To the Editor of the "Nonri-Ciava Dauwy News"
Sit—With the exception of the naval exploits in sinking Axis transports, and the bombardment of Tripoli, the war news of the last few weeks has not been bright. The rapid collapse of Yugoslavia after a few days! fighting, the retreat of the Empire Forces. and the capitulation of brave Greece In face of terrific odds rang down the curtain of what might be termed another gloomy episode in the drama of the present, war, A careful survey' of the situa tion. however, reveals. that this apparent gloomy period has been of rear value, 'At the outset, we can say that it hag revealed the grand fighting qualities -of the Imperial' Forces. gering well for the future, when the odds against them will be such as to prove that, British Forces fighting against anything Ike equal num= bers, and well Jed, are unsurpassed bby the forces of any other nation in the world: Despite the success of the Balkan Campaign. Germany has lost valuable time. " 'She waited until}. aly was vanquished and had lost the-cream of her Army. Navy and 'Air Force in' Africa, and. Greece, Had Germany not sent garrisons Into Moly. the latter would have been compelled to ask for an armistice.
addition. we must not overlook. the moral factor that these disasters have created amongst the people of Moly, To be licked: decisively in the space of two months by the British in Atviea., the disgrace of the Albanian campaign, and last but not least. the well-known contempt and treachery of her Nazi partner. have all contributed to sow seed in the minds of the Hallan people. the harvest of which shall be reaped by the Dictators and their followers in due season, Tt has been established beyond doubt that, had France been agre able to join the Nazis. the latter would have been only too glad to dump Italy. One, whom she terms an Ally, but a nation that inthe Nazi mind is considered the scum of the earth. The Germans despise the Halians. and the latter will never get square deal from them. A: family People like the Italians have no use for an overbearing and militarist nation like, Germany.
But. to get. back to the factor of Germany's delay. Had they joined forces with the Hallans when they were sitting high and dry within the borders of Egypt. and in full control of Abyssinia, Suez could have been captured within a short time, and the menace to India via traq chaying. vogard 0. the Anli-British. element that, is "present in that. country) would have been very real, We must not forget, that Ju addition 10 this, Germany could still have al-tempted an invasion of England. or menaced her. in such a manner, as to prevent adequate Naval Units being spored for the protection of India via the Persian Gulf. German alr bases around Basra could have bombed shipping and the coast of India. We know that at the end of last year. the organization of the British Forces in the Par East was anything but the powerful defence weapon that it now is. Let us look at how things have turned out Mussolini made a terrific mistake when he attacked Greece. his course wax an intensifeation of the cam-palm in Africa, His set-backs 'Albania required. and resulted in the loss of his finest' emeers and men of the Italian Army and Air Force, to ray nothing of the havoc caused to their fleet by the British Navy. atid Fleet Air Arm. The whole military organization of Taly was thrown into confusion and the moral rot ate its way into the minds and. fighting hearts of the army in Africa. result In their betog slain, captured. or driven ike sheep before a Briush Imperial Fore "much inferior in numbers. Why did Germany wait ong before coming to the aid of Ttaly? Was it in revenge for them not entering the war right at the beginning. instead of waiting until the capitulation of France was almost, a certainty? Or did Germany hope that France would ploy. their kind of ticket, and join them at the expense of throwing Tlaly overboard? Whatever the reasons. the delay has ben fatal for Taly and, as will be proved later. tala for Germany.
The Nazis gave Britain time 0 remove the menace from Suez Lotween December and January. in addition which the Tallans have lost practically all their attacking force. and their country has been drained of vital war materials and supplies. The Germans had to fight a campaign in the Balkans. and lost as ¥ put the Agures. almost 100,000 men (74.000 is a very. conservative estiniate) dead and wounded. besides numerous aeroplanes, tanks and other armour ed. vehicles. We must not forget to mention. that the loss of vehicles. meant the death or wounding of the crews. and crews for aeroplanes. tanks. ete, require to be specially trained. Imperial Forces have galn-
Text read from the printed page and cleaned; old type leaves the occasional error.