Evening star., 1943-09-03
Invasion Of Italy Gives
London Lift, Probably
Won't Satisfy Reds
By the Associated Press.

LONDON, Sept. Sword that
Allied soldiers are surging onto
the mainland of Europe brought
a strong psychological lift today
to London although the news was
no surprise.
While there was measure of
disappointment among the more ar
dent second frontiers" who had
hoped the next blow would fall
from the west. there seemed general
acceptance of the idea that the
battle of Italy would have to be
fought through to victory before
the United Nations would be free
to bring their fullest land, air and
sea forces to bear on the main
European enemy.
The invasion of Italy was not
expected to satisfy fully the Rus
slams, whose press only yesterday
was complaining that the Sicilian
campaign had not drawn off single
German division from the Russian
front.
Prime Minister Churchill in his
broadcast Tuesday from Quebec ac-
knoWledged the sharp division of
strategical opinion between the
British and Americans and their
. Russian allies when he declared that
an invasion of Western Europe
would not be attempted until there
were sound military grounds for
confidence In success.
Slow But Sure Offensive
Mr.. Churchill also indicated the
Allies determination that an in
vasion would not end in tragic
failure like the attempted rescues
of Norway and Greece early in the
war.
The drive across the Strait of
Messina fell into the familiar pat
tern of the slow but sure Allied
offensive in the Mediterranean. but
1t was quickly noted that American
and French ground forces and many
British divisions were not involved
at this stage, leaving them free for
other jobs-iobs that might send
them ashore anywhere from South
ern France to the Balkans.
There is scant feeling here that
the italian Peninsula might fall by
oefault-eVen If peace were made
with Rome. 1t is believed the Ger
mans are prepared to make de-
termined efforts to keep the invaders
away from air and land bases in
Northern Italy as long as possible.
The German strength-probably
around 13 divisions-is reported
largely north of Rome, but about
half of the strength of the three
Nazi divisions which fought in Sicily
escaped to the mainland to join
two or three others then stationed
south of Naples.
Italians May Fight Well.
1t is not known here how much !
of this force was moved north, but
it is believed certain the Germans
left sufficient numbers of men be-
hind to make extensive demolitions
and fight delaying action of the |
type which made the last stage of |
the Sicilian conquest slow busi- |
ness.
The quality of the italian resist
ance is more of question mark, |
but many Italian troops certainly |
are made of Sterner stuff than the /
Sicilian coastal divisions and may
fight well, at least for while.
Although the first landings put
the British and Canadians on the
longest path to Rome-and Berlin
the Allies were believed to have
plenty of men, ships and planes to
strike in at the peninsula farther
north and cut off the southern de-
lenses If the going in the south be-
came too slow.
Such shortcut tnrust also would
speed the capture of Italy's good
harbor at Naples and speed the
progress toward Foggia and Bari on
the east coast. where lie great air.
fields only about $50 miles from
-Ploesti-only half as far as the bases
from which the American Liberator
force raioed that vital Rumanian
oil target last month.
Facing Large German Force.
There are no definite indications
where the Germans might make a |
major stand, but it is assumed they
would take advantage of the rugged |
Apennines line running diagonallv
across the peninsula from La Spezia |
to Rimini, probably falling back
from there to Pc and perhaps ulti- |
mately to Alpine defenses from the |
northern tip of the Adriatic to the
Swiss border.
AT any rate, unless Hitler changes
his plan to defend his failing part |
ner, 1t appears likely the Allies will |
nave to defeat by far the largest
German force they have yet en-
countered-even if Hitler doesn't
reinforce the divisions already
poured into Italy from France and
Germany.
A concentration of German forces
in Southern Italy might mean that
the Allied leaders would have to call
in considerably more than the 10
or IL divisions used in Sicily and
perhaps more than the Is to 20 en-
ployed in the final stages of the
Tunisian triumph, with a resultant
1essening of the chances for a big
push elsewhere while the battle of
Italy was still being fought.
Topography facing the Allied
forces lends itself naturally to de-
Tense, for it is almost uniformly
mountainous except for the plain of
Sibari and the plains just south of
Salerno and Metaponto.
The Calabrian Apennines run like
yardstick down the middle of the
lower peninsula and there are many
rivers throughout the area.
Former Jap Prisoner
(nA,L. II pI N>u..