HITLER’S STRENGTH AND WEAKNESS

Press, Volume LXXVI, Issue 23053, 22 June 1940, Page 14

HITLER’S STRENGTH AND WEAKNESS

How to Conquer Hitler. By Helmut von Kauschenplat and Hilda Monte. Jarrolds. 259 pp. (13/6) Through Whitcombe and Tombs Ltd. Active members of the anti-Hitler front, the authors of this book provide a useful analysis of the resources and the weaknesses of the Nazi dictatorship in the present war. There was a dangerous tendency, when it began, to stress too confidently the value of the time factor to the Allies, the argument being, in its crudest form, that it was only necessary to hold on and hold out, applying the .blockades, and the Nazi strength would waste and wear to breaking point.' This book soundly corrects the fallacy of thal argument, though it by no mean; under-estimates the power of see 3 blockade. Among the points made E by the authors are these; that Ger- - many’s Russian alliance and the re- - sources of Poland have high poten--1 tial value, that the blockade is anc 3 can be only partially effective, tha ’ the German people are inui'ed tc { short commons, and that the geniui * of German science in producinj “ “ersatz” commodities is formidable ‘ Another point is that it is foolisl to look for a rapid collapse of popu \ lar support for Hitler. On the othei £ hand, the authors urge that matter , of-fact propaganda must have it: effect; that it should be reinforcet s by plain statements of war aims—o: . peace aims—in regard - to the futun - of Germany; that the pressure of th e blockade should be assisted by ai s attack on German industrial centres s and that Allied resources should bi more energetically mustered. 3 Changes in the situation since thi 3 book was written have not lessenei - its evidential value or the force o s its main arguments, which may stil - prove to be the strategically vita ones. i r " ■" ■