NOTES ON THE WAR NEWS

Evening Post, Volume CXXXI, Issue 127, 31 May 1941, Page 10

NOTES ON THE WAR NEWS

CRETE AND IRAK

MIDDLE EAST BATTLE

CONTRASTING PHASES

While the grim struggle in Crete rages unabated, with both sides fighting themselves almost to a standstill, the enemy in the ascendant, in another phase of the great Battle of the Middle East— which is really one battle, though fought many hundred miles apart— the British Imperial Forces have overcome a danger which threatened at one time to be grave. Rashid Ali's rebellion in Irak has collapsed and our troops are at the gates of Bagdad. In the remaining phases, Libya and Abyssinia, there is little change to note. Answer to Critics. The leading part played by the men of New Zealand and Australia in both Greece and Crete and the losses sustained in consequence have led to criticism of the general management of these campaigns—if they could be so called —by the High Command. Why, for instance, it is asked, were our forces in both theatres, Greek and Crete, not given the air protection which might, and probably would, have made all the difference? The answer is simple: there were not enough machines to spare in the Middle East and there were no suitable aerodromes in Greece and Crete for use of fighter aircraft necessary for protection against the dive-bomber. The Mediterranean could not be used for the transport of the planes required, which, in consequence, had to make the long voyage round Africa via the Cape and up the Red Sea, or, perhaps, be flown across Africa from the Gold Coast in the west to Egypt in the east. For the same reason it has been difficult, with the limited amount of shipping available, to transport troops and munitions to the Middle East from Britain. The troops used in Greece and Crete had to be taken from those on the spot in Egypt, and they were' largely New Zealand and Australian. Cause of the Trouble. Most of these difficulties for the British Empire result from the collapse of France just a ; year ago and the policy of surrender to Germany imposed by the "Men of Vichy"—selfconstituted leaders—on the people of France. Had the French elected to follow the nobler and more honourable course chosen by other defeated peoples —the Norwegians, the Poles, the Dutch, the Belgians, and latterly, the Yugoslavs and the Greeks —and maintained a Government outside metropolitan France, joining all their land, sea, and air forces that could withdraw, the whole course of the war would have been different. France in all theatres could have rendered the cause of democracy assistance that would have turned the scale. With the British and French fleets working together, using France's North African naval and air bases, the Mediterranean would have been at least as safe for the transport of troops and supplies as it was in the last war. The defence of the Middle East, with the help of French Syria, would not have been a task of supreme difficulty, as it is now. The use of the port of Jibuti, in French Somaliland, and the railway from it to Addi3 Ababa, would have shortened the conquest of Abyssinia by months. French Indo-China need never have become a stepping-stone for Japan towards Singapore. Superhuman Task. As a result of the defection of France an almost superhuman task fell on. the solitary shoulders of the British Empire until American aid could be effective. It is not yet fully effective today, and until it does become fully effective, times will be anxious and critical. But in looking back over the ups and downs of the last twelve months any fair-minded critic can come to only one conclusion, and that is that the Empire has done marvellously well to win through so far and, despite mistakes, defeats, and setbacks, to have accomplished miracles and lost nothing vital. Compared with the last war, with its long list of blunders by both sides and its useless slaughter and amateurish strategy, this war between Britain and Germany has been a battle of giants with tactics and strategy and fighting capacity of the highest order. The Germans have exploited their strategic advantage of a central position in Europe to the utmost, and so far they seem to have made few strategic mistakes. They have concentrated on doing one job at a time thoroughly and efficiently, sometimes winning cheap victories, as in. the first year of the war, and sometimes paying dearly as in Greece and now in Crete. Each territory conquered by force or occupied by "peaceful penetration" has proved a steppingstone or a taking-off point for the next move. The German military plans will be found to have been and to be highly co-ordinated. Advantage of Initiative. The advantage of the initiative is greater in modern warfare than ever before. Had it not been for the diplomatic initiative taken in Irak and Syria by the Germans to promote Rashid Ali's rebellion, the forces the British Empire was compelled to use in Irak might have been disposed to advantage elsewhere, as in Crete or Libya. The Balkan initiative of the Germans paved the way to their reconquest of Cyrenaica and the renewal of the threat against the Nile Valley and the Suez Canal. The Nazi plans were set out credibly in a Swiss newspaper, and summarised in the news last Tuesday. Crete is the first step-ping-stone, then Cyprus, then Syria, Irak, and Palestine and before the end of July there is to be a "final decisive attack on Egypt, to be launched" from four directions." But not even German "thoroughness" can accomplish everything. Crete, said to have been marked down in the time-table for conquest in two days, is still unconquered •in ten, and the possibilities of guerrilla warfare there, even if the main organised defence should succumb to overwhelming forces, are very great, and the island could be made an open wound to the enemy. It has not yet come to that, and our position, critical as it seems, may be retrieved. Cyprus would be a much harder nut to crack, as it is beyond the reach of the enemy's dive-bombers and accessible to our own aircraft from Palestine and, perhaps, from Syria, if things develop that way. Irak appears now to be safe and in Africa the Abyssinian campaign is all but over, with only the Italian remnants now resisting, while the Italo-Germans are not likely to tackle the desert crossing for an attack on Egypt in the fierce heat of summer. For these reasons there is no need to despair of the situation in the Middle East as it appears today.

The residence of the Hon. Vincent Ward at Heretaunga was broken into last night through an unlocked door and a small sum of money was stolen. The matter is in the hands .of the police. ' ■ . - - -