WHEN WILL GERMANY CRACK?

Dunstan Times, 20 November 1944, Page 3

WHEN WILL GERMANY CRACK?

How will Germany crack? Will the Nazi power break down suddenly like a strong steel bar that reaches the hunt ot its tensile strength; or wit* me disintegration come slowly? Wiii there be a sud den cessation oi Hostilities* or "il. the Nazi gang take to the hills am. valleys as the Underground ot occupied countries has none throughout the World War 11, maintaining a guerilla warfare for years? In 1918, Germany capit dated before her armed power wa; exhausted. Her leaders asked for an armistice at a comparatively of the war. Many factors Contributed to their decision—but those factors cannot recur this time. To day, Germany is offered not “1 Points” but “unconditional stir render.” All chances of a soft peace disappeared with tnc employment ot the Hying bomb and the rocket shell- A negotiated peace has been ruled out; it is now too late to revise the political line that has been adopted- This time Germany mus: fight to a finish. Collapse may occur in three ways: I—The military command. may possibly try to liquidate the war before it liquidates them; that is, before military or economic power is destroyed. 2—A mass uprising, either spontaneous or or ganised, may occur. ?—There ma> be resistance down to the last grouj o! Nazis hidden in the E’ack Fores: or secreted in the great cities. In considering the first possibility we must keep in mind the utter determination of Nazism never tr capitulate. Therefore, no German Surrender is possible without the overthrow of the Nazi regime, who have nothing whatever to hope for from surrender. Who, then, car possibly overthrow the Nazi reg imet ; There is a widespread belief that the German generic, when faced by immediate catastrophe, may hope to get better peace terms by ousting the Hitlerites. Nothing is more absurd. German generals are not so naive as to hold any such hopes, after the United Nations have ex pressed their inexorable determination to punish both the guilty andtheir accomplices. Furthermore, there is not the slightest chance that the High Command would be.willing or able tc assume political responsibility anr even exercise a direct dictatorship Even if the generals did want t( oust the Nazis, they could only install a new group in politica 1 power. Such a group does not exist That is why the United Nation* have already announced the nccsslty for occupying Germany for some time immediately after her collapse. There is no alt6rnativr party in sight capable of ruling Germany. Regarding the second possibility —there ■ has been much fancifu 1 talk of a revolutionary outbreak in side Germane; but all reports from the Reich indicate that the reginv is thoroughly mobilised agains' such a danger. The only form o f revolution that mhdit still hav a chance of success is t ! -e moderr 'coup d’etat'— the virtually apopletic seizure of all key points of the nation’s political and economic life by trained units. In a totalitariar state a coup d’etat can originate only in the army, As wo have seer the German Army has nothing to expect from assuming political contro 1 as ’ It has long excrcised#military authority, Again, all the important Nazi cit ies have been turned Into strong holds against both the foreigr enemy and possible enemy withinwitness Aachen. Everv centre o' economic and political life has beer turned into a fort manned by count er-revolutionary troons the S S. Along as the morale of these troop? holds up, any attempt at rebelliein Germany must fail. There is re sign of onv breakdown of morale among the Nazi party or its t hire lings, for the sufficient reason tho* desperation 'must' ever drive thenalong one course—resistance to in-, evitable doom. Will the third possibility then be the most likely? Will chaos rei*--generally with an end to open or ganised opposition, b’U with hilL" and murderous underground r p sistance by the Nazis, so that tlr war mereiy changes chanclm* into countless battles between and against brigands? I regard this a* definitely the most likely even tuality. It will be a bitter am’ bloody business. —“Better Bus : ness