Evening star., 1943-01-15
German Generals Seen
Planning Peace Move
Propaganda Pictures
Both U-Bouts and Army
Forming Defensive. Rinq
By Mai. George Fielding Eliot.

St"ht9 SStSuSIVS MIN
By Maj. George Fielding Eliot.
In previous discussions of the pos
sibility of German peace offensive this
winter, have taken the viewpoint that
| the success of such a move was con-
ditioned upon a sufficient German mill
tary success in Russia to enable the
Nazis to assert that they had won all
their military objectives and now de-
sired only to make peace with their non-
European enemies.
Recent events make it necessary to
revise this view to some extent. The
whole German propaganda machine has
taken, during the past few days, most
curious tone. Admiral Donitz, COM
mander of the German submarine fleet,
In a Christmas eve broadcast, pictured
the U-boats as forming defensive ring
on the sea-front of beleaguered Ger
many, rather than referring to them as
extensively operating against our sea-
lanes. Gen. Ditmars, whose military
comments are widely known in Ger
many, takes a strangely defeatist and
apologetic attitude regarding events in
Russia. The German radio begins to
talk of Russian offensives "all along the
line" mentioning attacks in the Vor-
onezh and Leningrad areas where the
Russians give no hint of active opera
tions. Now comes the DNB news
agency to admit that the Russians have
broken the German main line" in the
Caucasus, probably referring to the de-
fenses along the branch railways CENTER
ing at Geogievsk and Mineralnye Vodi,
though the evidence would seem to indi-
cate planned German withdrawal from
that position. Since when have We
found the German radio not only ad
hitting, but exaggerating Russian sue
cesses?
There is reason for this remarkable
change of attitude on the part of the
Germans. 1t may be that they are
preparing giant counteroffensive in
Russia and are deliberately selling
themselves short in order to get the
maximum reaction, at home and abroad
from the anticipated sudden announce
ment of success. But if this is the case
the German High Command has decide d
to put in its general reserve (see my
article of yesterday on the employment
of the German reserves). 1t is possible,
but it is not probable.
But another reason might be found in
the possibility that the present tone OF
the German propagandists is intended
to prepare the way for a peace offensive.
Instead of being based on the appear
ance of victory, 1t may be that the
Germans have decided to make virtue
Of necessity and to prepare their peace
offensive to fit the existing circum-
stances; to speak, as it We're, from behind
the veil of false humility rather than
from the pinnacle of pretentious arro-
gance. The objective would be the same
to gain a breathing space while the
present military chiefs of Germany Te-
gardless of the NaZis) still retained a
measure Of power, and to lay the foun-
dations for a new adventure in world
conquest after Germany recovers her
strength and her enemies gradually have
been lulled to sleep
1t may be of service to recall the
German peace offer of December IL
1916, in which the German chancellor
employed the following language: Ger
many and her allies have given proof of
their lndestructible strength in winning
considerable successes at war. Their
unShakable lines resist ceaseless attacks
A continuation of the war cannot break
their resisting power Conscious of
their military and economic strength
and ready to carry on to the end if they
must, but animated at the same time by
the desire to stem the flood of blood and
bring the horrors of war to an end, the
Central Powers propose even now to
enter into peace negotiations'
This same defensive tone, altered and
deepened, might now be used by the
German government. Of course, the cost
to us of continuing the war, especially
the cost in lives, would be heavily en-
phasized
But those who control the destinies OF
Germany are hardly so stupid as not to
realize that the world is at war for the
very reason that Nazi promises cannot
be trusted; they will not expect the
United Nations to make peace with
Adolf Hitler and his crew, or any of
them. Nor in view of all that has been
said and written on the subject in the
press, in books and over the radio in the
various countries of the United Nations,
will they expect us to make peace with
military government resulting from a
staged coup detat. They will dress up
their proposal in more, delicately ar
ranged lambs clothing than that.
1t goes without saying that the Nazis
will retire, or be "elminated" Hitler
will retire into the silence at Berchtes-
gaden, or into more remote eternal
silence, But the generals will not come
clanking forward to take his place. They
will never suppose us to be such fools
as to accept them as more trustworthy
than the Nazis. They will put forward,
instead, some figure whom they will hope
can command our confidence-and can,
Of course, man being mortal, be disposed
of later or at a convenient moment
when affairs are not so dangerously
pressing