Show I Malta at Mediterranean l Crossroad Still Remains Target for Nazi Bombs 5 0 S 10 II 15 20 25 1 ns n nI 1 I I I rr Syracuse d N C II I C T A A Ar t ti ro r- r A o a rea zee goo 4 oo L I Is B I Italy o S LONGITUDE 10 to EAST CAST OF IS 20 0 2 Even though the United States army and navy lighting fighting forces have been battling far to the other side of the world and amI thereby shadowing the Importance which Malta 1 see sec arrow above has In its pivotal point In the l Mediterranean this regularly bombed spot is Is like Singapore and Gibraltar other very Important ish life line links constantly on an alert orders This map also shows how almost all aU Important sea-borne sea north and south and anti oust east and west weRt sea traffic Is In within striking distance from this Island On the left edge of the map Is shown Gibraltar South or of Malta In North Africa Libya is the territory where the Nazi and British have been thrusting and thrusting counter Forming One of the thc V Worlds World's Smallest Island Groups About Miles Southwest of Italy's Toe Tue And Attacked Over Times Despite the continual pounding by the Nazi air force during during during dur dur- ing the past six months Malta still remains to fight back as one of Britain's important naval bases This hot spot of the Mediterranean ocean lying athwart the crossing criss-crossing sea lanes between Gibraltar and Suez Europe and Africa has been called the most bombed spot on earth News of United States' States army and navy forces fighting on the other side of the world from Malta have dwarfed in significance significance significance sig sig- sig- sig the daily reports of bombing raids at this Mediterranean Mediterranean Mediterranean base Military authorities though seem to think that Hitler will marshal all his military might for a knockout knockout knockout knock out blow here The Malta islands form one of I the worlds world's smallest island groups Made Mode up of three islands nn an islet and a rock it covers a total area aren of only about square miles The title island of Malta itself whose Grand Harbor of Valletta is big enough to accommodate the entire British fleet is less than Utan square miles mlles in extent Geography Makes laks History Yet these Ulese Mediterranean stepping steppingstones steppingstones steppingstones stones have figured in history and legend since before the Ute Apostle Paul was shipwrecked on their U shores The Maltese say suy that Ulysses came tills this way Ancient seagoing sea Phoenicians Phoenicians Phoe Phoe- founded on Maltas Malta's deeply indented coasts useful ports from which to base buse their trade und nod exploration exploration exploration ex ex- activities In the Uie western Mediterranean The Tho Carthaginians moved In six centuries before Christ followed by the conquering Romans Greeks Saracens Normans and Spaniards all had a hand in the Uie rule of true Uie strategic Mediterranean l islands is islands Is is- lands and nod left let a n share in its mixed heritage of blood blond and culture I It was under the Uie Maltese Cross of I IUle the Uie reigning Knights of St. St John however that Malta 1 saw its most colorful and romantic period For nearly years this Crusading Order Order Order Or Or- der upheld its rich and feudal aris aristocracy uris uris- of ensue church and fortress for for- tress In the Uie famous battle against the Turks lurks in 1505 the besieged Knights with followers I turned bad back some would would-be invaders On Napoleons Napoleon's Napoleon was one of ot Ute the conquerors conquer conquer- ors of Malta On his way to Egypt in 1798 he lie took the islands from the Uie declining Knights as un an easy prize Soon afterward following an uprising ing lag against the French which was assisted by the Uie British fleet they were annexed by Great Greut Britain and lInd finally were awarded that country in 1814 1 by the Uie congress of Vienna During World War I I. I Malta again became an important place name in international annals It was not only a o leading lending base buse of Allied military operations op but also a hospital and recuperation recuperation re re- lion center The entry of Italy into the Uie present war saw the Uie island among the Uie tint enemy objectives object In six months the Uie Maltese capital of Valletta suffered suf more Ulan than 2 1 air raids It Itis Itis is 15 only 58 miles south of Sicil Sicily according according ac- ac c- c cording to the Uie National Geographic society While the Ute intricacies of the Uie mod ern fortifications of Malta are closely closely close close- ly guarded secrets its general defensive defensive defensive de de- strength long has been rec rec- The old castles and fore fortresses for for- tresses were were reported reinforced and secret anchorages and submarine submarine submarine rine bases set up in outlying Inlets Like Gibraltar Malta has Innumerable innumerable able coast and anti aircraft batteries batter batter- ies les Ies proof bomb shelters and rock- rock tunneled galleries where men munitions munitions munitions mu mu- food and water supplies may maybe maybe maybe be stored Beneath Deneath the Uie islands island's surface surface surface sur sur- face a network of ancient underground underground underground under under- ground passages and catacombs also is reported now put into service us part of the defense und and fortifications fortifications system Although its status as us a vital British Brit ish base buse carries the wartime penalty pen pen- penalty alty of enemy attack Malta 1 in peace enjoys the Uie economic advantages advantages advantages a of heavy payrolls there UterI for workers and soldiers The islands which must support a population of nearly people people peo pea pie are themselves far fre n self self- even sufficient even in normal times Intensive In cultivation of the Uie thin but 1 f w M A scene acetic in the Uie harbor of or Valletta capital of England's Island stand of Malta showing n a few of the line vessels of the Ute Mediterranean l fleet et at an an- chor Hidden In hi the hills in the background are arc important defense weapons which would make any at attempt attempt attempt at- at tempt to take It suicide for lor an any enem enemy fleet fertile soil soU provides crops of grain vegetables and fruits but the Uie supply supply supply sup sup- ply is inadequate to meet domestic needs In one recent prewar year Malta Imported nearly worth of goods compared with exports exports exports ex ex- ex- ex ports which amounted to less than fuan thana a million and a quarter dollars |