The Wilmington Morning Star

Hitler Needs Rail Transport
Following Hitler's conquests in Europe, including the occupied portion of Russia, the Reich possessed 75,000 locomotives and 250,000 kilometers of trackage. With all this in possession, Hitler was long able to move in any direction quickly and so hold what he had and plan additional conquests. As a first step in Allied recovery of Nazi-occupied Europe it was obvious that this great mobility of the Axis armed forces must be broken up. The Royal Air Force therefore included rail facilities, rolling stock— particularly locomotives—and tracks, as well as industrial plants, among its earliest targets, and American Air Forces quartered in the British Isles did the same as quickly as they were equipped and trained for continental bombings. It is not known how many Reich-operated locomotives and cars have been put out of commission or destroyed, but the total must be great. It is learned that their construction has the highest priorities in Germany, higher even than planes and tanks and other attack weapons. The air blitz has badly crippled Hitler's rail transportation and because in addition it has wreaked great damage to his industries he is not able to improve it materially. Needed materials are not forthcoming. Serious bottlenecks are known to exist. The defense of his European fortress, therefore, cannot be as effective as it seems on the surface, because of this transport weakness within the fort itself. If the Allies launch many attacks on the continent, as it is confidently expected they will, and Hitler cannot keep his forces reinforced and supplied, it is reasonable to foresee his collapse quicker than defenses he has built would indicate. The Allied raids on his transport have been wisely conducted. Their continuation will have the effect of shortening the Battle of Europe.