Word: suez
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...narrowest expanse of Mediterranean from North Africa. On the diplomatic front Vichy moved closer to Germany. On the propaganda front Berlin proclaimed India independent. On the political front Egypt got a nationalistic Government. Despite these signs, strategists said that Germany had no time to launch an offensive against Suez before June brought the need for a fresh assault on Russia...
...Japanese take Singapore and Burma and advance on India, the obvious Axis strategy will be for Hitler to descend on India from the west. Between Germany and India lie Suez, Turkey and the Middle East with its oil. For such prizes Hitler might sacrifice more ground in Russia...
Singapore's defenders knew the stakes. If they should fail all United Nations bases from Suez to Pearl Harbor would be in hazard. Japan's Malayan forces would be free to attack Java, Burma, perhaps Australia. With evacuation almost impossible, it would deal a heavy blow in manpower. Some 60,000 British troops were on the island. And it would give Japan a free passage to the Indian Ocean and the Bay of Bengal. Knowing these things Singapore's defenders fought bravely and well, but bravery was not enough...
When & if Jap wins Java, he wins the Indies with their riches and mastery of seaways which link the Western Hemisphere, Australia, Africa, India, Suez and their imperial routes...
...Moscow would be attacked, but could hold. The Germans would make their greatest push in the south, would drive the Russians back to the Don River. There the Russians would try to stand, then in the autumn begin a counteroffensive. By that time, if Britain has succeeded in holding Suez and the Middle East, the Germans would be short of oil, men and morale. Finally, in the winter of 1942-43, with the help of the Allies in the west, the great offensive against the Reich would begin...