Hitler's Table Talk

FLYING TOO DANGEROUS—AFRICAN CAMPAIGN 177
once had to abandon a flight, and that was against my will. It
was at the end of an electoral campaign. I'd spoken at Flensburg,
and I wanted to get back to Berlin, breaking my journey
at Kiel.
Captain Baur interposes: ' ' Tes, my Fuehrer, it was I who insisted on
your giving up that flight. First of all, it was a night flight, and our
course was thick with heavy storms. Moreover, I had no confidence in the
Met. I was sure of one thing, that some people would have been delighted
to learn we'd broken our necks."
92 4th January 1942, evening
SPECIAL GUESTS : SEPP DIETRICH AND COLONEL ZEITZLER
The desert is ideal for tanks—Supplying Rommel—The
never-ceasing demand for new weapons.
It has always been supposed that the employment of tanks
depended on the existence of roads. Well, it has just been
realised that the desert is the ideal terrain for them. It would
have been enough for Rommel to have two hundred more
tanks. If we succeed in neutralising Malta and getting new
tanks to Africa, Rommel will be able to recapture the operational
initiative. It's proper not to exaggerate, we haven't lost
much. In any case, there's no question—quite the opposite—
of giving up the game. In my opinion, their victory will make
the English withdraw a part of their forces from Africa. It's
likely, for nobody in this war has sufficient reserves of aircraft
to permit himself to immobilise them in sectors where they're
not indispensable. On their side, especially, all their forces are
constantly in the line—in fact, we are the only ones who still
have a few reserves. The only problem for us is that of forcing
the passage between Sicily and Tripolitania. On their side,
they have to go all round Africa. They're aware of our strength
in the Mediterranean, and dare not use the classic route to
India. As soon as they've stripped that sector, I'll send Rommel
what he needs.
The hollow charge means the death of the tank. Tanks will
have finished their career before the end of this war. We