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Show FORWARD MARCH By H. S. Sims, Jr. . lHltllnll.il 1(111. !. II. .MllllillllllllilllllMlMllllnllll II NEW GERMAN STRATEGY OF DEFENSE REVEALS THAT HITLER KNOWS GERMANY CANNOT WIN The people of the United States were recently surprised at the pessimistic pes-simistic utterances of some men in high positions, who chanted the refrain that, "we are losing the war." Such statements can only be explained ex-plained upon the theory that the people should be frightened into greater war efforts. There is no basis for them in the war situation situa-tion at this time. While there is undoubtedly much I heavy fighting ahead, with serious' and inevitable losses, the closing months of 1942 find the United Nations in a much better position than many military men expected when the year got underway. German Leaders Pessimistic . . . Adolf Hitler, if we are to judge by his recent speech, does not agree with our pessimistic speech-makers. speech-makers. He practically admits that a defensive role must be adopted by Germany and that conquered lands will be exploited to set up the new order in Europe for the benefit of the German people. The brutality of this regime is explained by Goering's callous boast that if there is starvation in Europe, it will not be in Germany. Ger-many. He says that the Nazis will be fed, if necessary, at the expense of the conquered people. This may be assuring to hungry Germans but it gives us little reason to believe be-lieve that the food situation in Germany Ger-many is good. Both leaders admit that the Russian Rus-sian battle will last through the winter and Goering candidly states that his air force is too busy on the eastern front to meet the British Bri-tish challenge in the air. Red Army Upsets Nazi Plan . . . The German failure in Russia has temporarily halted the Nazi military machine which cannot afford af-ford to stand still. Consequently, we may expect some new venture although we can only guess where it will commence. Whatever happens the Red army still threatens Germany and wherever a new front is opened, whether by Hitler or the United Nations, the strain of a two-front war will bear heaviest upon the Nazis, whose blitzkrieg appears to have been lost. As American and British resources re-sources are thrown into battle, the hopelessness of Germany's position posi-tion will become clear, even to the Nazis. They have had their fling and it hasn't been enough to win; they now seek to wear down the morale of their enemies in the vain hope of a negotiated peace. Attrition Begins To Hurt Japan . . . The Japanese position is also becoming tighter, as the United States continues its cautious war of attrition in the Far East. Plane and ship losses mount, with Japan unable to make them good. Japan, an island empire, is more dependent upon the sea than Great Britain. She is extremely vulnerable vulner-able to submarine attack because nearly everything she requires must be imported. Once the control con-trol of the sea is lost, Japan is without hope and while this has not yet occurred the threat is close enough to worry the Japs. The war situation has changed compartively little in the past month, with the exception that the Russians have lasted longer and prevented the Germans from accomplishing any of their prime objectives for 1942. . Whether Hitler threw his full strength into the Russian campaign cam-paign is not known. It is possible that he held in reserve a considerable consider-able number of divisions to meet any Anglo-American offensives in the west. However, from the weakness weak-ness of Gen. Rommel in the air in Africa it is apparent that much of the Nazi air force has been involved involv-ed in the campaign against the Red army. Joseph Stalin, in a letter, states that "the Soviet capacity of resist- ing the German brigands is in strength not less, if not greater, than the capacity of Fascist Ger-i many or of any other aggressive power to secure for itself world I domination." The course of battle indicates that the Soviet leader has summed up the situation. Stalin Makes Observation ... Practically every communique issued at Moscow contains the simple sim-ple opening "our troops fought the enemy," which explains much of what has halted the German drive in the south. Stubborn Soviet resistance re-sistance has undoubtedly wrecked Nazi plans for 1942 and given to the United Statese and Great Britain Bri-tain the time in which to prepare their own attack. When this will come is a military mili-tary secret but the issue has been thoroughly discussed throughout the world. Wendell Willkie, in Moscow, Mos-cow, "favored" a second front at once, if the military leaders approved, ap-proved, and a few days later Stalin, Sta-lin, after saying that it occupied a "place of first rate importance" in Soviet opinion, expressed the view that "as compared with the aid which the Soviet union is giving giv-ing to the Allies by drawing upon itself the main force of the German Ger-man Fascists, the aid of the Allies to the Soviet union has so far been little effective." Pointedly, the Soviet dictator added : "In order to amplify and improve this ;aid, only one thing is required: that the Allies fulfill their obligations fully and on time." ; : . ' We call attention to these statements state-ments because they may become more important. Certainly some answer will come from London or Washington, although it may be delayed in order, not to reveal military secrets to the enemy. Nazi's Best Proves Not Enough ... |