LESSONS OF DEFEAT
ALLIED INTELLIGENCE AT FAULT
NEW YORK, March 16.
The "New York Times" correspondent in Tunisia, Mr. Drew Middleton, says that five lessons are apparent from the official account of the battle of Faid Pass last month. "First, Allied intelligence erred twice—in locating the main German thrust at Pichon instead of Faid, and in under-estimating the number and quality of the German tanks.
"Secondly, dive-bombers, though they are uneconomic weapons, retain their power to deliver a stunning blow to inexperienced troops. "Thirdly, armoured divisions must be used as units, and not split up into
comparatively small groups, to deal with an experienced foe. . "Fourthly, enemy mines and boobytraps were lavishly spread, and they held up the Allied pursuit when a smashing counter-blow might have been struck, but there is no evidence that American mining, operations delayed the Germans. "Fifthly, Allied co-operation flourished under the worst conditions, and was a large factor in turning Rommel back."
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Evening Post, Volume CXXXV, Issue 65, 18 March 1943, Page 5
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157LESSONS OF DEFEAT Evening Post, Volume CXXXV, Issue 65, 18 March 1943, Page 5
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