the Italian
people in Sicily. With their cordial
cooperation, We are establishing and
MAINTAINING security and order-We
are olssolving the organizat lions
which have kept them under Fascist
tyrannY-We are providing them
With the necessities of life until the
time comes when they can fully
provide for themselves.
Indeed. the people in Sicily today
are rejoicing in the fact that, for
the first time in years, they are per-
mltted to enjoy the fruits of their
own labors-thev can eat what they
themselves grow instead of having
1t stolen from them by the Fascists
and the Nazis.
In every country conquered bv the
Na7ls, the Fasclsts or the japanese
mllitarists, the people have been re-
duced to the status of slaves or
chattels.
1t Is our determine ton to restore
these conquered peoples to the dig
nifty of human beings, masters of
their own fate. entitled to freedom
OF speech, freedom of religion. free
dom from want, freedom from fear.
We have started to make good on
that promise.
L am sorry if 7 step on the toes
OF those Americans who, PLAYING
party politics at home, call that kind
OF foreign policy crazy altruism"
and starry eyed dreaming.
Meanwhile the war in Sicily and
Italy goes on. 1t must go on. and
Will go on, until the Italian people
realize the futility of continuing to
fight in a lost cause-a cause TO
which the people of Italy never gave
their Wholehearted approval and
support.
Vast Preparation
Needed in Campaigns
1t is little over a year since We
planned the North African cam
paign. 1t is six months since We
planned the Sicilian campaign. |
confess that l am of an impatient
disposition. but I think that I
understand, and that most people
understand the amount of time
necessary to prepare for any ma jor
military or naval operation. We
cannot just pick up the telephone
and order new campaign to start
the next week.
For example, behind the invasion
forces of North Africa were thou
sands of ships and planes guarding
the long. perilous sea lanes, carrying
the men, the equipment and the
supplies to the point of attack
And behind all these were the rail-
road lines and highways that carried
the men and the munitions to the
ports of arkatlon-there were
the factories and the mines and the
farms that turned out the materials
there were the training camps
where the men learned how to per-
form the strange and difficult and
dangerous tasks which were to
meet them on the beaches and in
the deserts and the mountains.
All this had to be repeated in the
attack on Sicily. Here the factor
of air attack was added-for we
could use North Africa as the base
for softening up the landing places
and lines of defense In Sicily, and
the lines Of supply in Italy.
1t is interesting for us to realize
that every Flying Fortress that
bombed harbor installations at
Naples from its base in North
Africa required lilo gallons OF
gasoline for each single mission
and that this is the equal of about
375 "A" ration tickets-enough gas
to drive Your car five times across
this continent. You will better
understand your part in the war
and what gasoline rationing
means-if you multiply this by the
gasoline needs of thusands of planes
and hundreds of thousands of jeeps
trucks and tanks now serving over
seas.
1 think that the personal conven-
fence of the individual or the indi-
vidual family back home here in
the United States will appear some
what less important when I tell you
that the initial assault force on
Sicily involved 5000 ships which
carried 10000 men-Americans
British, Canadians and French-to-
gether with $4,000 vehicles, 600 tanks
and 1900 guns. This initial force
was followed every day and every
night by thousands of reinforce
ments.
Casualties in Sicily
Far Below Estimates.
The meticulous care with which
the operation In Sicily was planned