Evening star., 1943-06-27

UiOplllIdClON ana LIllS move udu ylelQcu
them some 800 divisions-abo $500, 900
men. These men are fully trained and
equipped. The German aviation fac
tories, which closed down last Septem-
Der for retooling, started full production
in April of this year. Heavy bomber
planes are being produced in only a
relatively small number of factories.
The accent is placed by the Luftwaffe on
fast and well-armed fighter planes.
What the Nazi production is now, is
difficult to say But our bomber squad
rons now are experiencing much sitter
opposition as they raid the Reich and
Nazi-occupied Europe than they en-
countered two months ago.
The advantage held by the Germans
is that when they lose plane they lose
one man only. In one of three cases
the pilot of the fighter plane is able to
bale out on German territory. Thus he
is not lost to the Luftwaffe. When we
lose a bomber we also lose 10 very i'm
portant men who form the crew of the
ship. In spite of our ability to produce
as many airplaneS as we wish, we cannot
train pilots and bombardiers with the
same speed. Hence the round-the- clock
bombing of Nazi territories may eventu-
ally prove more difficult operation than,
appears to be likely when reading the
optimistic reports issued by public rela-
tiors officers.
The conquest of Tunisia was hailed as
an indication of the failing power of the
NaZis and Fascists. But reports attrib-
uted to reliable sources have reached
Allied military men which indicate that
as far back as early March Hitler and
the Nazi high command had written off
Tunisia and the Axis forces in that area
as total loss. Field Marshal Rommel
was ordered back to Germany and Gen.
Won Arnim was ordered to undertake de-
laying operations but gave up when 1t
appeared to him that further sacrifice
Of men was useless.
Rebellion Stories Secuted.
OF course more war material was sent
to Won Arnim so lang as that was pos
sible in order to enable him to put into
effect the prescribed delaying strategy.
But the Nazis were very sparing with the
Luftwaffe and did not sacrifice more
planes than strictly was necessary. This
does not take away any glory from Allied
forces which defeated powerful and
we'll organized enemy But the fact
that the Nazi high command Is reported
to have written of the Afrika Korps
and the other units in Tunisia as far
back as last March, is an indication that
the Nazis still know what they are doing
and the defeat in Tunisia was not unex-
pected.
There is good deal of exaggeration
even in the reports that peoples of occu-
pied countries are on the verge OF re-
bellion and are ready to throw Of the
enemy at the first sign that we are ap-
preaching. This is true in spots only.
But there are clear indications that
many of the people who live under the
Nazi occupations, after three years OF
hunger and intense hardships are losing
their will to stab the enemy in the back
and overthrow his rule at the first
signal from Washington and London.
European divisions are being formed
at this time with the young element from
the occupied countries. There are
Walloon and Netherland and Norwegian
and French divisions in formation These
young men between the ages of 18 and %
are being trained by veterans from the
Russian front whose partial disability
makes them unfit to return to combat
duty.
Young men from the Baltic provinces
and from Poland are joining up. The
Germans are said to intend to organize
(See BROWN. Page C-3)