1941-03-03 — Page 7

STILL O.K.

Italy was dragged unwillingly

into war by Mussolini on Hitler's orders in order to hamper British communications through the Mcdi- terranean.

But most of Italy's rewards were to come from France, and, whereas the Germans occupy much more than half the territory of France proper, Italians control not one square mile of France or the French Colonies, Hence the Duce's decision to grab what he

By Vernon Bartlett

could from the Greeks, despite the protests Hitler is believed to have uttered when he and Mussolini met in Florence.

an

If the Italians are unable keep the Mediterranean as Axis sea and their inability to do so is now obvious to the whole world-the Nazis must look clse- where for help. It is not apparent- ly forthcoming from Spain. The British financial agreement will prevent the burden of feeding the unfortunate Spaniards from fall- ing on

but German shoulders, Hitler must have hoped for much more active assistance from Gen- eral Franco and Senor Suner,

The help might be obtained from France. To obtain it, Mussolini must be treated with ever greater disdain, until he is in such diff- culties that he dare not ask for his pay above a whisper.

Marshal Petain is to be allowed to settle down. This may lessen the gap between occupied and un- occupied France, and ultimately make Hitler's control of French policy less obvious and less pro- vocative to ordinary Frenchmen,

That must be one of Hitler's ambitions, and not in France alone. His puppets are having a thin time of it. Quisling's ambi- tions will have been shaken by the bonb that was thrown him. There is significant un est in Belgium, Holland and even in peaceful Denmark. Everywher! the doubt is spreading whether Hitler's victory is as certain as he tells them it is,

A straightforward campaign in the Balkans to help Italy would increase the number of Hitler's enemies. Of that there is now no

cesses

wit

Nightly attacks by the R.A.F. over Axis areas.

Mounting obstacles to the scheme for massing the entire

easy to disentangle fostering a myth of Italian invin- disintegration"; yet months claps doubt. Nothing except fresh suc-

in Western Europe non-English from the wealth of reports and cíbility, The Italian victory overed without any attempt to follow convince Marshal Petain that he is speaking world in a vo- rumours any clear picture of the the ill-equipped

wise to make peace with Hitler state on affairs in Italy. But two Negus was magnified by Musso-Such was the position when the while the going is good, and dis- luntary alliance to give state are luggestive inf into the defeat of the joint italians launched their army in

courage Frenchmen in the Co- overwhelming force to The first is that Farinacei, a for- coalition of 52

which Albania upon its disastrous cam-lonies from rising in revolt against the secretary of

Fascist sought to Nazi hatred of Britain and

The paign against Greece. blockade Italy."

such a policy of surrender, The discovery that the war Party, sought. in an article pub-italian success of 1936 has always

For an Englishman who is a America.

ished recently in his paper been represented as a victory over against Great Britain was bound friend of France it is unpleasant

to be long and arduous had, in-

but instructive to listen to the Irrevocable alienation of "Regima Fascista."

evitably, a depressing effect upon

horrific accounts (broadcast UY American public opinion, of the General Staff the respon-

ready experienced three and of the chaos caused by German years of uninterrupted air raids in British cities. Instruc- now ardently pro-Britishbility for launching the Italian

army upon a disastrous winter Great Britain; not as proof that a-half and anti-Axis, shown in campaign.

Britain was reluctant to go to war hostilities, first in Abyssinia and tive, because of the obvious an supplies-for-Britain and

The Army leaders have always but that she feared to challenge then in Spain. Hitler's failure to xiety to prove to listening com- been critical of a foreign policy the embattled might of Fascist reward Italy for her intervention patriots that there is nothing to against France has also been a hope for from Britain. In France, loans to China.

which, by tolerating and assisting Italy.

disappointment, The Duce's bombastic assertion bitter

besides as in the occupied territories, there to the south Italian routs in Greece, German expansion

Italy heroically withstood adding to the Italian people's in-is a scusational increase in the sale al Cant. ulaced Italy at the that Albania, Egypt, Libya and mere her northern neighbour the assault of 52 nations in 1936 stinctive distrust of their German of tadio sets. They use in the side

will throw into sharp relief the ally.

in order that Frenchmen may East Africa.

Farinacei was playing with fire.

