MADAGASCAR

Auckland Star, Volume LXXIII, Issue 254, 27 October 1942, Page 2

MADAGASCAR

ALLIED LIFELINE

THWARTING SUB. MENACE (By COL. FREDERICK PALMER) NEW YORK, September 10. It is of no use for Vichy to protest over extension of British occupation of the island of Madagascar, Resistance will only cost the lives of French soldiers. The move has long been planned, and with the full consent of our Government. It was confirmed as one necessary step in the London conference of British and United States Army and navy chiefs in July, which, as President Roosevelt has told us in his Labour Day address, came to decisions about strategic policy on all fronts the world over. From the Solomons and New Guinea, on across the Indian Ocean and the Atlantic and then to Hawaii, Midway, Wake, Guam, the Aleutians and the Japanesfe mandated islands, and back to the S9lomons, islands have become the prizes sought with all the power of bombs and gun fire. A stretch of sand which grows only a few coconuts becomes a coveted base. Malta, which Axis bombers have pounded since the war began, is little more than a huge rock set in the sea. Situation often counts more than size in strategic importance. But size as well as situation counts in Madagascar's case. It is five times the size of Cuba, much larger than all the Caribbean islands and the Hawaiian group together. Nine hundred miles long, it averages 200 miles in breadth. In their expedition last May the British took only Diego-Suarez Bay and some adjacent inlets and a small patch of hinterland. That gave them a plane and submarine base. But all the rest of the island was in the possession of the Vichy French.

Immense Strategic Value The French garrisons and police may have been nominally neutral. But submarines now have a range of 16,000 miles and even more. Japanese submarines could work their way across the Indian Ocean to Madagascar, and so could German submarines around by the Cape of Good Hope. They could refuel from disguised mother ships in inlets and make themselves at home in sniping at British or American ships on the way to the Red Sea. Japanese and Nazi brothers in arms could fraternise, exchange information and cooperate. A few submarines in so remote a sea can get a lot of ships unless they are armed and have convoy escort. The length of the island runs parallel with the African coast of British and Portuguese East Africa. The broad Mozambique Channel between the East African coast and West Madagascar coast, if protected, would be a sort of covered way and a shorter route to the Red Sea than to go around the island. But unless the British had possession or authority for patrol of the West Madagascar coast the channel would be a good hunting ground for Axis submarines operating from the Madagascar inlets. So the British, who are fighting with us to deliver the French people from Nazi subjection, decided to secure the authority by force. They seem to have mobilised enough to make sure the job is done, as they did in the taking of Diego-Suarez. In the global plan of strategy Malta is roughly a companion strategic point in the Mediterranean to Madagascar in the Indian Ocean, that huge stretch of water between Asia on the north and Africa on the west and Australia on the east.

Alternative Lifeline While Britain holds Malta she has a bastion commanding the narrow mid-passage of the Mediterranean. While she holds Egypt and Alexandria the Axis is barred from control of the Eastern Mediterranean and of the Suez Canal, It is not yet possible, however, to put convoys through the narrow mid-passage except with emergencv cargo, and this under heavy air and naval attack. Material in quantity and personnel in large numbers for Egypt must go around the Cape of Good Hope and past Madagascar to the Red Sea. This is true whether it is for the defence of Egypt or for the future offensive which will drive Marshal Rommel out of all his gains and again free the direct lifeline through the Mediterranean. Reinforcements for the British Army in Syria and in Iran, must also go by the long route past Madagascar. So must troops and material for India. Madagascar is also a great

guardian outpost on the Indian Ocean route to Australia from Britain. It is worth a lot to the Allies. But it- does not seem to be worth much to Vichv in the salvation of France.—Auckland Star and N.A.N.A.