Greymouth Evening Star. MONDAY, NOVEMBER 6, 1944. “DISAPPOINTED.”

Greymouth Evening Star, 6 November 1944, Page 4

Greymouth Evening Star. MONDAY, NOVEMBER 6, 1944. “DISAPPOINTED.”

Alexander is “rather disappointed” with the rate of the Allies’ advance in Italy, since the capture of Rome in June last. This disappointment will be widely shared. Allowing for the adverse weather and the probability that the major invasion and other fronts deprived the Italian campaign of reinforcements and supplies that would otherwise have been available, there seems to be insufficient explanation for the relative lack of success by the Allied forces, except that which was given by General Alexander, himself, namely, that the enemy, aided by natural defences, had proved stronger than expected. The belief in some quarters that the Germans would hastily quit Italy, proved erroneous. On the contrary they have fought hard for nearly every .mile, and it says much for the heroic endurance of the Allied armies and airmen, that they have advanced as far as they have. Italy as a “co-belligerent” has not proved very useful, and generally, the Italians seem prepared to let other nations bring about liberation and remedy the ills of the Fascist-Nazi administration.

Allied casualties have been heavy, and the cost of the liberation of Italy has been great—to the Allies. The Italians expect considerably more aid, with the memory effaced that they were an enemy nation, A demand has already been made for the return of the African colonies. “Unconditional surrender” is proving in no way onerous, but an advantage. Meanwhile, the Allied forces must peg away, and face a hard Winter. It may be that the Allies’ over-all plans provide for the campaign in Italy becoming less important. The transfer of General Leese to Burma supports this suggestion. Since Field Marshal Montgomery’s departure, the Eighth Army has had little opportunity to perform the spectacular, and, indeed, there is little left of the original Eighth Army, members having largely left for duties elsewhere. Genera] Leese naturally suffered in comparison with Field Marshal Montgomery, but according to “The Times,” Genera] Leese’s- victories entitle him to be estimated as one of the war’s great generals. His promotion to the Far East suggests that this is also the official view. The new leader of the Eighth Army, Lt.-General McCreery has issued an optimistic message. General Leese, unlike his famous predecessor, shunned publicity, and made no “hit for six,” and similar utterances when addressing his troops. The Italian front is not the only one giving cause for disappointment. Allied progress against the Germans in Belgium, Holland and Germany itself, has been very slow during the last two months. The struggle to make the port of Antwerp available to Allies’ ships has been bitter and is not ended yet. The Germans have fought well against odds, and if they are able to maintain this standard in future fighting, the estimate by Mr. Churchill that the German defeat may be delayed until well into next year may prove more justified than the optimistic predictions by leading soldiers that the German surrender will be soon. The availability of Antwerp as a base for supplies must make possible a major Allied offensive. Other disquieting factors include the fact that the Germans still hold some Channel ports as well as the Channel Islands, and further- South an army of 60,000 to 100,000 is defying the French. There seems scope for Allied commanders in the North being as candid and informative about the actual position as General Alexander has been about Italy.