Nirodbaran
Talks with Sri Aurobindo
Volume 1
10 December 1938 – 14 January 1941
28 July 1940
Mussolini, on his fifty-seventh birthday, has given an interview to the press reporters. He bared his upper body and said, “Am I sick? Am I old?” and then galloped around on a horse.
Nirodbaran: Mussolini has been dramatic.
Sri Aurobindo (laughing): Yes.
Purani: But what about his fleet? It doesn’t seem to venture out.
Sri Aurobindo: No, for fear of becoming sick. (Laughter)
According to a press report the size of the British Army in Africa is not sufficient. If true, it should be reinforced; otherwise if the Germans take Alexandria and the rest of Egypt, it will be bad for England. Alexandria is like Gibraltar. I suppose England has concentrated all her forces in England itself.
Purani: Yes, the French collapse may have changed this plan.
Sri Aurobindo: Yes.
Have you read about America’s army strength in New Statesman and Nation? It is lamentable.
Satyendra: Yes, what has she been doing all these years?
Sri Aurobindo: No wonder she is against sending any expeditionary force to Europe.
Satyendra: Now Japan is also threatening her.
Sri Aurobindo: America has her navy to deal with Japan. If Hitler had a navy, then after defeating England he would have gone straight for America. The present state of America’s army would have been a great opportunity for him.