PAGE 4.—HONGKONG TELEGRAPH
FOURTH
The Nazi Military Bible: INSTALMENT
Ewald Banie,
the author of Nazi Germany's military "bible", tells to-day what Germany really thinks of her erstwise ally, Italy
Professor Banse wrote, in 1933, the text- book of the German military, machine. A' copy of his publication, which was supposed to be distributed only in German military circles, came into the hands of a London publishing firm, which issued an English translation, des- pite strenuous efforts by the Nazis to prevent. ro-publication.
Professor Banse's indiscretions permit us to know, in even more astonishing detail than does "Mein Kampf,” what Germany planned when "Der Tag" came. Previously chapters have dealt with Germany's plans to invade Holland, Belgium, plans which we have already seen put into effect. Yesterday's chapter des. cribed the plan to invade England..
Now read what Bance has to say about
Italy. Remember that the text that follows Italian tasks demonstrating in a great review of 23,000 men of the Italian forces in Liby. A swarm of small is the opinion of Germany.
F.
true that
it wore territory, of itself and alone, could determine, could shape the destiny of nations, then. Italy would be the permanent leading state in the Mediterranean basin-a part, however, which she played for a few centuries-only-in
classical times.
Within the Mediterranean, however. Italy, occupied the same sort of position 28 Germany in the North: given a hardy people under strong leadership, her central position allows her to dominate in all directions from the Pillars of Hercules to the Euphrates.
But if her people are weak and divided among themselves, Italy will by the sport of foreign-
who
land, at any point on her long coast line and bestride the peninsula In a few days.
can
That has always been Italy'a weak point-an enemy may not only land where he pleases (the conat abounds in natural har- bour) but can approach from two different directions ord cut oft.part.of the country..
She cannot prevent this, for she dare not render her army powerless by dispersing it in all directions, or no part will be strong enough at the deci. sive point.
Military
Importance
"Northern Italy-is-of-niliitary-- importance for five reasons:
(1) The line of the Po and the parallel running lower streama of its tributaries form strong positions against north and gouth, though they often expose the plain to foods, since some of them flow in clevated beds, the embankments of which can be pierced. (2) Northern Italy is the contre of Italian Industry, food production and national effort, so that its loss would pro- bably break the country's defen- sive will and power of resistance. (3) The Alpine foothills are very difficult to hold against an enemy offensive from the Alps, and very unsuitable for ap advance by Italian troops against the moun- tain valleys; that is why Italy has boon so keen to get possession of the watersheds, which in the Tyrol.are situated very far north. (4) The plain of Lombardy pro- jecta into Venetia in a dangerous- ly north eastward direction, which means that an Italian army on the Isonzo or the Carin- thian front may be cut of and taken-prisoner by an enemy at- tacking from southern Tyrol in the direction of Padua.
war
This was a cherished plan of Conrad's, but unfortunately could not be carried out in the world for lack of the necessary troops. (0) The weakness of the western side of the Alps, which present Italy with an almost im- pregnable precipice and leave the
in passer'
French important hands,
An Iialian offensive against France on this front would offer no hope of uncomms, and even. in the Nion gap, which though strongly, fortifled, constlínies natural opening, success could ogly be tained at the cost of heavy losses
1.
To sum up, the line of the Isonzo, the gap created by the Elechial and the Doberdo Plateaux in the Karst mountains, which adjoins it on the east, the valleys of the western. and the Nice gateway-ure Alps the weak spots of northern Italy from the mliliary point of view
case
In
of a simultaneous attack from several of these points Italy
true, have, the
would.
It is
of a very: dienan //
but this set would be
Imperified by the nar
to the bouls (which could
be fravored in a two days or, even in one big day's march); moreover the Italian nailonal character could
machines advancing in a cloud of dust,
WHAT HITLER THINKS OF
the ITALIANS
not be relied upon for the sangfrold necessary at such a juncture.
If a knowledge of psychology Is useful against any people, it is use. ful against the Italians,
Cannot Fight
Modern War
Italy is not in an economie post- tion to carry on a modern war without importing and, further the length of her const line places her at all times at the mercy of the strongest en power,
factors greatly These two diminish her military capacity, and a third cause lles in the an. reliable character of her people.
The Southern Italian is
a re- flection. of the scenery with its glowing colours.
Short of stature and dark of hue, he is entirely the slave of his emo- tions; his mood will suddenly change from Indolent case to vio- lent nervous tension and excite- ment.
bre. He la of more mixed blood, while hardened by a more rigorous climate thau the Southerner.
For the most part, the Northern- ers are taller and stronger, and fairer, sometimes quite fair, In complexion.
