Talks with Sri Aurobindo

11 JUNE 1940

The radio news: Italy has joined the war.

SRI AUROBINDO(looking at Purani): So Mussolini has butted in? When he sees that Germany is winning he comes to share the spoils.

PURANI: Yes. It's a jackal policy. But he says it is according to his understanding with Hitler.

NIRODBARAN: Understanding? No, he says pledge.

SATYENDRA: Pledge or no pledge, why say all that? Why not say plainly that he wants to join?

SRI AUROBINDO: Then what becomes of diplomacy?

PURANI: He has only declared war, not started any attack.

NIRODBARAN: Why don't the Allies take the initiative?

SATYENDRA: Their hands are full with the defence.

SRI AUROBINDO: Quite so.

PURANI: He may perhaps invade Corsica with aeroplanes or land parachutes.

SRI AUROBINDO: I don't think so. That requires dash and daring.

PURANI: Hitler may have kept off Russia by guaranteeing that Italy wouldn't go to the Balkans.

SRI AUROBINDO: Quite possible. But for how long? It will come later on. If the Allies could attack Germany through Greece, then some pressure would be relieved. That is the only way.

NIRODBARAN: But it is not possible at present.

SRI AUROBINDO: No, this neutrality stands in the way.

PURANI: Turkey will be for the Allies now since Russia is not involved.

SRI AUROBINDO: Yes, but when war spreads to the Mediterranean?

NIRODBARAN: Roosevelt's important speech is not so important after all. He speaks of all possible material help to the Allies.

SRI AUROBINDO: He has already said that before. But he asks the people to be ready. That may be a hint.

SATYENDRA: If he could he would have declared in favour of the Allies.

PURANI: He seems to have said to Italy that Italy's coming into the war would bring in a series of interventions.

SRI AUROBINDO: I see.

NIRODBARAN: America may come in when it is too late.

SRI AUROBINDO: They are all too late in everything.

NIRODBARAN: It is a pity that France is paying heavily for England's misdeeds.

SRI AUROBINDO(laughing): France is also to blame because of Daladier's betrayal of Czechoslovakia.

NIRODBARAN: That was partly due to Chamberlain's pressure. France alone couldn't fight Germany.

PURANI: There was Russia. Both France and Russia could have combined and England would have had to come in later.

SRI AUROBINDO: Yes.

NIRODBARAN: Natesan was saying that Daladier has been driven out because he was pleading for surrender—that is the rumour.

SRI AUROBINDO: Rumour? May be. You have seen that Britain has left Norway?

PURANI: Yes.

NIRODBARAN: From Narvik too?

SRI AUROBINDO: Yes.

SATYENDRA: From Norway altogether.

NIRODBARAN: And she lost three destroyers.

SRI AUROBINDO: Yes, I don't know how. But it is nothing to her. She has many destroyers.

EVENING

Italy has declared war on the Allies and said that she will carry out war according to the international and humanitarian law.

SRI AUROBINDO(sarcastically): So Italy will fight according to the international law?

PURANI(laughing): Yes. She says so.

SRI AUROBINDO: That means, "Don't strike me." Mussolini knows that if he hits he will be hit back. Italy has never been humanitarian anywhere.

PURANI: Italy may attack Marseilles by sea or she can invade the frontier overland.

SRI AUROBINDO: Yes, but France is quite prepared for the defence. Italy's main strength is in her fleet, strength not on paper but in organisation and fighting power. But it hasn't been proved yet.

PURANI: Her aeroplanes also seem to be very strong.

SRI AUROBINDO: That also has to be proved.