Ashburton Guardian Magna est Veritas et Prævalebit WEDNESDAY, JULY 28, 1943. ITALY AND THE WAR.

Ashburton Guardian, Volume 63, Issue 246, 28 July 1943, Page 2

Ashburton Guardian Magna est Veritas et Prævalebit WEDNESDAY, JULY 28, 1943. ITALY AND THE WAR.

The downfall of Mussoiini with Marshal bodogiio’s declaration that the war \vdl continue leads naturally to considering just how important Italy is in the main struggle tor the defeat ot Germany, it the United Nations win a loothold there,, a gateway into all Europe will have been gained. Ihe tremendous efforts the enemy made to deny to the Allies any starting point for a comprehensive Continental offensive will have been cancelled, lime, material and men were expended in carrying the southward drive through the Balkans and beyond to islands ot the Mediterranean and the Aegean. Ihe obvious plan was to complete the detensive perimeter from the iNorth Cape to the shores of turkey. It is pertinent then to weigh the consequences of such a breach in it as the loss of Italy would create. The Allies’ declaration that no terms less than unconditional surrender will be accepted still holds good and unconditional surrender will undoubtedly involve ousting the Germans from Italy. But Hitler may not go without a struggle. He may withdraw his forces to the north and try to make a 'stand in the Arno or even on the line of the River Po. By this he would cover the direct road into Austria via the Brenner, the gateway to the Balkans through Trieste and Fiume, and the coastal route to the south of France. Thus the way of the United Nations would be made harder, but the moral effect of suffering a breach in the ramparts of Fortress Europe would scarcely be softened at all. If the Germans were entirely ejected from Italy, and the United Nations claimed facilities for the movement of troops, all eastern Germany would be exposed to bombers more effectively than with only partial occupation. Silesia would be open to such attacks as the Ruhr had suffered. The enormous efforts to move war industries beyond the range of systematic assault from the air would be made of little value. With land forces in Italy, command of the Mediterranean, and power to dominate the Adriatic, the United Nations would have effectively outflanked the Balkan Peninsula, The Strait of Otranto would be no great barrier if an expedition so far south were planned, while there would always be the alternative of attempting to drive round the head of the Adriatic across the Isonzo.