VICHY AND DAKAR

Dominion, Volume 36, Issue 39, 10 November 1942, Page 4

VICHY AND DAKAR

Admiral Darlan, who is in command of all the defence forces of the Vichy Government, and those in a position to express their views on defence problems—including probably some Nazis —appear to have miscalculated Allied strategy. They evidently regarded Dakar as the first objective of any movement in force by the Americans. Much had been said, in both North and South America, about the spearhead which Dakar might afford the Axis Poweis. It was regarded as a potential threat to the security of the New World, and no African fortified position has been anywhere near so prominent in American journals as has Dakar. One result was' that a few weeks ago Admiral Darlan paid an official visit to Dakar and inspected the preparations that had been made for the’defence of the place in the event of Allied assault. The garrison was strengthened, the women and children and some of the male civilians were removed, and Admiral Darlan assured the authoiities at Vichy that Dakar could- and would be held. He explained, largely for the benefit of the Allies, that' attack by land would be extremely difficult, and added that there were many surprises along the route which he would leave them to discover. It was lepoited a year ago that the Germans were to assist the French to complete the trans-Saharan railway from Algiers which would prevent Dakar from being isolated, but this enterprise has not been completed. There can be no doubt that Vichy expected any Allied action to be directed against that splendidly situated base, but before the admiral could return to Vichy the Allies moved, and in such a way that, if things continue to go well Dakar will be virtually isolated, The landing near Rabat, on the Atlantic coast, has cut one- possible landline of communications, and other landings in Algeria will make the partly constructed railway line of no value. There is now a fairly large garrison at Dakar, but the present sphere of operations is hundreds of miles to the north, so that it will be of little service. Not so very long ago Dakar, with the permission of the American authorities, had to obtain. supplies, including oil, from the United States so that the position there, in that respect, cannot be good. The intense interest displayed by Vichy in Dakarmust have seived the Allied purpose well. Their particular interests lay.elsewhere, and they appear to have placed a high barrier between Vichy and its valuable outpost. There is no need for the Allies to fight for possession of a place they can immobilize as far as its land defences, are concerned. The real difficulty will be in’preventing it from being used—as is suspected—as a submarine base for German U-boats. And the problem for the Axis partners now is not what use to make of Dakar as a base for operations against America but how to get to Dakar at all.