Evening star., 1943-04-15
Criticism
Continued From First Page.)

1st Army in the North were as
signed to holding" operations.
Mr.. Stimson said Gen. Sir Harold
Alexander. in command of the en-
tire Tunisian ground operations of
the Allies, probably decided against
thrust to the coast because of two
principal reasons - the logistical
problems involved in keeping the
American troops supplied over
lengthy lines through difficult ter
rain, and the risk that the thrust
ing force might be exposed to an at
tack from both sides by Axis armies.
Such risks might not have stopped
the drive under other circumstances,
but Mr.. Stimson noted that compar-
able hazards were seldom risked
when the desired results could be
achieved in other ways at less risk
and with smaller costs in men and
material
Despite the relatively small size
of 1t. Gen. George S.. Patton's I'd
Corps-composed of one armored
and three infantry divisions-the
Americans were assigned, Mr.. Stim-
son said, to contain" the Axis
forces on a front of approximately
100 miles between Ell Guetar and
Fondo6k.
Accomplished Assignment.
They accomplished this assign
ment, while operating in difficult
country against the best German
armored and motorized units, the
Secretary continued, and Gen. Pat
tons thrusts forced Rommel to
divert so much armor to the pro-
lection of his flank that the break
ing of the Mareth Line by the 9th
Army was greatly facilitated.
Gen. Patton was limited to the
operations assigned to him. Mr..
Stimson said. 1T is possible that
the Allied high command weighed
the possibility of a thrust to the
coast. Knowing Gen. Patton. I am
sure he would have welcomed such
an assignment, I happen also to
know that it was not given to him.
The task of Gen. Patton was not
an easy one, Mr.. Stimson said, as
indicated by the fact that his forces
were engaged in almost continual
useful fighting" for % days and
suffered substantial losses.
The, Secretary said Gen. Alexan-
der's plans for the Tunisian cam
paign might be called piston at
tack the British, 8th Army serving
as the piston head, the American
and French forces and the British
lst. Army as the West Wall of the
cylinder and the sea as the cylinder
wall on the east
No Major Axis EvacAation.
He estimated that the Axis armies
in ninisia numbered around ITS, 900
to 200 900 men, and that there is no
indication at present that the enemy
plans a major evacuation OF this
force r.
The Axis occupies naturally
strong position. with indications
that siege Notifications are defend
ing key points, he said, and has two
good harbors and a number of air
fields
pAlS PioAACo lioFF
been flying supplies to the Axis
forces also have been evacuating the
wounded, Mr.. Stimson said, and it is
possible that the Axis leaders might
attempt to extricate the bulk of
their troops by sea and air over a
period of several weeks.
On the other hand, Mr.. Stimson
suggested, the Axis may be de-
termined to delay the general Allied
offensive against Germany by hold
ing as long as possible to its Tunisian
position and inflicting heavy losses
on the Allies, even if it should mean
the loss of most of the Axis forces
in North Africa. . >,.s-
The Allied troops. the Secretary
said, are numerically stronger than
the Axis "anG we have clear mas
terry of the air.