Detroit evening times. (Detroit, Mich) 1921-1958, 1943-11-24
| NEWS
BEHIND
The News
Paul.
MaIIon

MaHOn
WASHINGTON. Nov. "a
w Weakest baStion I'm Hitler'S
fortress is the Balkans
lie has been moving reserves
i'm thqfe until NOW he has ac-
cumuiated about 20 divisions
100000 mem. lfIs capture now
OF the three islands north of
Crete and Rhodes has reinforced
the Aegean approaches 10 the
mainland.
Pictures were sent out Of
Germany recently representing
German army officers showing
of some new concrete fortiii-
cations The propaganda photos
obviously were intended 10 make
us believe Hitler has established
works comparable 10 those
erected in France and the Low
lands. but obviously his prepa-
ratlonS have fallen short of any
thing like the scale elsewhere.
But for us TO invade, we must
first have Rhodes and Crete, or
be able to use Turkey (whose
preparations for a declaration OF
war against Germany are sup
posed 10 hinge on our concen-
tration- of sufficient aircraft
there 10 protect her cities
In any reconsideration OF our
grand strategy, this sector Is
likely to receive primary atten-
ton.
MILITARY men seldom con-
vi slider IT wise TO storm The
enemy head-on at his strongest
point. and the reports concern
ing the formidable emplace-
mentS In certain sections OF
Norway, of the Lowlands and
France, including the southern
Mediterranean shore, have been
verified by thorough Allied OBJ
SerVation.
The long line of communica-
tions we would have to MAN.
tain 10 the Balkans would make
preparations for such an attack
a long and difficult, but not I'M
possible, job.
Even if our strategy aims the
heaviest blow elsewhere, the
current threat of attack on the
Balkans may cause Hitler to
weaken his forces at another
rim of the fortress TO a Vulner-
able extent.
Rumania's army n u m b T s
about % divisions (42S 600
mem. but about l. of them
have been used-aHd probably
used up-in Russia. Some are
now stationed in the Grimca.
Bulgaria'S army numbers ID
TO II divisions 100000 mem,
but she has not declared war on
Russia, and there is a question
as TO what her troops will do if
we go in.
NAZI counterattackS in the
~ Kiev section showed sur
pri sing but not conclusive
power.
No doubt the Reds will con-
iinue with their adXance-eNentu--
ally on that very sector, as we'll
as following through their GUS
tomary strategy of launching
new attack al another point in
the long line whenever rebuffed
this time in the north. aimed
at Riga
Yet the Nazis have Surren-
dered surprisingly few prison
erS in all this recent retreat
even in the south where the
Russian a alta k precipitated
what appeared to be an initial
rout, the retreat has been sur
priSingly orderly.
The Germans have managed to
cling 10 Krivoi-Rog many days
after territory on both sides
had gone.
Consequently. the vague re-
ports coming out Of London
lately indicating attempts by
the NaziS TO negotiate for an
armlSticc. have seemed weak
and Enthusiastically. one pub
lished report has indicated that
certain German army officers
approached the British in two
neutral countries. advancing the
idea of an armistics. but these
officers plainly were without
sufficient authority and prob
ably not"valid ENJOYS of even
small group of the Nazi army.
WHILE the Russians will~no
w doubt continue to advance.
and the recent Raj raids on
Berlin were but a forerunner of
Immediate great intensificaLon
of our air warfare no one in Of
official authority here pretends
10 know. or hazard a precise
guess as to how soon in the
next few months the break may
be expected
London is the fountain-head
of both authentic and unau-
thentc inside information from
Europe, mainly because the
refugee governments are eStab-
llShed there
The British have excellent
contacts on the continent, but
the sources of most of the
printed rumors and "authorita-
tive reports are refugee off
Gals.