Salt Lake Telegram | 1943-09-28 | Page 8 | Frenchmen May Free France

Frenchmen May Free France FranceTT Francer 1 TT r IS fitting that the first action to free part of European France from the clutches of the nazi octopus should be carried out as an almost wholly French affair by Free French land Jand sea and air forces in Corsica While considerable support has been given the attack against the Germans in Corsica by other allied forces by Italian soldiers stationed stationed sta sta- on the Island and by Corsican guerillas the operation is being directed by the French high command and French troops French warships and French air squadrons are arc apparently ap ape apparently carrying on the major part of the campaign It is perhaps a foretaste of what will come elsewhere In France In the near future Once Corsica is completely occupied occupied and and General Giraud has predicted the job will be finished in a. a week or so so-it so It should not take too long Jong to organize Corsica as a base from which an assault on southern France itself can be launched And there is no reason Wh why that assault could not be at least in its initial stages a completely French operation Latest estimates place total armed forces now available to the French high command at somewhere around men men men-a a very formidable formidable formidable for for- force and perhaps all aU that can be used In the initial stages of any thrust into southern France Such a force would have too important aid from French underground fighters There is just one thing that mars this resurgence of French fighting power in thrusting the Germans out of their native land and land and that is the continued bickering and jealousy within the French Committee of National Liberation According to reports the row between Giraud and De is as a. bad as ever with each apparently seeking the limelight in the liberation of Corsica and the coming liberation of France itself As one correspondent puts it it still seem bigger than France to the men who are are tryIng try try- ing to win France back It is rather disgusting and It does docs not presage the unity and unselfish patriotism which will be so essential to the rebuilding and nd rejuvenation of France after victory But perhaps we are not getting the true picture of the spirit of France from these Frenchmen on the outside Inside France where there has been real suffering and there has unquestionably unquestionably unquestionably developed a real understanding of the need of patriotism and the worth of freedom there may be far more unity and submergence of personal jealousies jealousies and and when the people of France are at last liberated they may make short shrift of these bickering grabbers for glory