Evening star., 1943-08-08
Moscow
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fensive. We explained to him that we
intended to do our utmost in the Med
iterranean.
Operations in that area have been
more successful and less costly than we
dared hope. The collapse of .Mussolini
and the disappearance of the Fascist
form of government has opened new
vistas to the Allied high command. Italy
at least the southern and central por-
tions of the country-are wide open to
the Allies. 1t is true that the Germans
are rushing an important force into
Northern Italy to make the Piave line
their first center Of resistance. So long
as the war on the eastern front con-
tinues unabated all that the Nazi gen.
eral staf1 can do is to bolster its de-
fenses by drawing on its general reserves
In the Reich or shifting forces from
Western to Eastern and Southern Eu.
rope.
The number of divisions available to
Gen. Eisenhower are estimated to be
suf11cient to tackle the Nazis In Northern
Italy. The various underground forces
in Europe, particularly the well-organ-
lied guerrillas under the command of
Gen. Draja Mihailovich in Yugoslavia
together with the organized Greek
bands, can pin down at least 20 Nad
divisions in the Balkans
The Allied forces extend from the
British Isles to the Middle East. The
Nazis can draw on only few units of
the AZ divisions now available In
France. Hence the bulk OF the Ameri-
can-British Army under Gen. Eisenhower
has more than a $3.50 chance to crack
the Nazi defenses where they are weak
est-in the southern belly of the Euro
pean fortress-after they have entered
Italy.
Realize Grave Responsibility.
But the American strategists realize
the very grave situation in which the
Allied forces would find themselves
should the Nazi government be over
thrown and replaced by democratic
military" regime which would accept the
suggestions inspired by the Russians and
contained in the manifesto of the Free
Germany Committee.
The Germans would not have to ad-
dress their appeal to London or Wash
ington. They know that the answer
from these quarters would be "uncon-
ditional surrender" But they can adj
dress their plea to Moscow. The conse-
quences of such a move are frightening
to many close observers of the political
game in Washington.
True enough, Russia is pledged not to
make separate peace. But what will
Washington and London be able to an
swer if Moscow informs the two capitals
that it is considering such peace terms,
after the demise of Naziism, as honor
able and fair.
We must not forget that the Russians
have lost about Is 900 900 persons in the
war. This figure includes, of course, the
large number of civilians-men, women
and children-who have been killed or
have died since the Nazis occupied a
large slice of Western Russia.
Russia is undergoing unbelievable
hardships-not the army, but the mil
lions of civilians who are either in the
occupied area or in the free regions.
The large quantities OF food being sent
to the Soviet from this country are about
sufficient for the large modified forces.
There is little, If anything, left for the
civilians, who must shift for themselves
as best they can.
Until we have a better insight into
what Is behind the Free Germany Com
mittee, the British and American joint
chiefs of staff will be hard put to make
final decision regarding future opera
tions this year. On the surface 1t would
appear that we should Immediately tackle
the Nazi fortress from somewhere in the
south. The prospects of dramatic po-
litical developments this fall or winter
are, however, hanging heavily on this
strategists who must make momentous
decisions and take serious risks.