Evening star., 1944-06-18
Success in France Points
Toward Victory This Year
BY Constantine Broivn.

Toward Wet
By Consfa,
The battle Of France, which is
likely to bring the end Of the war
in Europe this year, is making good
progress.
The losses of the American, Brit
ish and Canadian forces have not
been as heavy as anticipated, but
according to unof1cial reports the
number of casualties has been
greater than in any other battles
we have fought in Africa or Europe
since 1912. Our initial objectives
have all been reached-in some in
stances ahead Of schedule, and those
competent to Judge the situation
paint q picture definitely favorable
to the Allies.
Surprises in the form Of strong
German counterattacks are, OF
course, expected, and until we can
move in reinforcements and sup
plies into a harbor in France our
position will be somewhat uncer-
tain.
The struggle between the Allied
and German armies will be decided
tactically within the next few
weeks, even II the Germans are
not Knocked out. The majority OF
American military observers are
convinced that If Gen. Esenhower's
forces maintain their schedule be-
tween now and the end of next
month we may look to a collapse
of the Reich's present political
structure before the fall.
viii Push Jap War.
The bulk Of the American forces
then will be transferred to the Pa
cific, where, thanks to the brilliant
strategy of the American naval and
Army commanders, Admiral Chester
w. Nimitz and Gen. Douglas Mac
Arthur, the preliminaries for q
knockout blow to Japan are being
drafted. An increase by about 4O
per cent of ground and air forces in
that area leads these two command
ers to believe that the war against
the Nipponese Empire will termi-
nate much earlier than was origi-
nally estimated. They have already
drawn plans to reduce Japan to
impotence regardless of what may
happen on the Asiatic mainland
There Is no question that the final
defeat Of Japan will involve even
heavier losses than have been nee
essary In Europe. But the consensus
OF our strategists is that the job
can be done, even II our war asso-
ciates lend us minimum or no
support at all.
In the past wars have been fought
for gain. A defeated nation was
called on to pay heavy indemnities
and lost important territories. This
war has cost the American people
such fabulous sums that there can
be no question of financial COM
pensation for the money, raw and
manufactured articles which this
country has contributed. In fact,
the American people never expected
a repayment or compensation for
their contribution in blood and
sweat which they have given literally
in order to sustain the democratic
principles in the world. AS things
are shaping up in Europe today, it
is doubtful that democracy, as we
understand it, will survive in that
part of the world after the war is
over.
Yet the only real reward the
American people can expect is that
our major associates should at least
permit the survival of the smaller
nations as independent and SOW
ereign entities. Small nations are
healthy when allowed to develop
unhampered by outside political in
fiuences. If the past major wars in
Europe originated in the Balkans OF
in Central Europe the fault cannot
be laid on those minor powers alone.
For many generations they have
been pawns in the hands of the
larger powers, which have used them
for their own selfish interests.
Right to Just Peace.
The war is now drawing to close
We may still have some unpleasant
surprises but 1t is highly doubtful
that under the impact of the Amer.
ican, British and Russian forces the
Germans can fight for long.
The people of the United State.
have right to demand a just peace
In which the old hatreds which have
existed in Europe for centuries anc
old scores must be forgotten. 1t il
immaterial whether Germany /,
broken up in her component part.
or is maintained as a unified nation
SO long as she is not given a chance
to rearn. Prime Minister Churchill
and Premier Stain seem to believe
that the map of Europe must be
changed SO that instead of having 6
number of independent self-relyine
states the whole continent should be
organized into two large confedera
tions.
So far as the eastern confedera.
ton Is concerned, Moscow has ShoWr
us the pattern it intends to follow
when Germany is knocked out of thu
war The changed U. S. S. r. consti.
tuition, allowing an indefinite mum.
Der of other states to join Russia, /!
extremely indicative of the shape o.
the eastern federation of nations
Russias adamant point of view re-
garding the Baltic states. Estonia
Latvia and Lithuania, which she re-
CARDS as part and parcel of tn
u. S. s. r., Is equally indicative.