Show I Behind the War News Major Eliot By Dy Maj l George Fielding Eliot I In attempting to analyze the military situation in Franco France one question keeps constantly re recurring recurring recurring re- re What are the Germans Germans Germans Ger Ger- mans trying to accomplish 1 What is their objective 1 Until quite recently until recently until the great German disaster in the center of th their Bair ir eastern front in fact fact it it was quite generally assumed assumed assumed as as- that the German objective objective objective tive was a negotiated peace and that the military policy which was intended to accomplish that objective was one of protracted protract d defense making the final reduction reduction reduction tion of Germany to unconditional surrender seem increasingly less worth its its- remaining cost in blood But the military and political events which began with th the smashing of the German army in the last week of June have created at least a very strong suspicion that there are divergences of vi view w within the higher German circles on this question of the objective of the war The negotiated peace was wasand wasand wasand and remains unquestionably the objective of the general staff probably also that of the higher officials of the permanent civil service the great industrialists and the bankers They want a peace in which something will willbe willbe willbe be left them with which to re rebuild rebuild rebuild re- re build G German power and wealth and perhaps to try again for world domination at a more propitious propitious propitious pro pro- season Is this the objective of the nazi leaders leaders' 1 V Very ry possibly it itis itis itis is not Perhaps they realize that no one will make peace with them that whatever betides they personally are doomed and andall andall andall all their S S executioners and torturers with them But even evenso so why are they not in favor of the sound military policy of protracted protracted protracted pro pro- defense which defense which means giving up lP that which can no longer be defended conserving men at all costs short shortening ning fronts shortening lines of com com- never sacrificing troops in outlying positions but I always consolidating strengthening strengthening strengthening strength strength- ening solidifying in m a gradual withdrawal toward the central citadel 1 If it were merely a matter of preserving their wretched I Jives s sa a little longer one would think that this would seem the best way to do it There must be some other factor something else upon which th they y are countIng count count- counting ing something which requires that outpost positions should be beheld beheld beheld held at all ll costs even at the cost of weakening the central defense so that a final piercing of the outer crust will find only a military vacuum within If there is some unknown factor of this sort then the present seemingly insane military policy of Germany can be explained on the ground that the nazis are seeking a different objective than a negotiated peace or that they think they have found a better way to attain that objective objective ob ob- ob- ob j than a protracted military military military mili mili- tary defense The unknown factor factor of course can only be the secret weapon weapon- the V 2 giant rockets and perhaps perhaps perhaps per per- haps something else in addition to be fired into the island of Great Britain until the united nations sickening of the slaughter ter are prepared to give the Germans some sort of terms If they do not sicken but press on then at least the nazis will have I had their l' l avenge on those whom they regard as the authors of all their present woes the democratic democratic democratic demo demo- cratic peoples of the west This would explain what is hardly susceptible of explanation tion on any known military principles principles prin principles prin- prin The suicidal stand of the I army in Normandy where I it now bids fair to be destroyed By so doing it is however preventing preventing preventing pre pre- venting the allies from advancing advancIng advancing ing against the rear of the army which guards the robot bomb launching sit sites s along the shores of the D Dover ver straits and along the along the Belgian sea coast I I I If it be urged that the army could have better guarded this area by a a. rapid withdrawal to the Seine and by consolidating ing a position there them alongside those elements of the 1st army which are already in position the answer may be found in examining examining examining ex ex- the time element If the army had started withdrawing g toward the Seine as soon as the Americans broke through at Avranches the whole of Gen Montgomery's forces would have come right up to the Seine behind them Fighting Fighting Fighting Fight Fight- ing north of that river might by this time be in progress If that fighting went against the Germans then there might not have been time to bring in the 1st army and the Germans might have been faced with the alternative of withdrawing from the coastal areas around Calais altogether or of sending the army south to help oppose Montgomery's Montgomery's Montgomery's Mont Mont- gomery's advance and so exposing exposing exposing expos expos- ing the coastal area to invasion from England As it is Montgomery Montgomery Montgomery Mont Mont- gomery is still fighting in Normandy Normandy Normandy Nor Nor- mandy while the 1st army is coming into position for a new delaying stand along the Seine Seme This policy of course exposes the German forces in France to destruction in detail but it gains time as regards their tenure of the Calais coastal area It is suicidal in terms of long protracted pro- pro defense of Germany but it makes sense if their object is isto isto isto to hold the Calais coast as long longas as possible The purpose for which everyday's everyday's every everyday's days day's tenure of that coast is so important to them remains to tobe tobe tobe be disclosed A At t that purpose a can only guess Giant rockets rockets rockets rock rock- ets 1 Perhaps More robot bombs 1 Perhaps A new gas 1 Again perhaps We can only wait and see what the present German purpose may be with be-with with a agrim agrim agrim grim determination to exact the uttermost farthing of vengeance for every innocent life which these madmen in their desperation despera despera- tion may now destroy |