Pacific News-Review

Notes And Comment On

The Progress Of The War

FROM JAN. 15 TO FEB. 13, 1940

Jan. 15.—Holland and Belgium, fearing an invasion, have mobilised practically the whole of their strength. Foreign journalists in Berlin “are convinced that Germany intends to march across the Dutch frontier within 24 hours”. The British War Office has cancelled all leave for all its soldiers in France.

This is about the third time that Dutch and Belgium forces have been lined up to repel an expected invasion by the Ger mans. Such news should not be taken seriously. It is mostly newspaper sen sationalism—one of the most deplorable features of this present war. The Ameri cans are the worst offenders. They work on the principle that there should be a sensation every day, and if nothing hap pens they proceed to create one.

Jan. 15.—1 t is disclosed that 140 Ger man merchant vessels are bottled up in 42 neutral ports, all over the world. The cargoes are valued at £5,000,000, of which Britain owns about half.

Jan. 16. —Three British submarines, “Seahorse”, “Undine” and “Starfish”, which were sent out on an especially hazardous enterprise, have not returned and are presumed to be lost.

It was disclosed, from other sources, that the three British submarines were sent to carry out an attack upon German fortified places at or near Heligoland, but evidently the Germans were prepared for something of the kind, for they succeeded In capturing and destroying all three submarines. It was subsequently an nounced that most of the crews of the submarine had been rescued and were prisoners in Germany.

Jan. 16. —The newspapers now announce that the German threat against Holland and Belgium has failed—that the Ger mans found that the two small neutral countries were ready and therefore changed their plans. Belgium and Holland remain in a state of preparedness.

Jan. 17.—Lord Gort, British Commander in Chief, stated: “If Belgium is attacked and her neutrality, independence, and vital interests are threatened, the Pranco- British guarantee will operate with light ning rapidity This time all will be ready —there will be no more gropings, as in 1914. If the Germans come, they will be well received.”

Jan. 17.—The worst winter known in 100 years is being experienced in Europe, and all the combatant countries are in the grip of frost and snow. One remark able effect is that the Danube, in Hun gary, is frozen over and hundreds of ships (the majority of which apparently have been carrying oil and grain from Rumania to Germany) are frozen up and immobilised.

There is a deeper interest here than the mere fact that German supplies are held up. The Allied peoples are being told a great deal about the economic pressure which is being put upon Ger many, and encouraged to expect some thing of the German economic collapse which occurred in 1914-18. As a matter of fact, the whole position is entirely different. The whole of Germany’s east ern and south-eastern frontiers are open, and to-day Germany is freely re ceiving large quantities of essential sup plies from Italy, Yugoslavia. Hungary, Rumania and Russia. In 1914-18, every one of those frontiers was closed against her.

Jan. 19.—Reported that 45,000 Rus sians are in full retreat from the Salla

(Central Finnish) front. The relentlessly pursuing Finns have inflicted heavy losses, and the Russian rear has been disorganised by the Finnish air force.

French estimate that the Finns have suffered about 20,000 casualties and the Russians 150,000.

It is becoming clearer that Finland has pricked the bubble of Russia’s mili tary reputation. For two decades, West ern nations have been warned of the formidable character of the mighty Red armies and the terrible Russian air force.

But those who knew the modern history of Russia would not believe that Bolshe vik Communists could make good sol diers, where the Czar’s officers failed.

The Russians are formidable in the mass —there are such countless millions of them—but as fighting troops they de finitely are not comparable with the French, Germans or British. If these masses of Russians are placed under German training and German officers, they may assume a formidable character, but that is unlikely. Attempts will be made by Germany to get control of this unlimited human material, but Bolshevik Russia will not “take” it. It is inevit able, sooner or later, that Germany and Russia will fight. The Germans will defeat the Russians and drive them back, wherever they meet them, but they can not conquer Russia—the Slav empire is too big. The Allies need not fear Rus sian troops, but they have every reason to fear the Russian capacity for supply ing Germany with the essential require ments of wartime —especially if the Ger mans are allowed to organise Russian industry and transport system.

