ALLIED OFFENSIVE

Evening Star, Issue 24476, 10 April 1943, Page 4

ALLIED OFFENSIVE

MUST BE LAUNCHED THIS SUMMER LAND BLOW AGAINST GERMANY ESSENTIAL (N.Z.P.A. Special Correspondent.) (Rec. 10.20 a.m.) i LONDON, April 9. Soouer or later one topic which is bound to crop up in conversation with the man in the street to-day is: " Where will the Allies open up a second front?" Guesses range from Norway, Holland, France, and Italy to the Balkans. It is a question which the Germans would very much like answered, but nobody knows—nobody except the Allies' leaders who have chosen the locality and in all probability the tentative date. A rough and sketchy but general strategy of the war at present seen in London is something like this: Germany must put Russia out of the war or she is lost. She must strike against Russia quickly with all the power at her disposal, meanwhile trusting to Rommel and the U-boat campaign to hold off the Allies in the west as long as possible. Can Germany knock out Russia? The opinion is expressed that Russia is in a stronger defensive position this year than last year. The Russians have better railway communications than they have had since the original German advances. Yet the Germans have been able to deny them possession of strong points for a general offensive—Smolensk, Orel, and Kharkov. The Russians have behind their lines the " scorched earth ' of the recent battlegrounds. It is the opinion that there are no obvious pointers where Germany may strike, as therp were last year. One suggestion is that Hitler may attack each side of the Smolensk railway with the object of destroying the Russian armies holding those sectors. It is declared that Germany cannot wait this yeaT, as last year, until well into the summer. She must strike and soon. Every delay Rommel can gain in Tunisia is most valuable if he thereby holds off the Allies from invading Europe. But the opinion is expressed that it is not. inevitable that the opening of a second front depends on clearing Tunisia. In fact, it may become necessary to strike before Rommel is knocked out, for the most urgent need of the moment is regarded as hitting Germany to afford the greatest measure of aid "to Russia. The British and American air offensive must be having a serious effect on'Germany's war effort, but this is regarded as not enough. A definite Jand blow must be launched this summer.