Wairarapa Times-Age FRIDAY MAY 14, 1943. BUILDING ON SUCCESS.

Wairarapa Times-Age, 14 May 1943, Page 2

Wairarapa Times-Age FRIDAY MAY 14, 1943. BUILDING ON SUCCESS.

TN the flood of comment and speculation inspired, particularly in the United States, by the present visit to Washington of ]\lr Churchill and a party of British military and other representatives, one of the least convincing items is the suggestion that the outcome may be a breathing spell in the European zone and “a burst of activity, if not a sustained campaign against Japan in the Pacific.” That action against Japan is one of the questions listed for discussion is likely enough. _ Indeed this is suggested strongly by the inclusion in the British party of Field-Marshal. Wavell and the naval and air commanders associated with him in India. It may be assumed pretty confidently, however, that a breathing spell in the European zone is the last thing the leaders of the Allied nations have in mind. These leaders and their staffs obviously are again conferring, not because of any new difficulty that has arisen, but because the decisive and overwhelming victory in North Africa has opened the way to extended, and not improbably to expedited offensive action. The big fact standing out at the moment is that the defeat of the German forces in North Africa, has been more in the nature of a sudden and needless collapse than could reasonably have been anticipated. This is very well brought out. in the reported observations of a British major, a veteran of Dunkirk, as he watched prisoners being rounded up at Cape Bon. This officer said of the enemy:— They had plenty of guns, very good positions, and millions of minfs, and could have put up a terrific fight, but they just packed up. Our retreat in France was nothing like this. We fought back every yard. As a matter of simple fact it is clear that the Germans who constituted the great majority of the enemy forces engaged in the last phase of the Tunisian campaign put up a very poor showing in comparison wutli the British Expeditionary Force in its retreat to Dunkirk and with the British and Dominion forces, including the New Zealand Division, which fought in the forlorn hope campaigns in Greece and Crete. It is not to be taken for granted that the Germans will collapse in Europe as they collapsed in the final phase of the Tunisian campaign, but the possibility that their morale has been undermined even more seriously than had been supposed may well be regarded as worth putting to the test as speedily as possible. Apart from the incentive thus provided, the victory Avon in Africa has definitely created opportunities for stepping up action against the enemy in Europe and in other theatres, including the Pacific. The greater security already given to Allied shipping transport in tlie Mediterranean —a security likely to be increased further in the near future—evidently means an all-round improvement in the Allied sea transport position. Amongst other things, neiv possibilities are opened up of military action against various points along the shores of the Mediterranean, notably towards its eastern end. At the same time, problems of sea transport to India and the Pacific should be to an appreciable extent lightened and simplified. Commentators in the United States who have derided as largely nonsense “any talk of diverting effort to the Pacific,” no doubt are on firm ground in doing so. In its direct and highly important bearing on the invasion of Europe, the African victory evidently ought to be followed up immediately with all the power and energy that can be mustered. It also seems very possible, however, that one result of the victory in North Africa may be to permit and facilitate the expediting and stepping up of action against Japan which had already been decided upon.