1941-04-17 — Page 23

THE CHINA MAIL, APRIL 17, 1941

CHINA MAIL

WINDSOR HOUSE

THE LIBYAN CAMPAIGN

Reports from Libya are! somewhat confused, lar- gely because of German propaganda put out and twisted in order to obscure¦ the actual facts and to create uncertainty in peo-| ple's minds. The Germans claim to have cut off the British in Tobruk. while some agencies have gone 80 far as to circulate a stupid report that Tobruk was erenled From a prestige point of view, the German neck-or-nothing dash is exceedingly an- noying but there is HO reason to doubt the abil- ity of the British and Im perial Forces to cope with the situation. The latest. Cairo reports show t. / t, ; the position now is stab- ilised and that an attempt. by the Germans to tacklej the British forces on their chosen ground would bel welcomed.

From a military point of view, Germany's dash across Libya is more spec- tacular than valuable. The German forces have been unopposed and thei desert. "being'. ነና One writer expresses it, "like" the ocean." it makes little, or no difference where battles take place. Hitler undertook this forceful diversion because he can - not afford a further set- whe- back in any form ther diplomatic or milit

ary

MONASTIR GAP

O

RUPEL

PASS