NEWS OF THE WEEK
NEWS, or speculation, about the coming invasion of Europe comes naturally from Axis, not Allied, sources. In Italy the crisis is considered imminent, which means apparently that invasion assaults on Sardinia and Sicily, if not on the Italian mainland, are expected before this week is out. That may or may not be. Mean- while, as a first step, continued assaults on the island of Pantelleria must have practically put that vital protective base out of action ; Axis reports state definitely that that js so. The attitude of both Germany and Italy in face of these and other impending events is perplexing. Italy now, so far from concealing or minimising the effects of Allied air-raids, appears to be making a point of issuing lealistic reports of the damage done. That might be interpreted as an oblique method of encouraging the populace to demand surrender lest worse things come unto them, were it not that at the same time equally alarmist predictions are being disseminated of the vengeance the Allied armies will take when they do arrive. Germany, on her side, quite apart from the exposition of the military prospects given this week by General Dietmar (and discussed by our correspondent Strategicus on a later page) is emphasising the country's need for a comparatively quiet year, and dwelling on the progress made in the removal of war-industries farther east—thus, by implication, admit- ting the effects of the air-attacks on war-industries in the west. Add :u this the relative inactivity of the Luftwaffe everywhere except in Russia, and the admission, in full confirmation of the hopeful account given by Mr. Alexander in the House of Commons on Wednesday, that the U-boats achiveed substantially less success in May than normally, and it will be seen that considerable optimism in the Allied camp is justified. One word of warning, indeed, is called for. It is wise to mistrust on principle all that Germany says and appears to be doing. Even so, there must be a solid basis for Axis gloom.
