Bogey of Encirclement Will Soon Come True

Manawatu Times, Volume 67, Issue 271, 16 November 1942, Page 5

Bogey of Encirclement Will Soon Come True

Hitler’s Desperate Need »f Oil (By Telegraph—Press A.KH—Copyrljrht.) (Special Correspondent) Received Sunday, 7.15 p.m. LONDON, Nov. 14. Within a mpnth after Jit wag stated that the United Nations wore on the threshold of great events there followed a series of actions which exceed even the most optimistic hopes. They have turned the tide of the entire war in the European theatre so that it is now possible to express the opinion as did Field Marshal Smuts that the war against Germany and Italy is entering its final phase. When the last Germans are driven from North Africa or the final remnants captured—and it Is not unreasonable to hope that this may pecur within a comparatively short period—Germany and Italy will be surrounded by an international nutcracker and the Germans will find that their own bogey of encirclement has come true. It will then remain for the pressure to be applied to crack the Nazi-Fascist nut, but there are no rosy hppes that disintegration will occur without bloody battles. It is still a long way to Berlin. The Nazis have been savagely repulsed but they are still in a more favourable position than the Kaiser and his war lords after tbe Marne. However, their strained resources will have to be distributed in every way to hold the Continent’s immense frontier. The immediate problem pt the Allies is controlling Tunisia and accounting for Rommel. One of the chief obstacles is the great distances, but the great advantage for the Eighth Army in the present action which It lacked previously is the immensurably superior air power which is expected finally to tip the balance. Tbe greatest measure of satisfaction derived from the British-American occupation of French North Africa has been the successful translation of sea power into land power. The Royal Navy’s successful convoying of the armada is regarded as most outstanding. Convoys It is said will win the war, but their protection will be the hardest fight, for the U-boat menace remains pne of Britain’s greatest problems—the second being manpower and womanpower. It is estimated that Germany and Italy can muster 500 U-boats while they are building at the rate of 33 a month. Until recently they operated on the sea routes’ periphery but now they can bo massed in tbe Atlantic round Gibraltar and operate from Italian bases. It will be a vital ! battle. An appreciation of Hitler’s strained resources is given by tbe Times’ special cprre&pondent on the German frontier. He expresses tbe opinion that Hitler’s failure to gain tbe Bakn oil region, which was one of the prime objectives of the summer campaign, has seriously compromised his ppospects in solving the economic problem. The German oil reserves accumulated before the war and seised from the occupied countries are nearing exhaustion which, while it will not mean that Germany will have to cease fire suddenly—for production is always proceeding—yet indicates that great offensives would he effectively precluded and perhaps drastically shortening the fronts or relinquishing occupied territory. Baku oil was required firstly to continue the military offensive and eecondly, to exploit the Ukraine on a requisite scale. “Whether the exploitation of the Ukraine can he expedited enough to be of decisive benefit to the Axis war effort has become the crux of the whole issue. To develop the food-growing potentialities of the Ukraine without the Baku oil would be a task almost inconceivably difficult.” The correspondent is of opinion that for Germany to keep pace with the Allied military potential German industry will need to shatter all previous records and her transport will have to perform still more miracles. Bnt German industry needs complete overhauling. Many factories require reequipment and Hitler dreads the winter because if the Russian offensive is continued no pause will be possible and the whole preparations for next year’s military operations would be compromised. Well-informed circles in Britain express the opinion that there is need for cautious reserve in contemplating the phase of the war on which we have now embarked, far the European fortress still must be stormed, and apart from Russia the Allied nations have no foothold in Europe. That will be the next problem once tbe Nprth African clearing action is completed. The average Briton has learned this caution from many reverses. It is so strongly embedded that many even disapprove of ringing church bells fpr the Egyptian victory, for while Joyful over that they realise that there is a long was still to go before final victory. One good outcome of the recent momentpus weeks is the different view which tbe Russians are apparently now taking of their Allies. It is endorsed by Stalin’s speech and also bis tribute \ to the British and American leaders and I “their first-class organisers.” As was ' pointed out the Battle of Egypt began under a cloud of Soviet suspicions, but these must now be evaporating and the hope is that the Allies will continue their offensive against the Axis all the i winter and then increase the pace with the arrival of spring.