Evening star., 1943-09-10
Eisenhower's Words
Should Please Russians
By Maj. George Fielding Eliot.

Probably the most important present
indication of the course which the fight
ing in italy may be expected to take Is
contained in the dispatch from Gen.
Eisenhowers advanced headquarters,
which reports the Allied commander in
chief as saying:
You can't hit home run by bunting.
:. The time has come to discontinue
nibbling at islands and hit the Germans
where it hurts. I don't believe in fight
ing battles to chase some one out Of
somewhere. Our object is to trap and
smash them"
Which is to say, that Gen. Eisen-
hower's present purpose is not so much
to occupy Italy as it is to destroy the
German Army in Italy.
Latest advices from British sources.
usually we'll informed, put the strength
of that army at 18 divisions, Of which
nine are in North Italy, probably digging
in and nine others are strung out down
the peninsula as far as a point IL miles
north of Paint. where German troops
are reported in contact with Gen. Mont
gomery's advance patrols. However, 1t
it would seem that the bulk of the Ger
man troops in South Italy, perhaps
amounting to three or four divisions.
may have been concentrated in the
Naples area, where heavy fighting Is re-
ported between German forces and the
American landing elements under the
command Of 1t. Gen. Mark w. Clark.
This is about all the reliable informa-
ton there is as to the military situation
in Italy, but it begins to take on a pat
tern when viewed in the light of Gen.
Eisenhower's statement above quoted.
II the Germans 60 on fighting Gen.
Clark, they must put in more of the
troops which are scattered along the
peninsula at those key points" which
the Germans claim to be holding. The
greater the German concentration in
the Naples area, the less they can do
to defend the coast of the peninsula
against another landing in their rear.
The fact that Gen. Clark is in COM
mand at Naples suggests, but does not
definitely establish, that the troops going
ashore there are part of the American
5th Army. That does not mean the
whole of it. Nor does 1t locate for us
the veteran 7th Army under 1t. Gen,
Patton. These troops, and the French,
may yet make their appearance on the
Italian battlefront They may land far
ther up the coast, perhaps (as reports
already suggesD at Leghorn or Spezia:
thay may land in the Adriatic. The Ger
mans cannot be sure.
But if we keep in mind the Allied OBJ
jective, the trapping and smashing of
the German Army in Italy, we may be
sure that every element of strength we
possess and every advantage, such as
command OF the sea and the air, will be
1ully and vigorously exploited to the
accomplishment of that purpose.
Under the conditions stated, it is not
possible for the Germans to make any
real defense of the Italian peninsula
without risking the loss of many more
troops than three or four divisions.
They must either put in and risk losing
enough divisions to give Gems. Mont
gomery, Clark and Patton together a real
standup fight, or they must withdraw
to the north without allowing them
selves to become fully engaged.
That Is precisely the dilemma on the
horns of which Gen. Eisenhower fore
saw their implement. If he can hold
them with his initial attacks until he
can envelop and destroy them with his
main attack COT which the 7th Army
may turn out to be the Instrument he
has accomplished his objective. II they
run away before this can happen, they
will have to begin running now; or even
now may be too late.
All this will be good news to the
Russians
They have not been too much i'm.
pressed with what their Anglo American
Allies have done so far; but when those
Allies set out to make a meal of a
dozen German divisions, with a good
prospect of forcing the Germans to toss
in another dozen to save the first lot, or
to cover their retreat, then the effect
may begin to be felt on the Dnieper
and the Donets, where there are several
German Army commanders, each of
whom could use dozen divisions very
nicely just at present.
Thus we may be sure that Gen.
Eisenhower's words will be most CRATE
fully received in Russian military quar-
ters, as evidence that at least a BEGIN
ming is being made at the diversion of
German land forces to other purposes
than fighting the Russians or forming
the general reserve which is the SUD-
port and last reliance of the German
forces in Russia. Moreover, the Rus
slams, as we'll as the Germans must
realize that the events now taking place
In Italy are only beginning, and that
other events of a nature even more
shattering to German military hopes
undoubtedly will follow before many days
have passed.
Copyright. 1943. New York Tribune Incl