NOTES AND COMMENTS

Dominion, Volume 36, Issue 108, 1 February 1943, Page 4

NOTES AND COMMENTS

11 has been stated Hint large numbers of Germans defy the Nazi laws and listen to broadcasts from the British stations. In that case they will have learned Unit the latest, raid on the naval base at. Wilhelmshaven has opened anol her stage of this struggle. That raid was made by American air units—the lirst time that they had independently attacked targets in the Reieli. The information, coining so soon after the dramatic revelations regarding German defeats in Russia, should have an important moral effect, for it meant iliar another mid mi immense air force was within sinking ,|i>tmiee of vilal area.-, a reinforcement to the hitting power of the Allies which the Axis I'owers combined could not equal. The ninximuni strength ol the Nazis has been exerted mid their prol'leni now is to maintain it, whereas Ihe resources of the Allie- in men mid m.'ilerial arc still moving stemlil.' lowanl ll.oir peak. The British bombing squadrons have hit Germany hard, but the combined AngheAnieriean units will hit -lill harder. Experts have slated Ilia! tlie powerl’nllv-arined American bombers would raid during the daylime when specific largcls could be defined, mid the British units would ~.mimic night raids. Ilins creating the maximum interruption to Hie German war machine and keeping the war workers under prolonged tension. 'l'lial is the Ihing which slows down production and weakens morale. Work did no, follow il- r.amine in W'ilhelin.-hav<-n on Wednesday, and Unit is only fin- beginning.

II w i|| be a sirmige dcvelopinenl if the Eigiilh Army, aficr occupying the Italian lines of delence beyl Tripoli from the r.-nr—l lie.v were built Io lane ihe French in Tunisia—should now have Io deal with Hie Mnrcth line, eonsl rm-led bv the I'rem-b lo eonlTonl Hie llalians. I’he key ot Hie position i- I-'onni Tm.nlionine. said to be one of Hu- -Irongest natural positions to be found in Alriea. A Briti.-li visitor lo Tiim.-i:i shortly before the war -aid of ibis fmlre.-s: “Here il was Him Hie Ff< ncli were preparing a desert Gibrallnr mnl Verdun in one." The see bastion, nearer Ihe coast, is .Medinin, mid Hie Alnreth line run- along ihe lop of Ihe ridge to Hie west. But il is donldl'nl whether Roimiu-l s nriny could risk any prolonged stand (■veil in ibis strong position. It would give the Allied forces opcrnting li-oni Algiers time lo push across farther on, mid possibly cut it off troin ; .|| ,-onlm-l villi Hie Axis force- based on Tunis mid Bizcrla. Mention in the .-aide me.-s.'iof Allied troops near either the village of Mnrclli or Hu- Wadi Zigzmni would mean Hull Hie left flank of Hie line had been ~,,-m-d. and llie„ ihe em-ni.v would be in dillienllies for Ihere are no inland roads mnl extensive sail lake- inn in many miles front a point Gabos. And if Romm.-rs arm'y does iml. make a stand then two of Ihe strongest defensive lines ever built in Africa will have been abmidoned willioiit. a si rugglc.