Evening star., 1943-09-22
Allies May Get New
Route to Russia
By Maj. George Fielding Eliot.

Italian apple tree Is falling into Allied
laps
French troops have landed on Corsica
and are fighting alongside the Italian
garrison and French patriot elements
on the island against German force
of undetermined strength. The Allied
forces hold Ajaccio, the capital of the
island, on the west coast Bastia, on
the northeast coast, appears to be in
German hands. The Germans also are
reported to have occupied the island Of
Elba, which forms a sort OF stepping
stone between Bastia and the Italian
mainland. The distance from Bastia
to the western end of Elba Is about 80
miles, from Elba to the mainland,
miles.
1t is not yet certain whether the Ger
mans are just trying to get out Of
Corsica. or whether they are hanging on
to Bastia in the hope Of rushing in re-
Inducements to make a fight for the
island. From the strategic point OF
view, they ought to fight If they can,
both because it would be- to their ad-
vantage to scatter our shots and engage
Allied forces in various small fights and
because Corsica in our hands would be
the gravest of menaces to the communi-
cations of the German army in South
Italy.
From Corsica, plus Sardinia, which the
Allies already hold, the whole vital west
coast system of railways and roads in
Italy could be simply swamped by air
attacks. 1t would be unlikely-shoud
the Allied grip on Corsica be consoli-
dated-that any of the German troops
now fighting in the Naples area or,
indeed, any now at Rome or south of
Rome, would ever see Germany again.
Probably, however, the German de-
cision as to whether to make fight for
Corsica will be determined on the score
OF their ability to hold Bastia as a port
OF entry for their reinforcements. If it
Is taken from them quickly, they will be
under the necessity of preparing and
launching full-scale amphibious expe-
dition to get Corsica back
They may not be prepared to do that.
If not. then they will do we'll to get out
of Southern and Central Italy as fast as
their means Of transport will allow
them, before we can get our planes
operating In strength from Corsican
bases against rail and road targets
within really comfortable range.
Meanwhile, in South Italy, we hear
OF the Germans making stout defense
of the Sorrento Passes leading into the
plain OF Naples. which are being at
tackled by the American 5th Army. We
DO not hear anything of what the
British 9th Army may be doing We do
not near anything of the British 5th
Corps which landed in the Taranto
area.
We have no news of the American 7th
Army or the British 1st Army, though
there has been time for the ships which
effected the first landings to 20 to Sicil-
ian and African bases, load I'D and
return to Italian ports. There Is a gem
eral air Of expectancy in the guarded
dispatches from correspondents in the
Meoltefranean area - an expectancy
which may have its origin in Gen. Eisen-
hower's announced intention to trap
and smash the German Army in ITALY"
The Germans are still down near the
end OF long peninsula. In view of all
the unknown factors in their situation.
they may, quite properly, be getting
nervous
over at the eastern end Of the Medi-
tefranean, more fruit from the Italian
tree is tumbling down. Allied forces. by
passing Rhodes, have occupied the Island
OF Cos and, according to some reports.
Leros and Samos as well. This puts
Rhodes in the middle, between Cyprus
and captured Castelorizzo on the one
hand, and the three newly taken islands
on the other
Leros was the principal Italian naval
base in the Aegean. 1t has a good air.
field, an excellent harbor Port I,akD
and considerable naval installations. Cos
also has at least one airfield Samos. one
OF the principal islands of the Aegean
Sea, has three airfields, and formerly
contained considera BILE German aarri-
son. according to the best obtainab BILE
information
This garrison may have been with
drawn to strengthen Crete, or to enable
the Germans on Rhodes to fight their
former Italian associates. AT anv rate.
1t now appears that the Italians have
been able to deliver the three islands to
British airborne forces, and British
planes already are operating from Cos,
at least, and possibly from the other two,
That an increased scale of bombing on
Rhodes and Crete will follow is almost
fofegone conclusion, with a seaborne
attack on Rhodes as a possibility of the
immediate future.
Thus new area of active operations
has been opened in the Aegean Sea. with
the undoubted objective of clearing out
the enemy island garrison in that area.
Ii this can be accomplished, the way will
be open for the invasion of the Balkans
should that be considered deSira BILE; If
not. there will be at least a strong DOS
slblllty that the Turks might open the
Dardanelles, giving the Allied shipping
short direct route TO the Russian port
OF Novorosslsk, recently retaken by the
Russians. This would be by far the
best sea route we have vet had to Russia
and would be of Immediate value to the
common cause
(Copyright, 1a43, New York Tribune Incl