Jan. 20.—The Russian air force has commenced a series of widespread, ruth less mass attacks on Finnish towns, re gardless of military objectives. Hundreds of planes are taking part in the raids, and large numbers of homeless people are roaming about distractedly.

Jan. 21.—The British destroyer flotilla leader “Grenville,” 1,485 tons, was sunk in the North Sea by either torpedo or mine. Eight men are killed and 73 missing. The “Grenville” was built m 1936 at a cost of £336,000.

Jan. 22.—1 t is now stated that the centre of apprehension in Europe has shifted from Scandinavia and the Low countries to South-eastern Europe. It is believed that in the Balkans, now, there are renewed fears of joint aggression by Germany and Russia and, secondly, that there is uncertainty regarding Italy s ultimate policy in the Balkans. It is also reported that large numbers ot German troops have entered the Rus sian section of Poland Once more the yellow press rabbit has been let loose, and the whole yelping pack is after it. The yellow journalists worked un a first-class scare in relation to Bel gium and Holland; now the scare is fading and, as they must get headlines somewhere, they are giving their ingeni ous attention to the Balkans.

Jan. 22.—A British cruiser stopped the Japanese liner “Asama Maru (16,900 tons) on the voyage between San Fran cisco and Yokohama, and removed German merchant sailors who were mak ing their way back from the United States to Germany.

This British action is strictly in accord ance with international law. Germany

cannot complain of it. It is only a few weeks since a German warship in the North Sea stopped a Swedish steamer, which had on board some 16 British seamen from a wrecked vessel. The Germans made prisoners of the British, and took them to Germany, on the ground that they were capable of enter ing Britain’s fighting forces.

Jan. 23.—There is terrific uproar in Japan, owing to the action of the British warship in taking the Germans off a Japanese liner. One official declared that the incident “pollutes the soul of the Japanese people.”

Britain is dealing quietly and soberly with the position. The Japanese can either howl themselves into a war con dition, or settle down to reasonableness.

Jan. 23.—Various newspapers report that German troops are pouring into Galicia, chiefly by road, and it is ex pected that Germany will occupy the whole of Southern Poland. Other news papers report, sensationally, that Ger man troops have appeared in force at the Rumanian frontier.

Jan. 23. —Foreign airmen are now assisting the Finns against the Rus sians—especially Italians. Swedes, Nor wegians and Danes. British, Americans and French also are now flying the aero planes with which Finland, to an in creasing degree, is meeting Russian air attacks.

Expert observers arriving in London confirm the reports that the various Russian defeats in Finland have been very severe. The Russians have been out-manoeuvred and out-fought. The Russian soldiers are brave, but Russian leadership and organisation have been lamentable.

Jan. 24.—A British warship stopped another Japanese liner, the “Tatuta Maru,” and enquired for German sea men, but there were none aboard. The incident, according to Tokio reports, has aroused Japanese agitators to a frenzy, and much anti-British feeling is

being expressed.

Jan. 24.—The British destroyer “Ex mouth,” 1,475 tons, complement 175, was sunk by a mine or torpedo in the North Sea. The whole of the crew was lost.

This is the fifth British destroyer sunk since war began.

Jan. 24.—Five thousand Victorian mem bers of the Second A.I.F. marched through Melbourne to-day, and were greeted with tremendous enthusiasm by the largest crowd ever assembled in the city.

Jan. 25.—1 t becomes clear that Ger many, with Russia’s permission has sent troops to occupy and police Southern Po land and Galicia, between Germany proper and the Rumanian frontier, thus providing the Germans with a clear corri dor in which they may organise the trans port of grain, oil, etc., from the Balkans to Germany.

This is a development to be expected.

It is of the utmost importance to Ger many that she should have these channels of supply well organised and efficient be fore the great test comes with the Euro pean spring. But irresponsible neutral newspapers, hungry for sensations, are working up the incident into “Occupation of Polish Galicia by Germany under a

new agreement between Germany and Russia”.

Jan. 25. —As indicating the losses suffered by neutrals owing* to unrestricted German attacks on shipping, it is an nounced that Norwegian shipping losses from war’s outbreak to date, are 32 vessels, of 112,000 tons. 150 Norwegian sailors have been lost.

