Imperial Valley press., 1943-05-13
EVALUATING THE
AFRICAN VICTORY

There are many reasons to rejoice
axuberantly over the Allied African vic
tory 1t means SO much both in actual
accomplishment and in promise of what
is to come that there is ample cause for
the cheerful and happy reaction which
pervades the people of the Allied nations.
There does. however, appear TO be some
confusion over the Justification The VIC
tory does not mean that Germany Is on
the Threshold of complete defeat. The
victory Is not d great military victory as
such matters go. So lets don't imagine
the war is Won and that we can start To
get ready for peace. On the contrary as
a result of the African campaign the wise
heads now say there is no chance Of Ger
man defeat this year. probably not next
year. but reasonably certain in 1945 or
1916.
The victory does mean that the purely
European defensive war is completely at
an end that the Allies are now really
on the offensive that we have expert
mented with and perfected a united COM
mand with British, American and French
working together effectively; that the
war sphere is at least reduced to the
continent; that the Mediterranean is
again open as the short and efficient sup
ply route to India.
1t means that American and British
brains and morale and spirit is superior
to the German and Italian; that Hitler
has been defeated twice, (once in Russia
and again in Africa; that the Axis con-
fidence has been shaken; that Hitler is
worried sick as to where we will strike
next and what we will strike with; that
the enemy is on the receiving end of a
real war of nerves that despite the sub
marine menace. we can keep moving for
ward; that strategcally we can release
hundreds of thousands of more troops
for actual service, and that the saving in
shipping time and distance equals the
addition of hundreds of new ships to our
transportation system.
1t means that Americans have proved
themselves in their initial engagement
with Hitler's highly trained and expert
troops that Uncle Sans planes and his
pilots are of the finest quality but that
despite the good showing, this initial
laboratory test will show how further
perfection can be achieved: that Ameri-
can tanks and guns and trucks and artil
lery and materiel will have had chance
to be thoroughly tested and improved.
To the men and women in war plants
and mines, it shows that we need superior
sity in EVERYTHING INCLUDED IN
WAR PRODUCTION to achieve victory.
Ihe Allies are feputeQ 10 nave nad
to l strength over the Germans in all
categories of equipment including planes,
tanks, everything. This simple fact is
the BIGGEST fact in the entire picture,
because it means that no matter how
we'll trained are our men. nor how we may
outnumber the enemy, WE MUST HAVE
AN ABUNDANCE OF EQUIPMENT TO
ACHIEVE VICTORY QUICKLY AND
UPON THE BEST TERMS.
By best terms" we refer to the re-
ported ratio of casualties 1t is said
there have been four or five German cas-
ualties for each single Allied casualty,
That is vast relief for Americans. We
can expect so many more of our soldiers
to return home than otherwise might have
been anticipated
This engagement indicates that such
a strategy may be expected to be regu-
lar part of the Allied methods-over-
whalming power in men and equipment
We hope this proves true because as
Africa has shown us. il guarantees sue
cess and reduces the blood price.
Yes, for these reasons we can shout
till we are hoarse: but this is only the be-
ginning Rather than any slackening in
our fervor there must be tightening of
the belt
From now on, can be expected increas-
ingly harder and more difficult cam
II