NOTES ON THE WAR

Evening Post, Volume CXXXVI, Issue 67, 16 September 1943, Page 5

NOTES ON THE WAR

BATTLE OF ITALY

SALERNO SITUATION

Though the Russians have made an* other important gain at Nczhin on the road to Kiev and the Pacific Allies are closing in on Lac from all sides, the main focus of world attention is still concentrated on the furious battle of the Salerno bridgehead in Italy, which is still undecided, though today there is a better tone in the news o£ the Allied situation there.

Judged by the time-table the Western Allies —Britain and America—have been very deliberate in their successive operations. The landing in North, Africa was effected in early November, 1942; Tunis was finally conquered on May 12, 1943, over a month after Montgomery's Eighth Army, pursuing the Afrika Korps from El Alamein (October-November, 1942), had joined up with the Anglo-American forces that had entered Tunisia from the west. Sicily was invaded two, months - later (July 10-11),. and the conquest was completed witti the fall of Messina (August 18)— quick work; in five weeks. Three weeks before that Mussolini had fallen, apparently on the issue whether Italy should be defended as a whole or in part. According to reports from Berne (Switzerland), at the time (July 27) Mussolini presented to the Fascist Grand Council the proposals made to him by Hitler, at the earlier meeting of the two dictators at Verona, that the major portion of Italy should be "sacrificed" in order to retain a defensible line in the north, covering the Valley of the Po and the airfields of the Lombardy Plain. Mussolini was outvoted and resigned. The new Badoglio Government insisted that all Italy should be defended, if Italy was to remain in the war. Apparently Hitler agreed to this. Then Sicily was left to the Allies and Badoglio began overtures for peace which took nearly another month before the armistice was signed on September 3,' the fourth anniversary of the war; On that date the Eighth Army landed across the Strait of Messina in the "toe" of Italy. The landing at Salerno followed on September 9.

Salerno illustrates the hazardous nature of amphibious operations V/hen the enemy is ready for the landings. Gallipoli (1915) was a parallel, and Dieppe (1942) ,a minor instance. In theory an offensive should neyer cease until victory is won nor the initiative let slip once it is seized. Theoretic-; ally, Hitler should have followed Dunkirk with an immediate invasion of Britain. He waited two months, and then it proved too late. Theoretically, the Allies should have jumped the Strait of Messina and landed on the tail of the retreating Germans immediately after the fall of Messina. In the .interval between the collapse of Fascism at the end of July and the invasion of Italy at the beginning of September much happened. There is no doubt the Germans poured into Italy over the Brenner and took charge of the confused situation. The number of German divisions probably doubled, or even tripled, in the month of suspense before the inevitable attack by the Allies. Two of Germany's ablest generals, Rommel and Kesselring, took charge. . The situation at Salerno is a direct measure of their energetic reaction.

Better Outlook.

What are the prospects at Salerno?* The news today shows an improvement over yesterday's. The Allies'. losses have been heavy, but they are holding their ground - better in the fiercest fighting of this western war. As at Gallipoli, the initial advances may, have been a trifle venturesome. But fighting of this nature cuts both ways. The enemy, under the heaviest bombardment from the sea they have yet encountered anywhere and exposed at least as much as the Allies to bombardment from the air, must be suffering similarly. The German news agency has changed its tune accordingly. The Allies should be able to reinforce their bridgehead now as readily as the Germans their defences. Heavier enemy attacks may yet come, but General Montgomery is hurrying up the coast from the south and has reached a point at Scalea, on the west "coast, where there is a little plain, something like the Kaikoura" flat, and an airfield, under 70 miles away from' the battlefield at Salerno. The Eighth Army may expect increasing resistance as it advances, but aircraft from the fields of Taranto and Apulia to the" east and from Scalea in the rear should give ample protection and warning of enemy movements. For. the next two or three days there will be some anxious moments, but the outlook is better. At the best the Allies may win a decisive battle, giving them control of the whole of southern Italy. ■