They do not to the same extent sacrifice thought to feeling, al- though, - compared-with-Germans, they too
race,
Their thought is not of course so collected as the pure Teulan's, but It distinguishes them from their Southern compa
compatriots.
ranean
flan-character were on the whole correctly estimated by our higher 'command in the War and, when Italy declared war on May 28, 1915, 11 did not allow Hwelf to be diverted from the
offeruive
can
against Damla which had begun at Gorlice on May 1, but followed It up vigorously mill Angust. ...It was actually four weeks.after. their declaration of war are 'an emotional
that the Italluna ventured upon their frst offensive on the Isonzo.
The
German
government never at any time have experted much hop against France_from Italy's adherence to the Triple Alliance in 1882, although both Bismarck and Moltke reckoned that it would keep a certain number of French troops busy in the western Alps,
In addition to their Mediter- ΙΠ
Northern Italians trails, the possess, something of the creative energy enterprise of the Nordic
and races, the
industry and
and canniness
of the Eastern, the savagery of the
considering whether the strong Italian navy, which is superior to the French Mediterranean · fleet, should not lend an army on the south coast of France.
The appearance of 'such a fores In Provence or Languedoc (even if It made comparatively little pro- gross) would make a far greater Impressios upon France and have much more serious effects upon the German front than the inter- vention of Italian troops along the Upper Rhine.
Another matter worth consider- ing would be an Italian march through the valleys of the Rhone and Aore towards the Jure and the Bellegarde gap.
That Italy should at first remin neutral (though she had in reality already taken sides against us) and not enter the Inst War on the Al- lied side till teh months later, might almost have been expected. It was wholly in keeping with her
her Pachology, which
prompts
to watch carefully for a chance of ens
slake vothing
success, bui
to
To this must be added the quite natural wish to win back. Italian nationals living on foreign soil, al- though these could just as well be claimed from France or even from neutral Switzerland as from Aus- tria
France. has Italian subjects in Savoy, Nice, Corsica,
Tunis and eastern Algeria? In Switzerland they fill the whole canton of Ticino; the Italian subjects of Austria in the southern Tyrol, western Istria
-partsTM -and- of Dalmatia were well outnumbered by the Italians in France.
Hence Italy could have satisfied
ambitions her Irredentist
much more casily at France's expense.
Italian the - But
Government thought that the Central Powers would be beaten, and the entry of Great Britain into the War was a deciding factor, for Italy's supplies of food and raw materials were at
Mediterraneus Dineric; and, in the best of them however, it was agreed the mere of the alt powerful
The tension, however, does not signify an unremitting pursuit of any goal, for he has no such fixity of purpose, and, his excitement dying down as quickly as it fared up, he returns to his previous state of dull apathy.
Indolence and passion are always striving for the mastery in him; he la all compact of unreliability and speclous appearance, and every- where a vast and in most cases unbridgeable gulf yawns between intention and achievement.
He is very fond of maturing plans in his head, but has neither the wish nor the
to carr perseverance them out; the thought is to him as good the deed. All his geese are swans, and
certainly his schemes olten look well enough, but all usually turns out to be just a pretty pose. Appearance con conte reality, theaglie mind cloaks the infirm purpose.
The milliary value of a nation with these moral qualities is more than questionable. The Halian is essentially unmilltary, and when he is dressed In uniform, struis about flashing his eyes and rattling his bre, hoping that Ho everyone will look at him. is play acting, this time in the part of the soldier.
Faced, however, with the serious prospect of real soldiering or war- fare, the common Italian complains loudly kid'shrinks at the thought and death, of exertion, wounds while his Meers fail to grasp the
necessary
over inessenures and lose tim
that Is it to bo wondered at Italian strategy exhibits the- hesl- and tation, timidity, Indecision doubt characteristic of the Mediter- ranean ruce, that an Italian
con- stantly imagines himself surround- ed by enemy traps, and that his un- developed sense of responsibility leads to Inefficiency in the organi antion of supplies and reinforce ments
Subject To
Panic
And when the Italians find them- selves in a really tight corner, as on the Istnzo front at the end of ...... October 1917, there is no holding them. Universal panic acts in and caci man Dinks only of saving hi own skini
The diaracter of the Northern Italian is not of such uniform call-
these qualities, though compara- tively diluted, find expression in remarkable achievements. While the Southerner seldom passes from the will to the deed, the Northerner sets a clearer purpose before him and not Infrequently reaches his goal,
From the military point of view, the North Hallan makes a tougher soldier less concerned for his own safety, and a most resolute and circumspect officer.
of
Among the Alpine peasantry are soldiers of wllose spirit any army might be proud, and the better class youth in the big cities Northern Italy is filled with an enthusiasm and patriotic are that will carry it through, much.
But
which these qualities, shine, so brightly in com
comparison will the Southern Italian char- acter, quickly fade before. ilione of Germals and Frenchmen.
