STRATEGIC KEY

Wairarapa Times-Age, 20 May 1939, Page 5

STRATEGIC KEY

POSITION IN MEDITERRANEAN. The need for prompt diplomatic action by Britain is pressing, writes “Scrutator” in the “Sunday Times.” Germany is watching us, and knows that once committed we are her most dangerous enemy. It is dangerous to declare even contingent hostility to ! Germany before we are prepared tomeet her hostility, and if we are wise we shall not stake heavily on effective 1 assistance from Russia, Poland or Rumania. To be on the safe side we should assume that the main burden would fall on France and ourselves. That Germany would attempt to force the Maginot Line is improbable. Her war on the West would probably be in the air; on the ground she would be content to contain attacks on her de--fence line, and on the western front armry operations might soon come to a deadlock, as in France after the Marne. Not there would decision be likely to be found. The alternative both for France and ourselves is in the right use of sea power which, by reason of its mobility and its liberty of choice of the field of operations would enable relatively small forces to accomplish great startegic results. In a sentence, the strategic key alike of the eastern Mediterranean and of southeast Europe is in the straits from the Dardanelles to the Bosphorus. There we should be able to maintain our position indefinitely. It would be a base equally valuable for both naval operations in the Black Sea and in the Aegean, or to assist in the military defence of the Balkans against aggression.