Evening star., 1943-08-12
Landing in ItoIy Now
Considered Advisable
By Maj. George Fielding Eliot.

part of the German troops in Sicily to
the mainland of Italy appear somewhat
brighter than they did few days ago.
The Germans have contrived-with what
effort may be imagined-to get together
an antiaircraft concentration over the
narrow Strait of Messina which is CIV
ing substantial protection to their barges
and small craft. This does not mean
that all the Germans will get away but
it does probably mean that more Ger
mans will get away than had been antic-
ipated.
The counter measure to this German
plan may very well be an Allied landing
on the shores of the Italian peninsula
We could, of course, throw in heavy
bombing forces to blast away at the anti
aircraft batteries. But these probably
have been very thoroughly dug in and IN
any case we would lose great many
planes. The Straits are unquestionably
mined, and there may be Axis subma-
rines present; so a naval bombardment
costly. Attack by land on the Sicilian
side is proceeding with all dispatch, and
is making progress. but the going is diff
ficult.
There remains only one measure to be
attempted and that is attack by land
from the Italian side-not necessarily
on the Messina Strait position itself, but
tho 1noc Nf
the Italian peninsula by which it is sup
piled and along which the escaping Ger
mans must seek to retire. If successful
this procedure might not only cut off
that retirement, but might result in.the
capture of all the German antiaircraft
guns and equipment. This would be a
heavy blow; we may be sure that nation
whose vital centers are being bombed as
vigorously as Germany's has not sent
powerful antiaircraft concentration out
OF the country except as a very tempo
rary loan for specific purpose, and with
orders to get those guns back to Ger
many as quickly as possible. 1t is hardly
likely that the antiaircraft weapons are
Italian. They are being operated far too
efficiently for that. Italian antiaircraft
has been notorious for its obsolete ma
terial and poor gunnery.
There are some other circumstances
which suggest that landing on the
mainland may come very soon. First of
all, the troops are available, even sup
posing that there have been no REIN
forcements sent to North Africa The
9th and 34th Divisions and the 1st Ar
mored Division of the American Army
are in North Africa, and have not been
identified in Sicily.
Likewise, of British divisions there
are the End New Zealand and 4th In
dian Division and at least one infantry
and one armored division of United
Kingdom troops. Finally there are at
least two French divisions available
Even supposing that one British divi-
sion has been sent to the Middle East
to replace the 5th Division withdrawn
from that area for the Sicilian landing,
we have eight identified divisions which
could be used for Italian attack.
Next, consider the situation in Italy
itself. The Badoglio government is
neither strong enough to fight us, nor
strong enough to surrender against the
opposition of the few German troops
in Italy. If we are to count at all on
the Italian people to rally to the cause
OF peace and overthrow their govern
ment, in all or in the peninsular part
OF Italy, we must find way to knock
out these German forces, or compel
them to retire northward.
Probably we cannot prevent them
from consolidating position in North
ern Italy, either on the line of the Po.
or that OF the Piave and the Trentino,
as they may decide. But we would be
foolish, indeed, to allow them to make a
running delaying action of it all the
way up the long narrow Italian penin-
sula as preliminary to such a stand in
the north, when we possess the COM
mano OF the sea and can land in force
anywhere along the coast that we see
mt, thus outflanking any German at
tempt to maintain themselves in South
ern or Central Italy.
If we now expect the italian peoble
~ ~>~A@J W. WIZ SoltoC Va peace, we nave
got to give them rallying point-we
nave got to put fighting power into
Italy, and we have the means to do so.
incidentally, there has been Just about
time to collect enough shipping for
such an enterprise, and to collect the
necessary supplies at the Port of Paler-
mo and ports of Eastern Sicily, as SUD-
porting bases.
AS we did in Sicily, we can strike with
the full advantage of surprise. The
naval bombardments of various main.
land points-notably that of Castella- :
mare on the Bay of Naples, on Tuesday
may be indications that we are pre-
pairing to strike. 1t was so, at anv rate
IN Sicily; though, of course, we will
lombard other places as we'll as those
at which we mean to land. An essential
part OF surprise is to mislead and mvsti-
1y the enemy. The Germans In South
ern Italy, in any case, are operating on
shoestring. They may not get away
with it this time.