Evening star., 1943-04-30
Tunisiu Bottle Now
Approaching Decision
Mujor Eliot Says RommeI
Must Open Counterottock
Or Prepare to Give Up

Or Prepare to Give Up
By Maj. George Fielding Eliot.
The tactical situation Of the German
army in Tunisia appears to be approach
ing the critical stage.
On It's right flank, west of Bizerte, 1t is
slowly giving ground before succession
Of violent attacks by the American 2nd
Corps, which is variously reported as
being from 10 to IL miles from Mateur.
Mateur Is the important rail and road
junction where the branch lines to BIZ
zerte leave the main east-west railway
and highway.
In the center the Allied commander in
chief is for the moment making his main
effort. Here the British LIST Army has
broken through the German front line
defenses, and has almost reached the
open plain before Tunis. Repeated Ger
man counterattacks have made the Brit
ish progress slow, but there has been
progress nevertheless.
Both British and Americans appear to
be slugging ahead with powerful infantry
attacks, preparing the way with the fire
OF medium artillery and with air bonn
bardments, and moving forward under
mans, in their counterattacks, are using
tanks freely, with infantry support, and
Allied guns are taking q sharp toll OF
the German armor.
The French In the Pont du Fahs sector
are also giving very fine account of
themselves. In conjunction with right
flank elements Of the 1st Army, they have
almost surrounded Pont du Fahs, and
here again a break-through into the
Tnisian plain seems threatened. Should
the French succeed in taking the whole
of the hill called Djebel Zaghouan, east
of Pont du Fahs, whose western slopes
they reached yesterday the whole Ger
man left flank would be threatened.
AL this leaves out of account the vet
eran British 9th Army, which Is un-
doubtedly preparing new blow and has
had just about time to get ready to
launch it. How much of the German
mobile reserve has been absorbed in
resisting the Americans and the 1st
Army is, OF course, something we don't
know; but 1t is vitality important, be-
cause on that point depends to a large
extent the amount of resistance that the
Germans can offer to the 9th Army when
Gen. Montgomery strikes.
Behind the German left flank Is the
craggy expanse Of the Cape Bon penin-
sula. If Montgomery detaches the Ger
man flank from the coast, where it now
rests between Bou Ficha and Enfidaville,
the British tanks will be able to envelop
that flank unless the Germans do one Of
two things; either split their forces, re-
firing with one part into the Cape Bon
peninsula for . last stand, and retiring
with the others into the Bizerte area, or
pull back their left flank very rapidly
and concentrate all their forces for the
defense Of Bizerte. In either case, they
give up Tunis.
We are now at point where the con-
verging attacks seem likely to compel the
Germans to this choice within a COM
paratively short time. A breakthrough
by the lst Army, the fall of Pont du Fahs.
capture Of 'Djebel zaghouan by the
French, or encirciement Of the German
left flank by the 9th Army-any one Of
these would constitute 50 severe threat
to the left wing of the German armies as
to require drastic readjustments along
the lines above indicated. Any one Of
these would almost certainly mean the
fall Of Tunis In addition.
But 1t must be pointed out that so far
most Of the German counterattacks
appear to have been made with local
reserves. The last one mentioned In
front line dispatches involves no more
than 30 tanks and 500 infantry. 1t Is.
therefore, altogether possible that the
German commander is collecting much
more powerful striking force for real
counterattack in strength. He knows
quite well that for him to continue pas
sively accepting the defensive will result
in disaster, and that quickly. If, there
fore, we do not see such . German
counterattack before any one of the four
events above-named takes place, 1t will
be 4 pretty clear indication that the Ger
mans do not have sumcient strength
remaining for that purpose. In that case,
the last days Of the Tunisian campaign
are at hand.
If the counterattack is now In prep
aration, = good deal may depend on
whether it can be launched before Mont
gomery strikes his coming blow. If
Montgomery can strike first, it may be
that he will dislocate the German plans
by compelling them to use their counter
attack elements to stop break-through
by the 9th Army. The next three or four
days in Tunisia should be Of crucial
interest.
(copyrisht. 1913, n. y Tribune, 1ne)
Sneak Raids
From the London Daily Telesraph and Morning
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