Public spirit and the sense of duty are nel so strong among the mass of North Italians as to cause the individual to put the munity's needs before his own and to make him the latter's willing instruinient.
com-
A long course of very stern dis- cipline may possibly extract from the. Northern Italians more than
has yet uppeared, but contact with the Southerners will always, it may be premimed, have a demor- alising and weakening effect, with the result that the total Italian effort will always be less then a Northern Itällan effort alone would bc.
The character of the Italian people as a whole may, from the 'point of view of national defence, be shortly described as follows;.
Snatching
At Chestnuts
Its main feature is a passionate ́and quickly'spent Impetuosity.” It cannot endurera long, nervous strain, which produces headlong panic, The Italian is eager for the fruits of victory and the victor's laurels, but at a minimum risk,
Ho a very clever at anatching the chestnuts whieht ho has dllowed rothers to ́pull'out of the fire for
hima
months wooount heal
and
In
1880,
that on Italian force of five army divisions corps and two cavalry (about 200,000 men in all) should reinforce our left wing in Alsace. Schlieffen, It is true, was con vinced that this support could
be
not
British navy.
The dig, in fact, that flies over Gibraltar and the Suez Canal will always determine Italian policy in
tha"
preference strongest military power in the
north. safely reckoned upon, as public.
Full Price
opinion, which counted for more In Italy than in the Germany of that day, would oppose the 'em- ployment of Italian troops abroad. He considered, too, that owing to delays in mobilisation
and the
shortcomings of the Italian and Tyrolese railways, the Italian forces would arrive too late to affect the rapid decision relied upon in the west. Schlloffen went so far as
Of Treachery
Although at no point viclorious, Italy received from the Allies the full price of her treachery-in particular, the whole of the south- ern Tyrd with its flourishing German sulture, Istria with the Alpine foreland to the north and parts of Dalmatia.
grenter
Pased power of Frances
to think that the Italian alliance, would not even detain French troops in the western Alps!
But she has at the same time found herself saddled with certain Unfortmately, the
younger Moltke did not share his prede
things from, which she was frea cessor's view of the Italian staff,
before; fintly, a far more marked antagonismi 'not' realising that fie' Southerner
to France and a much 'always promises' whatever is ex-
between her own disparity pected of him, wlihout any de-
and the enormously in- finite idés óf keeping kls word.
no longer In 1913
held in check by the Italy definitely under-
German Em took to dispatch on any of three pire; secondly, the creation-of-a-
'to the cavalry divisions---a corps and
north cast, new enemy smaller force than originally con- France's ally against Italy, Yugo- templated but the promise was
Slavia who
Italinn challenges rendered nugatory at the outset by supremacy in the Adriatic and the statement that the advance-de- Stretches out hands towards Istria tachments would not arrive on the and the territory of the Isonzo, other side of the Alps until 19 days after mobilisation, from which It could be deduced that the, main this small army would not force. be ready for battle until at least five weeks after mobilisation-api-: proximately: the date fixed. Jor the first decisive engagements.
This was allogeiber too late to be of any real amistance to the Germans, though i gave: Italy plenty of time to play her fa- yourlie" game of walking to 940 which way the cal would jump.
Thirdly, Austria still cherishee the hope of regaining at any rate the German parts of the southern Tyrol, as far, that is to say, as the Salutno Piss.
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LONDON, May 10 (British_Wire
Can't Count On Her The first announcement of the how, Agriculture Minister, Mr. Help
RS. Hudson, là the oxtensions of the government grant to farmers towards the ploughing up--of grassland to March next year for the 1914 harvest. The period for such grants for the 1940 harvest ended on Wednesday,
The milliary lesson to be learnt. from this Italian altitude la. that northern- powers will do best to dispense, with the services of Italian troops north of the Alps as the de- lays are too great, and should rather coloy them against France within Italy isotr
If, however, it is desired to use an auxiliary Italian army in the north (in order, perhaps, to make
takes the side of the stronger und is unreliable, bothı"na ani ally, 'mal, a companions fri, marcia, Fed
He finds it very dificult to get through the arduous find incog. spletious spido work wifches theter use of Italy's strength than
busines of war demands for hu wants to play n. ¤ «prominent; part and to hear his exploits praised,
The unreliability,...) excessive candon and mauhr of the the
Liu Tuk Kam, of Kat Hing Street, Tal-o, was charged before Mr. Cruttwell in the District Oncer, South's, Court to-day with receiving. It was alleged that he was found inside the Colony in anlawful possCE= tion of 32 4-gallon tins of kerosene maybe posible on the-diflult owned by Chiu Su knowing them to Western Apina (pont), Italian hela have been elolen er
* curled upon in the obtained indesine of enjoyfully first decisive battles, but be held applications of Sergeant Nolan, He In reser
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Friday, MAY 17, 1940,
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