Evening star., 1944-07-24
Crockup in Germany

SIuCkuP III 0eIm0ny
There are significant parallels as
well as important differences be-
tween the crackup which began in
Germany last week and the sudden
and spectacular disintegration Of
the German military machine in
1918.
Hitler, for the moment at least,
seems to have curbed the army re-
volt which started with an alleged
attempt on his life. But it is beyond
his powers and those Of his Nazi
faithfuls to repair the damage which
induced the revolt Of his generals
and which, soon or late, will topple
the Nazi structure. To this extent
the certainty OF eventual disaster
the situation within the Reich today
is the same as that which prevailed
IN the summer of 1918.
But there are also differences
which should not be overlooked. In
1918, until mid-July, the Germans
appeared we'll on the way to a deci-
sive victory on the Western Front.
The people at home were confident
OF victory and had been given no
hint OF the defeat that was to take
clear form with the Second Battle
OF the Marine and the Allied break
through on the black day" Of
August g. This time the Germans
have known nothing but defeat for
months on end, and the people
within bomb shattered Germany
can have little faith in ultimate
victory. Their morale, generally
speaking, may be lower, but they
can hardly be subjected to the sud-
den shock and panic that accom-
panied the unanticipated disasters
in the summer OF 1918.
1t Is also true that the controls
which the Nazis have established
over the civilian population are far
tighter than those existing in 1918.
Then there was functioning
Reichstag and measure of civilian
control in both government and
army. Today the civilians are at the
mercy OF the Nazis, and it is hard to
believe that anything in the nature
OF a civilian revolt could get under
way while Hitler and the Gestapo
remain at the helm. Effective revolt,
II 1t comes under Hitler, must origi-
nate IN the army, and it is not apt
to have the stimulus of the prior
civilian collapse which occurred in
the last war.
But there are other factors which
must assume ominous proportions in
Nazi eyes. The German armies are
beaten, as they were in 1918. but the
defeats this time have been more
comprehensive, more costly in men
and equipment and have been
occurring over longer period of
time. The German homeland. un-
touched in the last war, has been
hammered from end to end this
time, and the only certainty is that
the aerial bombardment will mount
In scope and intensity as the war
continues. A principal contributing
factor to Germany's defeat in the
last war was exhaustion OF her man.
power, and the drain upon it this
time has been fully as great and
Will grow greater. Finally, there is
the Intangible factor of mans ability
to endure terror of oppression. In
the last war the German people en-
1oyed considerable measure OF
personal liberty and had some voice
IN the shaping of their national
policies If it is true that free men
hight better, they had something in
the shape of freedom to fight for.
But in this war they have been en-
slaved by ruthless tyranny which
WILL thrive on defeat and which. in
the end, may drive the German
people to the conviction that any,
thing, at whatever cost to them
selves, would be better than Hitler
and his murderous gang.
On the basis of the facts as thew
appear today, however, we can III
aHord to rely on an early collapse in
Germany. All that we really know
is that the process OF cracking has
started, and that is when we should
MT hardest with everything that we
have.