March 14.
As-the -weeké"pass,-the ines along which German strategy is likely to develop become, according to some observers, incrensingly' clear. - Hitler may be expected to stake everything upon bringing the war to a suc~ cessful conclusion this year simply because he dreads its continuation much longer. It {is consequently believed that he has planned a four point strategy which he hopes will being him the much desired results. First there is to be an attempt to knock out the British Fleet in the Mediterranean, second, to smash Greece, third, to destroy General Wavell''s Army on the Nile, and then, fourth, to invade Britain. Quite obviously recent German movements in the Balkans are designed to give them a port in the Aegean 'Sea, whence it is expected some of Hitler's pocket-submarines' will go to the ald of the Stulka bombers in an attempt to destroy the British fleet in the eastern Mediterranean. this connection all that need be said is that! if the combination of Stukas and German submarines, is no more efficient than the com= bination of the same aeroplanes with the] larger and better. Italian submarines, it does not appear that there need be much' anxiety about the British fleet in that part of the world.
Whether Hitler will succeed in smashing] Greece or forcing her out of the fight still remains to be soon, but even if he does, it is not easy to see that this will have any material effect upon the situation of the British in the Near East, for unless he can destroy the British fleet' the chances of his being able to deliver any swift, telling blow! against. the, British army in Egypt are not. particularly great. He has either to wipe out the British naval forees in the Mediterrancan, oF persuade the Turks to give him pass~ faye' over their territory, and there is nothing: in the situation as it stands to suggest that the Turks realizing what is happening in the Balkans would be at all inclined to meet. him in this respect. the final item on the programme it is stated will be the long contemplated invasion of Britain, and the occupation of Eire by Targe German force. It all, sounds so very' imposing, but as a matter of fact it appears to be so' remarkably "iffy," as one wag remarked, If Hitler can destroy the British fleet inthe Mediterranean, if he can smash Greece, if he can destroy' General Wavell's army in North Africa, and if he can succeed in invading, and conquering Britain, he will have gone some distance towards winning the war, " All this he is reported to contemplate achieving before President Roosevelt can switch the United States war industry into high gear and move the American. people of nearer to active participation in the war. In other words, as it is stated in America that the United States' war potential will not reach its peak before September, Hitler expects to achieve his purpose within the next six months. He has not: lately been 30 precise with his time-table as he thought he
Text read from the printed page and cleaned; old type leaves the occasional error.