The Wilmington morning star., 1943-09-09
Italy Surrenders

Announcement of Italy's capitulation has set
the bells ringing all over the Allied world,
but it is certain that the thrill thus brought
to war-weary world is no greater than the
surprise at learning the military arnaistce
granted by General Eisenhower was actually
lsigned last Friday, simultaneously with the
landing of the Allied troops, with the speci-
time as the General considered of greatest
advantage to the Allies.
II is fair to assume that the German forces
based in Italy and the German high command
share in this surprise, and are thoroughly
chagrined that the Italians, whom they con-
could so effectively pull the wool over their
eyes.
Impatient people who have been complain
ing at General Montgomerys seeming idle
ness and the lack of vigor in mis- campaign
now have their answer. Obviously it was not
1t even seems that runnors that General Pat
ton was to make a landing north of Rome
and join General Montgomery in a pincer
movement on the Italian capital lacked auten-
ITCHY unless, forsooth, it is planned to have
the Americans enter Italy above Naples and
the Germans in north Italy from those to
the south and make their capture or exter-
mnation easier.
There is still much to be learned about
the armistice, but we learn that while the
Italian armed forces have surrendered to the
pose ATTACKS from any other quarter This
must mean the Germans. Germany there
fore, may no longer bully the Italians into
aiding them. Instead, Nazi troops may ex-
pect to face Italians as enemies, and be-
cause German military leaders have forced
italians to take the rap for them on all oc-
casions, any who do fight against the Ger
mans will have greater incentive to fight
hard than in previous engagements. They
have enough against the Nazis to turn them
into Wildcats
The fate of the Italian navy had not been
revealed when this was written. But CHS in
tercepted message from General Eisenhower
to the Italian fleet, telling commanders ito
take heed that you do not scuttle your ships
or allow them to be captured'' He told
them where to sail, what harbors to seek,
and we may be sure the Mediterranean fleet
will give whatever aid is necessary to pro-
tect them from German U-boats.
The remaining problem in Italy concerns
the fleet, which General Eisenhower thus tells
how to proceed and the German forces on
Italian SOIL which, we may well believe, will
not give up easily. How many Nazi divisions
are there is not disclosed, but in addition to
the occupying forces which were heavily re-
nforced when Sicilys fate could no longer
be questioned, are the German refugees from
Sicily, who were told when fleeing that their
ticket of admission into Italy was gun.
These Germans must either fight their way
out or capitulate as their brothers did at
Cap Bon. With the Bremen pass eliminated
as a safe escape funnel and Yugoslavia, Al
bania and particularly Greece across the Ad-
Ratio, their chances Of survival exec
through surrender, are Slim
When Italy is freed from the last German
soldier and the Allies possess air bases in
northern Italy it is easy to foresee what will
happen within Germany. Heretofore Allied
planes have been forced to make long flights
to rain their bombs on German centers Yet
they turned Hamburg into a shambles, the
Ruhr industrial section into mass of rubble
and Berlin itself is a mere spectre of its
former greatness By massing air power in
upper Italy and maintaining a round-the- clock
air attack on remaining German centers and
return visits to cities under reconstruction
it seems possible that Germany may be blast
ed out of the even sooner than the Allied
high commands timetable designates.
-V-