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.