GERMAN STRATEGY

Evening Post, Volume CXXXVI, Issue 87, 9 October 1943, Page 7

GERMAN STRATEGY

SPECULATION IN LONDON

(Special P.A. Correspondent.) LONDON, October 7. The opinion is expressed here that the Germans may not allow themselves to be closely engaged in fighting round Rome. It seems that they are not sending reinforcements south to Rome, and though they are reacting strongly against the Eighth Army's push, they reinforced by moving a panzer division from the east over the Apennines instead of sending troops from the north.

The Germans' strategy in Italy depends on airfields. Ultimately, as the Allied push continues, it" will be to make a stand at all costs on a line between Pisa and Rimini, which is regarded as better than the Po Valley in the north, being shorter. They are likely to make every endeavour to prevent Allied troops getting airfields round Milan and Turin, from which they could bomb all Germany. It should be borne in mind that the German forces in Italy are bigger than those of the Allies, but the Allies are exerting every effort to make full use of ports. Naples, for instance, which normally can handle 10,000 tons daily, is now handicapped by the demolition of quays and cranes and by sunken ships, but should be working to full capacity before long. Bari is only handling supplies at half capacity, and a small amount is coming through Taranto.

It is believed that the Germans fully intend to hold the Balkans, Crete, and Rhodes. This is emphasised by their reaction at Kos, which has the only aerodrome in the Dodecanese at present outside German control. As for the Italians' 30 divisions in the Balkans, they are disarmed with the exception of two Black Shirt divisions, which are apparently remaining proGerman. In the Balkans, as in northern Italy, disarmed Italian soldiers are being sent to Germany for work in factories, thereby allowing the Germans to recomb factories for Germans for the forces. ,