Jan. 26.—German propaganda is reach ing fantastic heights. The German people are confidently assured that within a few months Hitler will be crowned King of England. The Nazis, with German thor oughness, are already training numbers of officials for new duties as Governors of various parts of England and the British Dominions. They are being taught Eng lish. and are making an intensive study of the local conditions in the various dis tricts to which they have been assigned.

Jan. 26. —A steady stream of Lockheed bombers, bought by the Allies and man ned by British and French crews, are proceeding from the United States to Newfoundland, and thence are being flown across the Atlantic for use on the Western Front.

Jan. 26. —Sir Neville Henderson (British Ambassador in Germany until war broke out) said, in a speech: “We are involved in a life or death struggle with an ex tremely powerful, highly-organised, and utterly unscrupulous nation. It is going to be a hard war, and it may last for a long time. Wishful thinking will not win this war. There is not going to be any early collapse within Germany.”

Jan. 26.—The Russians are making a desperate attempt to turn the Finnish flank on the front north-east of Lake Ladoga. The Finns are resisting stoutly.

If the Russians are defeated in this effort they may suffer another great disaster.

Jan. 28.—1 n reply to a stern inquiry by Britain, the Foreign Minister of Rumania has issued a statement denying reports that Rumania is increasing exports of petroleum to Germany, and discussing a guarantee pact with Germany and Russia.

This statement may be taken for what it is worth. Rumania, a notoriously un trustworthy and unreliable nation, finds herself to-day in a very difficult situation, threatened in the north by Germany, who demands her oil and grain, and by Russia, who wants Bessarabia, and menaced in the south by Britain and France, sup ported by Turkey, who have informed her quite frankly that if she permits any more than normal supplies to go to Germany they will take drastic action against her.

Jan. 28. —There has been a lengthy exchange of opinions between Britain and Japan, regarding the seizure of 22 Ger man seamen. Japanese public opinion is now quieter, and there are indications that the incident will be amicably settled.

Jan. 28.—Simultaneously with the out break of unrestricted attacks by Germans against all ships in British waters—by moored and magnetic mines, by sub marines and by aeroplanes (which swoop out of the clouds and machine-gun and bomb the ships)—the German High Com mand is assuring neutral journalists that, when weather permits, Britain’s essential food supplies will be attacked relentlessly and ceaselessly by air and sea, and that the war will end victoriously for Germany in 1940. It claims that the submarine cam paign must succeed and that Germany now is producing a new submarine every day.

Jan. 28.—The failure of the Russians, during six days of fierce fighting, to break through Finnish defences north of Lake Ladoga amounts to a definite defeat.

Jan. 29.—Britain is suffering the worst cold spell known since 1815. The whole of Britain, from Land’s End to John-O-

Groats, has been overwhelmed by snow storms and paralysed by cold, and trans port has been completely disorganised everywhere. Numbers of trains have been lest sight of for days, and isolated places are suffering great privations owing to shortage of food. There has been num erous fatalities. Traffic and transport are in chaos. Conditions on the Continent are just as severe—the Germans, being already short of fuel and certain foodstuffs, have suffered great privations.

Jan. 30.—The entire disruption of Britain’s essential road and rail com munications by intense cold, during sev eral days, has created a situation un known m living memory. The great rail way dislocation entered its third day to day. Trains carrying thousands of pas sengers and essential freights are held up in isolated places all over the country, and relief trains are going out to look for them.

Jan. 30.—Seeking to take advantage of British traffic dislocation, numbers of German planes have made their appear ance along the eastern coast of Britain, and are attacking all shipping with machine-guns and bombs.

They are not having much success, however. One or two small ships have been seriously damaged. Formations of R'-A-F. fighters are going out to sea, wherever the German bombers have been reported, and for the most part the raiders have fled.

Jan. 30.—1 t is officially announced that since the Germans seized Poland they have executed no less than 18,000 Polish leaders, selected from all classes, with the deliberate intention of systematically ex terminating the Western Polish popula tion.

Jan. 31.—The Germans claim that their wholesale aerial attacks upon British shipping on January 29 and 30 represent a great victory, as their planes in the two days destroyed four patrol ships and 14 armed merchantmen. Actually, they sank only one British ship of 2.800 tons, and a light ship.

