OCR Text |
Show Refugees Delayed Retreat There were French civilian refu- I gees on our road, but not enough to hinder traffic. Most of them walked, carrying brown suitcases and bundles. I noticed they did not carry car-ry much, so they apparently had faith in our coming back. There were few Arabs among them. The Arabs are permanent They get along, whoever comes to take charge of their country. French artillery and infantry also were withdrawing. They did hinder traffic, after we were safely back at Kasserine pass and the road grew narrow and poor. We well knew the French were the best fighters in the world. But this delaying stream of high-wheeled carts, toiling along so last-centurylike, seemed symbolic of France's whole disaster. |