Detroit evening times. (Detroit, Mich) 1921-1958, 1943-06-21
War Today
Allies to Meet
Strong Foe in
Invading Sicily
Nv THrRsToN MACAILEl
I,,.rr.,,cr.I N.v, Ser,tc, War Ausl,st

SINCE THE Allies vor tho
little Italian Mediterranean Us.
land OF PartoIcra, Sicily hss
appeared To b. one Of The ioGI-
cal next ohIccryos.
Almost daily blasting ty
American Flying For,res>c>,
Liberat7rs and other planes has
strengthened the conviction
that Sicily may, indeed he an
Allied stepping stone 10 Italy
Sicily. however is nor another
Panteueria by any means. Us
area IS 10000 square miles
Pantelleras only 3 square
miles.
Then, TOO. Pantelleua had
small garrison Of only Tow
thousand, and they were cut off
from sornly needed supplies Of
food and fresh water.
SICILY IS believed 10 he gar
risored by some seven 90 lo
Italian divisions. plus a Na1l
division. And since the Strait oi
MesSina separating the island
from the toe Of the Italian boot,
is only TWO miles wide at us
narrowest, supplies are fairly
accessible.
The key point NJ SiClly'S de-
Tense would he the railroad line
that crosses the island roughly
east 10 west. AS long as the
Italians had the line intact
troops could be shifted quickly
from one end Of the island 10
another-though the Allies I'M
doubtediy would land IN more
than one place.
Sicily is rugged, especially the
north caaSt--TeEe-SPatS-tA -4-
might be chosen for A landing
of seaborne troops are the west
eTn tip around the port OF Mar
sala and the plain al Catanis IN
the middle OF the east coast.
THE ALLIED base A. Pan
teIIeria is only so miles from
Sicily, the British base Of Malta
only So miles. The entire island
is within easy range Of big
American and British bombers
of both the northwest African
air force and the middle east
command.
Even Berlin has admitted
that the Allies have a strong
superiority in the air in the
Mediterranean. But that does
not mean that the conquest Of
Sicily will be any pushover.
Perhaps the Allies viii not
attempt landings from the sea.
They may try 10 take the island
bl mass airborne invasion
after the example set by the
Germans in Selling the equally
rugged and mountainous Greek
island OF Crete.
Then. of course. troops would
be dropped all over the island,
aimed chiefly al the strategic
airdromes, ports and communl-
cations. Paratroop landings
would only come after a pro-
longed period of intense soften
ing up Of flying fields and other
defenSeS.
BEFORE THE Tunisian cam
paign, Sicily was a valuable
arsenal for the ANS. II pro-
duced sulphur, which has many
wartime uses. chemicals. iron
and steel. and there is an air
plane plant al Palermo, first
Sicilian port. Palermo, Incl
dentally was blasted by some
400 Allied aircraft in May
Porto Empedocle in he
southwest is the sulphur center.
The port Of MeSsina. which
covers 206 acres, has been re-
peatedly bombed. II is the main
link with Italy. terminus Of the
train ferry that crosses the
strait.
II the Allies arc 10 move
north across the Mediterranean
10 strike al the soft underbellv
Of the Axis, Sicily must be re-
duced sooner or later. i is TOO
big 10 be left alone in the rear
OF an invading force.
IT MIGHT, however he by
passed temporarily IN favor Of
an attack on Sardinia. which is
about the same size but not so
well defended. with only prob
ably three 10 FIVE Italian div
sions comprising its garrison.
Sardinia is nearer Africa than
Italy. II Is 175 miles from tho
Italian mainland but only l3J
from North Africa That would
make il harder for the AXIS 20
defend than for the Allie, 70
attack But the Az, also r~y
air bases m Corsica which Is
only ~ miles 20 the north
And Corsica is within - miles
Of Italy
Like Sicily SARDINIA ha, had
is Softening up bur m smaller
doses. It's capital. CaEhar. ~