Browning chief., 1944-06-09
WNU Service, Union Trust Building
WaShingfon D. C.

WNO service, Union Trust Building
Washington, D. C.
What happens when "the coiled
springs of action" are released in
the cataclysm of invasion?
Europe is enveloped in the smoke
and confusion of battle and only oc-
casionally does this fog lift "show-
ing the swaying forms of vast ar
mics amid the screaming clatter of
mechanical combat" 1t descends
again "blotting out the view and
leaving us uncertain as to the
shape of the plan"
That is the observation of one of
the keenest British military experts,
"Veritas," whose privately circulat-
ed analyses are cabled to this coun-
try and eagerly scanned by persons
most interested in the conflict now
going on.
And Veritas reminds us that we
can only maintain our sense of
perspective and proportion if we
keep carefully in mind certain fun
damental aspects of the military sit
uation from the German standpoint.
This, likewise, applies to the politi-
cal aspects.
A well-known psychologist, DR..
Norman Maier of the University of
Michigan who predicted the failure
of the Munich appeasement program
by demonstrating in advance that
according to psychological princi-
pies, it could not succeed, recently
made some interesting observations.
He said that Hitler would be liqui-
dated and revolution would take
place in Germany as soon as the
last of the myths" created by the
German propagandists for the pur-
pose of lulling the Germans into
false sense of security were eXplod-
ed. The Germans, he explains, be-
long to Frustrated society" Hit
Ter cured their Illustration with ag
gression, when aggression is frus-
trated, nothing else will be left.
Revised Propaganda
This type of security" propagan-
da being fed to the German people
had to be revised recently. So much
had been said about the strength of
Nazi Notifications that the leaders
realized the people had developed
what they called "Maginot mind"
In other words, they had become
reassured to the point of compla-
cency. Therefore, the more recent
propaganda foreshadoWed success
full landings by the Allies and played
up the second line of defense.
For instance, it was stated that
the city of Lyons was fortified to re-
sist operations in case it became
the center of the conflict Nyons is
200 miles inland).
Thus. the effort was made to pre-
serve the myth of security up to the
last moment AS to the possibility
of revolution before desperation
seizes the Germans, that is slight.
1t is probable that the Germans
might oust the Nazis now if they
dared; but it is doubtful if anything
short of the sheer desperation fol-
lowing defeat will turn them against
the guns of the black shirts.
A Swiss who returned from Berlin
just before the day and night bomb
ing of Germany began, said:
"There can be no thought of revo-
luton. The Gestapo and the SIS
are too powerful
He recited this incident:
"An Italian worker who was pass
ing through the Friederichstrasse
was just about to pick up (after the
bombing of cigarette factory one
of the many boxes of cigarettes ly-
ing around on the ground. Nearby
was young SIS man armed with an
automatic pistol without any
previous warning, he took aim and
shot the Italian down."
This is said to be typical Incl
dent and the Swiss declared that a
German woman who drops her pock-
etbook does not dare to stoop over
and pick it up.
The Military Aspects
The military aspects are very
different matter. The great strength
of German strategy built on Gin
terror lines" has been turned to a
weakness. A nation on the offensive
which can strike overpoweril.g blows
at any point it chooses along the
perimeter of the territory it con-
trolls has a great advantage.
Its lines are short, they are pro-
tected, they move from the center
outward like the radii of a circle.
The opposing power must laborious-
ly follow the circumference witness
the supply lines from the Allies to
Russia which have to sweep around