Evening star., 1943-02-03
Says Turkey Again
Has Freedom Of Action
Militory Writer ExpIoins
How Russiun Successes
Lessen German Pressure

How Russiun Successes
Lessen Germun Pressure
BY Maj. George Fielding Eliot.
The dramatic meeting between the
British Prime Minister and the President
OF Turkey may well be an event Of far
reaching significance. The presence at
the meeting OF military oficers of the
highest rank on both sides highlights
the fact that the military position Of
Turkey has become far easier in the past
lew months, and that In this sense
Turkey has had restored to her to
great degree her military and therefore
her political freedom Of action.
There was an anxious period at Ankara
last summer when it seemed possible that
Turkey might be trapped between two
spearheads of great German offensive,
directed toward the Middle East. one
coming fron the Caucasus and one
through Egypt into Palestine and Syria.
There was even speculation as to third
possible German thrust from Bulgaria
right through Turkish territory toward
iran ana 1raQ.
In an astonishingly short space Of
time this situation has altered COM
pletely. and Marshal Fev1 Cakmak, Tur-
keys veteran Chief Of Stan, can look
with considerable degree OF satisfac-
tion at the far flung frontiers Of his
country-on any or all of which, only
last summer, he might have been called
upon to fight in desperate defense.
To begin at the northeast with the
Russian frontier (this IS COZ kilometers
in lengthD Here the Russian armies have
rolled back the Germans until the latter
have been driven from almost the whole
OF the North Caucasian area, and are
likely to lose what little foothold remains
to them. On the frontier with Iran In
the east (370 kilometers), there is no
longer any danger Of German invasion.
and the British hold on the vital centers
and communications of the country has
been vastly strengthened under the firm
hand Of Gen. Sir Henry Maitland Wilson.
To the southeast, the frontiers with Iraq
$3.50 kilometers) and Syria 1855 kilo-
meters) are far safer both because of
more settled political conditions In those
countries and because Marshal Rom
mels Afrika Korps has removed itself
from Egypt to Tunisia.
As to Turkeys maritime frontiers. that
on the Black Sea becomes less exposed
as the danger Of German dominance In
those waters lessons: II the Russians can
regain the port of Novorossisk (as seems
probable) their Black Sea fleet will have
much greater freedom Of action and Z
Russian winter campaign for the recov-
cry OF the Crimea, which Is not at all
unlikely, would still further improve the
situation.
On the Mediterranean side, British
seapower Is again supreme with the elm
nation Of Ronmel's threat to Alexan-
dria. and the Turks viii not have over
looked the significance Of Mr.. Churchill's
call at Cyprus on his way back to Cairo:
Cyprus has now become . powerfully
armed British air and naval base guard
ing the Levant Seas. The Aegean coast
Of Turkey is still threatened by the Axis
strongholds in the adjacent islands: but
the garrisons there are largely Italian
and have been much reduced OF late.
! There remains for consideration Tur-
keys European frontier, which Il 3ol
hlometers inlength, stTetchtag from the
Black Seat II the Aegean. Herr aloue
danger threatens. But II = danger On
which the Turks can now concentrates
practically thea1Whole Of their military
attention, whereas last summer they
could not feel anywhere secure.
On the other side Of their European
frontier lies Bulgaria, nominally an Axis
satellite. The Bulgars have the greater
part Of their army in hand, save for .
few divisions performing garrison duty
in Southern Yugoslavia and Eastern
Greece. They have sent no troops to
Russia.
But the fact that Turkey is now able
70 give her European frontier the un-
divided attention Of her formidable army
Will not have escaped the Bulgars, and
Is doubtless responsible. at least in great
part. for the dwtndling enthusiasm with
which many elements in that country
are coming to regard their Nasi alliance.
From the Bulgar point Of view, Tur-
key with 1000 kilometers Of Vulnerable
frontier IN Asia to defend Is very di11er-
ent thing indeed from Turkey with no
Asiatic military anxieties, able to deploy
on her European border IN army three
times the size Of Bulgarias.
BY every consideration, therefore, the
Turkish position u almost miraculously
different as le43 opens from the Turkish
position OF mid-1o42. What use Turkey
will now make Of her regained freedom
OF action remains, Of course, for events
to disclose.
<Oopyright 1913, New York Tribune. rneA