Feb. I.—Britain’s preparation for a great expansion of ship-building is indi cated by the Government’s decision to make the Admiralty responsible for mer chant ship-building and repairs.

Feb. I.—The Balkan Entente powers (Turkey, Greece, Rumania and Yugo slavia) will open a conference at Bel grade to-morrow. It is stated bv the sensational press that “a new and un expected importance attaches to the con ference because of the reported threat of German pressure on Yugoslavia and reports of German troop concentrations on the frontier of Yugoslavia.”

Here is the yellow press rabbit again, and the whole pack is howling behind it, in fine style.

Feb. 2. —It is announced that 500,009 British and French troops now are in the Near East, ready to repel a German thrust through the Balkans or a Russian thrust through the Caucasus against the oil-fields from which the Allies draw vital supplies. Most of the British troops are based in Egypt and Southern Pales tine, while the French are in Syria.

Feb. 4.—The only outstanding decision of the Balkan Entente Powers was a de claration that all are united in a desire to maintain peace and neutrality in the Balkans, and in the basin of the Danube.

It is declared that each member of the Entente is free to pursue its own inter pretation of neutrality.

Feb. 4.—British fighting patrols are now learning how' to handle the flights of German bombers which come every day to attack the British shipping along

the eastern coast. To-day, they destroyed tour German bombers out of twelve which appeared.

Feb. 4.—The main railways in England are getting their services back to normal but there is a desperate shortage of fuel in most of the inland and northern towns and districts.

F f b * s *~Reports from Stockholm say that Germany has completed a deal with Russia under which Germany is taking over a large number of submarines from Russia.

This report probably is correct. It is not generally known that Russia posses m,the Sea , a fleet of at least 150 submarines. The great majority are small, but there are a few ranging up to 1,400 tons, and several between 600 and 800 tons, Feb. s.—German broadcasts claim that German aeroplanes and submarines de stroyed 14 ships off the coast of Britain on Saturday. Actually they attacked five British and three neutral ships. All the British ships reached port: the only loss was a small Norwegian ship. Mean while, British R.A.F. fighters gave such a good account of themselves that at least four, and possibly five, of the Ger man bombers were destroyed.

Feb. 6.—Reported that a neutral state shortly will submit a peace plan on be half of Hitler, through a League of Nations committee. The plan provides for a plebiscite under international con- Austria; and for a commission of British, French and Germans to de cide the future status of the Czech, Polish and Slovak states.

Feb. 6.—The Finns have completely routed the 18th Russian division, which was an important part of the Thirteenth Army. Between 15,000 and 20,000 men have been either killed, died of cold, or been taken prisoner.

Feb. 6.—H.M.S. “Sphinx,” a mine sweeper, which was damaged in Satur day’s air raid, and which was being towed to port, capsized and sank, caus ing the loss of 54 lives.

Feb. 6.—lt is officially announced that, last week, enemy action caused the loss of eight British ships, totalling 25,000 tons, and 6 neutral ships, of 17,500 tons.

It is reported that, so long as Britain’s average loss of merchant tonnage does not exceed 30,000 tons per week, there is no cause for alarm. Britain’s average weekly gain, with new construction and the purchase of foreign ships, is nearly equal to 30,000 tons per week.

Feb. B.—The “Asama Maru” incident has been settled, by Britain agreeing to return 9 out of the 22 German seamen who were seized (the nine being con sidered unfit for military service) while Japan will not give passages on her ships to Germans of military age, Feb. 9. —Owing to discovery of wide spread Nazi plot, Turkey has dismissed and is repatriating hundreds of German technicians, and has seized the Krupp shipyards at Istanbul Feb. 12.—Neutral countries generally welcome, as first indication of new move for peace, the announcement that Pre sident Roosevelt is sending his Assist ant Secretary of State, Sumner Welles, “to make a personal survey of condi tions in Italy, Germany, Britain and France”.

Feb. 13.—Officially announced members of Second A.I.F. and N.Z. Expeditionary Force landed at Suez and will shortly leave for then- war stations in the Middle East.