Show i Behind the War News Major Maior Eliot By Major l George Fielding Eliot The statement by Gene General a Sir Henry Maitland Wilson Vilson lle lied commander in chief chiet In the Mediterranean ne' ne nen n.- n. that he does not rule out the possibility of an an al allied allied allied al- al lied landing in southern France is suggestive in more ways than one N Not t only does it hint atthe a at atthe the possible future employment of the French army now being trained in north Africa and seasoned seasoned seasoned sea sea- in Italy but the very fact that such a statement was was' made tells us that the Germans are not going to be v allowed d to feel secure on on any part of the vast perimeter which they must now defend It is is of course to be e anticipated anticipated anticipated antici antici- that various diversionary op operations rations will be undertaken In order to prevent the Germans from concentrating the their r forces to resist our main attack in western Europe As to each area involved in such a diversion the Germans will be pre presented with i 1 the same dilemma which confronts confronts confronts con- con fronts the he J Japanese in the various various vari vari- ous Pacific islands and which the Germans have had to face again and again in iri Russia Either give it up in which case it will be used by the allies as asa a base of operations to further the main effort or defend it at atthe atthe atthe the price of deducting German defensive power fr from m the he big show when it comes So con considered sid ere d southern France is of ot particular strate strategic c interest We Ve have a good base for attacking th the south coas coast of France the France the island of Corsica It is perhaps significant that we have had little if any news from Corsica recently but a glance at the map tells us that about 80 miles of the MedIterranean Mediterranean Mediterranean coast of France is within with with- in miles of some point of the Corsican shore This is practicable if root not ot comfortable range for fighter aircraft which means that we can give good goodair goodair goodair air cover for landing operations over this entire stretch of at beach If all or a great part of t tile the e OO French and African troops now training in north Africa were to be landed along this coast at a time when a major major major ma ma- jor invasion of ot western Europe from the British Isles was either actually in progress or imminent the Germans would be presented with a very troublesome troublesome troublesome trouble trouble- some example of the recurrent dilemma above referred to Either they would have to send enough troops to southern France to make a successful re resistance resistance re- re or they wo would ld have to try to delay the French army with minimum forces while devoting devoting devoting de de- de voting their major attention to the main aln show If they adopted the fIrst al first al they would have hav to tode de detach detach de- de tach something something- like 15 15 divisions for the purpose which might well result in fatal weakness at atthe atthe atthe the decisive point as the full power of the Anglo-American Anglo offensive offensive of of- developed and every ounce of mobile e German fighting fighting fight fight- ing power became vitally needed to stop it If II they adopted the second alternative al al- al alternative th the French might make such good pr progress gress as to possess themselves of a good part of the Rhine valley th they y Would thus thus' have a broad and deep beachhead in southern Fran France e. e with the ports of Marseilles Marseilles Mar Mar- seilles cilles and Toulon through which allied power could pour into the country and threaten the communications communications com com- and supply areas of ot th the German army on the west coast Moreover such a French lodgment would supply a rallyIng rallying rally rally- Ing point for the e internal forces of French resistance and if not checked it might extend its zone of control to the valley of the Garonne and the Atlantic coast of France thus affording still other ther routes utes of entry for allied troops 4 All these possibilities the German German Ger Ger- man high command must keep keepin in mind as it prepares its plans to meet the coming invasion The Germans kept the world trembling awaiting their decision decision decision deci deci- sion as to where and when their next blow would fall when they had the strategic Initiative Now that initiative has passed to the allies and the latter have in addition addition addition ad ad- to toas as vast advantages conferred conferred conferred con con- by command of the sea and by air superiority y With their bases in the British Isles and the Mediterranean they can strike almost anywhere along the enormous expanse of ot seacoast seacoast seacoast sea- sea coast from Norway to the Pyrenees and from the Gulf of at Lions to the Aegean sea The Germans cannot be comfortable as to any of this co coastline therefore they must to some extent extent ex ex- ex- ex tent at least watch and defend it all on or b be prepared to too give up parts in order to defend other parts |