Salt Lake Telegram | 1942-09-11 | Page 16 | Behind the War News

Behind the War News egos I 1 By y C Captain P I John H. H I I. I N. N S. S Military t Analyst y W The best news that has come out of Egypt since General Sir Archibald Wavell's victorious march against Mussolini's North African armies In January Feb 1941 is contained in dispatches dispatches dis- dis patches from Cairo and the near east to the effect that Nazi Tank Wizard Marshal Erwin Rommel has been stricken with witha a sudden mysterious illness and has las returned to Germany for treatment Cairo points out the possibility ity ty that Rommel's illness may maybe maybe maybe be a bluff and that the real cause of his recall is perhaps the lack of success of his latest drive for Alexandria which was repulsed by the forces of Britain's Britain's Britain's Brit Brit- ains ain's General Sir Harold Alexander Alexander Alexander Alex Alex- ander with heavy tank losses This is possible but hardly probable It is true that the fiery Rommel has many enemies In the nazi general staff but buthe buthe buttie he tie has run the war in Africa for 18 months generally with marked success It is Improbable improbable improbable able that he would be removed from his command on account of a setback even of considerable considerable considerable consider consider- able proportions It is particularly particularly particularly unlikely that he would be removed at present because his second in command General George von Bismarck was killed in the tank fighting on the El front last week Rommel and Von Bismarck have been leaders in in the in-the the axis desert war since the first appearance appearance appearance ap ap- ap- ap of German tanks in Africa No other nazi officer has anything like their experience experience experience ence in its detail While it seems unlikely that Rommel was removed from his i command as a result of political cal workings in Berlin the probability probability probability ability of his having succumbed to real illness is extremely high The North African theater of war is one of the toughest and most unhealthful on the globe The foxy nazi marshal has been through two hot seasons there when desert temperatures soar above the hundred-degree hundred mark and Africa's dreaded khamsin gales fill the atmosphere with dust and germs thick enough to shovel Under such conditions food and water are unavoidably pol pol- Dysentery is rampant turns the eyes in running sores which ever ever presen prese legions of flies spread and a grav te The smallest cuts fes fed fedter e eter ter and tend to become infected Swarms of mosquitoes gions glons where there is the le lea leas moisture into hotbeds of ma laria aria m Records of World War I in Ind cate that the average Brills soldier in Egypt became ill ilIr lost efficiency so that he had t be removed to a healthier l mate in from six months t to year On that basis Romme should be considerably for a health breakdown especially espe espe- dally as he is approaching years of age and has lost tin lost th thi recuperative ability of youth youth Whatever the cause the thedis appearance of the nazi Africa corps' corps commander from North Africa if he has indeed comes at an extremely ely opportune time for the united nations' nations cause A The tactical situation al althe althe the El front is high unstable offering great threw threat and great opportunities to bo bet bott sides Neither can retreat A sustained advance fa either would almost certain result In sweeping and decisive victory am Under such circumstances I is impossible to overestimate th advantage to united nations for fortunes fortunes fortunes tunes of the disappearance T 0 Field Marshal Rommel from th nazi high command From Fromal al almost most the beginning he has bee their evil genius Rommel was extremely lar wi with th his troops most tu un unpopular popular with the German hig big command Unlike most Germa Genna generals he began his in the ranks Rival gen general aJ say that he still acts like a ser alei sergeant geant and has never acq acquire ire irethe the dignity of high rank M His disappearance almost s with the death c Von Bismarck offers united unite a forces a great These two were the nazi brai bral trust in Africa Now the ms a chine must flounder until sue sec can be found B Statements and herein are private to the write and are not to be construed a reflecting the views of the nor nay nay- department M