No amount of Fascist and Nazi listen to the decrees from Vichy A gecond, and most important, spectacle of reverses at the 'hands

could Success of the British panter provided by an Italian an enenty fifinitely weaker, propaganda

effectually but that may hear the voice of counter the Italians' deep-rooted Free France coming from England. blockade, which has caus-

orduaner imposing heavy penal-thun Italy

of That sudden spread of defeat-dislike

The the Germans,

To check the despatch of de- ties on peasants who fuil to hand- ed Spain to think twice over their agricultural produce to Ism which led to the French col- aversion which the average Italia eisite reintorcements to the east-

the Germa that pse was the result of a roaction feels for

goes farern Mediterranean and the con- The a thorities. It appears

elements of before going hungry with

sequent collapse of Mussolini; to the peasants, whether as a means from the exaggerated hopes of an, deeper than those

French enable Marshal Petain to retain Hitler. The Reich some ut piesive resistance or through sy victory, bred by "wishful" anglophobia among the

Italian official pro- which tier's propagandists ex-his position and expand his in- RAY of a serious deterioration of propaganda. weeks ago legalised dog- pusition, ne sabotaging pagandists have made the same ploted so brilliantly. That helps fluence as the puppet governor of my impression that in Italy to-France; and, lastly, to discourage meat for human food in Mussolina's War effort. It is

When the Dute declared war day thero, are the germs of a the flow of supplies from across Greater Germany.

known that the general distribu-

Ure Italiam Press situation comparadie to that of the Atlantic. Hitler must accen- tion of undated calling-up notices on the Allies,

and wireless sought to bolster the Frante kist June.

tuate his air and sea war against Countering of the coun-hos created a very widespread

morale of the people by painting

Germany has spared no pains our island. fear in agricultural districts that.

their in, the attempt to vin popularity ter blockade despite the bread winners may be called the strategic position of

country in rosy colours. Even in Italy. With the minimum of serious inroads on British the colours ut short notice. before the defection of the sincerity, flie Nazis have duti-

cchoed Mussolini's After six months of war it is French feet they shipping

the due to

most part upon the adroitness of Allied were claiming fully no exaggeration to say that there that Italy, with her bases in bombastic pronouncements upon propaganda, but most of all upon opening of American_re-are present in Italy With her Sicily, at Pantellaria and on in the etrength and military prowess the weight of British assistance sources of ships and in- latent war-weariness, her distrust North African coast, could cut the of the Fascist Stage. Yet the to the Greeks.

of her German ally, and the dis-Mediterranean in two and throw Germans find it difficult. to con- Nor can Hitler be, feeling much direct credits under Presi-illusionment which has resulted her whole weight against the ccal the contempt they feel for satisfaction at the necessity of

from the frustration dent

and the having to rescue his junior part- of facile Allied squadrons, first in the one the inferior" Italian. Roosevelt's latest hopes of an easy victorý the busin and then in the other. By horded of "Strength through Joyner from his predicament. Hit- plan..

germs of a situation comparable the adoption of this strategy the tourists who have flocked to Italy ler's victories have been won for to that which led to the downfall Attica leat was to be "annihilat- have constantly exasperated their him by his Armoured divisions, Finally, the entire power of France.

hed” in detail.

unwilling hosts by meanness and but a campaign in the mountains of the greatest industrial In attempting to assess the} When the occupation of Bilitish other forms of national bad man of Bulgaria would give him little followed by ners. Contact with the Germans opportunity of using his mechan- nation the United psychological effect of Italian re- Somaliland

verses, it is important to bear in Graziani's advance to Bidi Bar- has only strengthened the con- ised forces to the best advantage.: States of America mind the extent to which Fascist rani, it must have seemed to the viction of the average Italian that

Nor, we may guess, has be any the Fascist party that the Teuton is a brutal and un-wish to disturb the tranquillity of stands solidly behind Bri-propaganda sought to prepare the men of

an area which is a vital source of people for the coming struggle by their, wildest dreams were on the civilised barbarian, tain. Though slow in

eve of fulfilment.

Italy, may still have a long supplics for his war machine. He Six months ago, everything road to travel before she reaches would be most reluctant to allow starting, this power, as

seemed to point to a brief and the depths of discouragement and the R.A.F., and perhaps the Tur-.. foreseen by the former resources nor numbers victorious.campaign against Great bitterness which characterised the kish army also, to interfere with Britain, culminating in the division French collapse. The reverses deliveries to Germany of Ruman- Kaiser when Herr Hitler that finally tip the scales. between the Axis partners of the which Italy has suffered have an o, Yugoslav metals and Bul- been humiliating, but she has yet garian foodstuffs. Yet he can plunged Europe into war. The failure of Naziism rich spoils of victory.

At the time of the advance on to experience the crushing blows hardly permit the defeat of his spells disaster for Nazi and Fascism is written in stai Barrani, ún Italian High on her own soil which broke the ally to release British warships ambitions.

their own philosophies of Command communique had claim- spirit of France. The degree to and aircraft for the war on Get- ed that the British army in the which the present situation in man U-boats and industilal cen- Yet it is not material violence, soil and bloodWestern Desert showed signs of July.com.ex

depends In, tres . •* *•

Mussolini's shoulders on to those By Peter Matthews Italian opinion, for Italy had al- Frenchmen in occupied France)

.

mistake.

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