Evening star., 1943-10-04
Aegean Isles Held
Key to Balkan Pass
BIZ Mai. Georoe Fieldino Eliot

AlySIcllOuS.
The occupation by the Allied forces,
apparently British air-borne troops, of
the Islands of Kos, Samos and Leros
was confirmed from British sources, al
most with an air of reluctance, several
days after Ankara dispatches had an
nounced the news. Now we hear, also
from Ankara, of Allied troops on Khios
and Mytilene, of heavy German bomb
ing and even sea-borne attacks on the
islands held by the Allies, of fighting in
which Italian troops and Greek irregu-
lars are taking part as we'll as British
| forces.
All this is going on inside the Aegean,
| separated from the Allied bases in the
Middle East by the outer screen Of Ger
man-held islands-Crete, Scarpanti and
Rhodes. All this Is likewise going on
within few miles-in some cases within
sight of the coast of neutral Turkey.
What sort of strange and flaming drama
is being played out in these ancient is
lands, those Isles Of Greece of which the
poets of all time have sung?
~ 10, VI SOulo oOflOuS, llOLl SldliSC
at the map, that there can be no in
vasion of the Balkans through the his
toric Vardar gateway until the Aegean
islands are cleared of the enemy. If
any such invasion forms part of the
Allied war plans, which is by no means
certain, then the clearing of the Aegean
forms condition precedent to its ac-
complishment. But If not. there are
still very considerable advantages to be
gained.
These revolve. for the most part.
around the position of Turkey in this
war. The Turks are still, to some extent,
afraid of the Germans. 1t Is a dimin-
ishing fear, as German commitments on
other fronts increase; but there are
still German troops in Bulgaria and the
attitude of the Bulgar Army is still an
uncertain factor and possible source of
danger to Turkey. 1t will be difficult
for the Turkish attitude to become more
definitely pro-Ally to the extent, for
example, Of opening the Dardanelles to
Allied naval forces until this threat has
been reduced to a point at which the
Turks can be reasonably certain that no
German push through European Turkey
to the straits can be attempted or that,
being attempted, it must certainly be
repulsed.
The Turks have another set Of fears,
arising from their traditional anxiety
as to Russian ambitions concerning the
Balkan peninsula, the straits and the
area between the Caspian and Black
Seas. They would like to be able to say,
when the war Is over, that they have
rendered such services to the Allied
cause as to give them definite claim on
Anglo American good Offices to protect
their interests from possible Russian ex-
pansionist ideas.
And as the Russians push forward
along the north shore of the Black Sea
as the Crimea is again an area of con-
test and may be recovered by Russia, the
Turks cannot but welcome a correspond
ing Anglo-American advance in the
Aegean.
Also such an advance tends to put
the fear Of coming reprisals in the hearts
OF the Bulgars and acts as a counter
weight. not yet a fully compensating
counterweight, of course. but growing
one-to the grip which the German
Army and the Gestapo maintain upon
affairs at Sofia.
AS to what may be actually happening
IN the Aegean islands. it would appear
that where Italian garrisons have been
able to do so, they have turned over the
islands to air-borne forces; and it would
further appear that the Germans do not
like this and are trying to blast the
Authoritarian garrisons out of exist
ence. The fact that one Turkish ac-
count mentions so German bombers as
having taken part in such an operation
is measure of the seriousness with
which the Germans are going to work to
redress this Aegean situation.
If the Allied air forces become firmly
established in these inner islands, they
may be able to go Systematically to work
on Rhodes, where the German troops
appear to be In control Rhodes is the
key to the Aegean. If it is reduced, the
whole situation changes, Crete is by
passed and 1t becomes possible for the
Allies to operate conveys right through
the Dardanelles as soon as they have
knocked out some of the smaller islands
in the upper Aegean.
Moreover, the threat offered to Turkey
by the presence of the Axis forces at
her very doorstep will disappear. Con-
sequences OF the greatest strategic ad-
vantage to the Allies may result, once
there is clear path into the Black Sea.
And the advantages to the Russians of
such a short line of communications
would be so great that the Russians
might well feel that these advantages
outweighed any reluctance which they
may entertain as to Anglo American
operations in the Balkans-if, indeed,
such reluctance in fact exists, as has
been maintained in some well-informed
quarters.
From every point of view, military and
political, it is of great Importance to
Germany to keep her grip on the Aegean
Sea and the islands which defend any
control of it, That is why the fighting
there is of such interest and of scarcely
less interest is the mystery with which
the whole affair is surrounded.
(Copyright, 1943, New York Tribune, Inc)
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