Detroit evening times. (Detroit, Mich) 1921-1958, 1943-08-04
The
War Today
Germans Morale
Low; Duce S Fall
Is Ke pt Secret
nv ROBERT & NIXON
ms washington Correspondent

ms washington Correspondent
AN AUTHORITATIVE digest
OF reports 10 the American
government during the past few
weeks on internal conditions
within Germany reveals Ger
man civilian morale as being
nearer the cracking point than
az any time since the deoacle
Of 1918.
At the same time suthorIta-
tive quarters have warn G d
against the American nation
taking il for granted that Ger
many will crack I'D within a
short time.
The only certain assurance Of
ar Allied victory, these quarters
emphasized, Is by crushing Ger
many through continued and
increasingly heavy military
blows against the NaIl armies
on the ground and against Ger
man cities from the air.
NEVERTHELESS. THE pic
ture of German morale today
which the American govern
ment has carefully pieCed to-
gether from hundreds of ALI
thenticated reports, Is one of
gradual internal dissolution
II shows for the first time
In this war that the whole Nazi
fabric may be expected 10
crumble suddenly upon applica-
lion OF greater military pressure
by the American and British
ground armies, air forces and
navies from the south and west
OF Europe, and by the Russian
armies from the east.
When the crackup will come,
authoritative quarters believe.
will depend largely upon how
rapidly the Allies are able 10
knock Italy out of the war. and
bring TO bear on cities Of
eastern Germany the sustained
mass aerial hammer-bloWs that
Hamburg has undergone dur
ing the last 10 days.
THESE QUARTERS. in the
light of events within Italy
during the last week. now be-
lieve that Germany itself may
crack up during the coming
winter. The blow may be de-
layed, however, until next
spring or fall when the full
weight of the combined Ameri-
can-British military offensive is
brought to bear against the
Nazis.
They regard the morale e.
feet OF the fall of Italy on all
Europe OF the greatest impor-
lance. and expect Germany's
central European satellites 10
desert her swiftly after Italy
is decisively removed from the
war.
AMONG THE main factors
cited are:
1-Germany's inability 10
Il launch a full-scalc often
sive against the Russians this
summer, and failure of even her
limited offensive in the Orel
sector.
C-The falling off OF plane and
- tank production. as well as
Of the manufacture of other i'm
portant offensive weapons. indi-
eating that Germany is scraping
the bottom OF the barrel Of her
resources. both in materials and
in effective war workers.
Q-Authentic reports that Ger
- man business men who had
been sent into the Balkans TO
exploit those occupied countries
are beginning 10 pull up stakes
and return 10 Germany Just
as they have been doing in
Italy.
h-Further drastic curtail-
4 ment of the already strict
ly limited rations in Germany,
especially meat.
S-Widespread internal dis
- ruption and fear caused by
the devastating raids on Ham
burg and the cities of the Ruhr.
THE GERMAN government
has been so fearful Of the effect
Of events in Italy on the morale
OF their people il was learned,
that they have not Yet per-
mitted il 20 be known that
Benito Mussolini has been
ousted.
Photographs Of the wide
spread crowd demonstrations
for peace IN Italy have been
printed IN the German press
1nder captions claiming that
nese are demonstrations sup
porting the MuSSolinl govern
nent in defending Italy from
7ttack by American and British
.orces.
Similarly the extent RI Axis
-everSeS in Sicily have been
carefully suppressed IN Ger
many. and Allied claims branded
as propaganda
NO RATION 6
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