Rumors of a United Nations thrust in Africa, before the peak heat comes, flew about in Rome last week like leaves in a skittish wind. Some said the offensive had already started with stepped-up R.A.F. activity over the Libyan deserts. Others reported that Anglo-American naval forces had concentrated "in the neighborhood of Tripoli." No Axis nerves were soothed when the Giornale d'ltalia announced that "the Anglo Saxons have succeeded recently in transporting strong reinforcements to their Egyptian bases."
Certain significant developments might have meant that all this smoke did mean a...