ITALY’S PLIGHT.

Northern Advocate, 2 October 1943, Page 4

ITALY’S PLIGHT.

THE Italian people are having brought home to them in a painful manner the folly which caused their leaders not to surrender unconditionally to the United Nations when the invasion of Italy became imminent. They can now see—as was apparent to everybody else—that the Germans were merely using Italy for their own purposes. The German High Command must have realised that the progress of the United Nations could not be effectively checked once they had obtained a footing in Italy, and none should have known better that there was not the slightest chance of preventing a landing on Italian soil. The Germans’ only desire was to use Italy as a battleground whereon they might fight rather than on the soil of the Fatherland, no matter what might be the cost to the Italian nation. Today the Germans are reported to have converted into ruins the city of Naples, far-famed as one of the most beautiful cities in the world, despite the existence of some undesirable areas The enemy, knowing that he was doomed to lose Naples destroyed everything that might be of military use, and, apparently, a great deal that has no military importance, including famous buildings. This represents nothing short of criminal sacrifice of an erstwhile ally’s treasures.

Who is to say that the same thing will not occur at Rome, which the Germans have occupied and fortified? If they persist in holding the city, the United Nations will be forced to bombard it, and the Germans themselves may be relied upon to leave their own evil mark on the ancient city.

These are but two instances of the terrible price the Italian people have paid, and will continue to pay, for the folly of their leaders at a time when much might have been saved from the wreck. It is clear, from the progress made by British and American forces, that the Germans will be obliged to retire northwards at speed if they are to escape cutting off, but that does not alter the fact that Italy has suffered much that might have been prevented.