Evening star., 1943-07-27
Clashes Between Nuziis
And Italians Possible
BIZ Mai. GEORGE Fielding Eliot.

~ AVA we NSof SS tSsNfSS NSsS1s
1t is obvious that the political overturn
in Italy may lead to military and polit-
ical occurrences in the aspect Of the war
of the most far-reaching Importance.
We do not as yet have adequate in
formation to predict what these changes
may be. Z.
Does Marshal Badoglio mean to 60 on
fighting? If so, is his purpose in so doing
to try to win better peace for Italy, or
does he still regard italy as full-dedged
partner in the Axis? Even If he does
mean to go on fighting, can he carry the
Italian people along with him in that
intent without the controlling machin-
cry Of the Fascist party being whole
heartedly at his service? If he does not
mean to go on fighting, what are the
Germans going to do about 1t, and how
far are they going to be able to control
the situation in Italy?
These are some of the many questions
to which we must have answers before
we can form an intelligent opinion of
what the effect on the war of Badoglio's
advent to power may be.
Already there are unconfirmed reports
that he has ordered the withdrawal from
the Balkans of some 20 Italian divisions,
and that these divisions are moving
down toward the sea presumably to-
ward the Adriatic ports Of Yugoslavia)
on their way back to Italy. This would
seem to suggest that the railways and
roads in this part of Yugoslavia are COM
pletely under italian control It will be
interesting to note whether the Germans
attempt to interfere with this movement
that is, If it is actually taking place.
One can hardly imagine more cheering
news than German attempt to prevent
such a withdrawal by force and the con-
sequent outbreak of fighting between
Germans and Italians in Yugoslavia.
Another interesting problem is pre-
sented by the island of Rhodes, where
the garrison is almost wholly Italian, but
which is both the most important island
of the Dodecanese group and also the
one most exposed to Allied attack. If the
Italians were to start Withdrawing from
Rhodes, or if the Germans have reason
to suspect that the Allies are going to
try to make a separate peace, which
would involve the surrender of Rhodes,
the Germans must consider how fatally
an Allied occupation of Rhodes would
compromise the position of the German
held fortress island of Crete. The Allied
commander on Cyprus probably will be
alert for any opportunity of getting hold
of Rhodes, and the first hint of an Ital-
ian withdrawal would almost certainly
result in an Allied move to take over.
Thus there are all sorts of possibilities,
plate being the simultaneous arrival OF
an Allied expeditionary force and Ger
man airborne force at the moment the
Italians are marching down to the docks
to embark.
Then there Is the question of the Ger
man troops now in Italy, who are said to
have been confined to their barracks and
ordered to maintain state Of constant
alert. There are believed to be two Ger
man divisions in Southern Italy and five
or six, perhaps as many as eight in
Northern Italy. There seems no reason
to suppose that the German troops in
the north would not be able to retire
from Italian soil. If so ordered, or 1t is
quite likely that they would be able to
maintain control of at least a part of
Northern Italy whether the Italians
liked 1t or not. The two divisions in
Southern Italy might have trouble If the
populace rose against them and began
cutting railways and blowing up bridges.
In any case, as long as German troops
are on italian soil, there are explosive
possibilities in situation In which new
government may not be able to keep the
population in hand. When the cry is
openly being raised, why should we be
bombed for the Germans?", anything
can happen.
On one point there should be complete
agreement among the Allies-the new
italian government cannot be allowed to
take Italy out of the war into some such
neutral status as that of Spain. If Italy
wants to surrender Internationally, that
means the occupation Of Italian territory
and its use as base of operation against
Germany and her remaining allies.
Marshal Badoglio should not be per-
mitted for q moment to suppose that he
can bargain for any better terms than
this.
Copyright, 1913. New York Tribune Incl
Hell ped by Snapshots