Pacific News-Review
pp. 3-4 · Read in the full issue
Notes And Comment On
The Progress Of The War.
From August 13 To Sept. 10
Aug. 13: Severe air raids on Britain continue daily, and all classes are hasten ing their preparations to resist the ex pected attempt by the Germans to invade Britain. Confidence is growing, in the be lief that the Germans can be success fully resisted.
Aug. 13: The despatch of Rear-Admiral Gormley by President Roosevelt to Britain, as a special envoy, to investigate the possibility *of Britain being able to resist further advances by Germany, is regarded as highly significant. It is thought that if the envoy’s report is sat isfactory, there will be great and in creasing help for Britain from the United States.
Aug. 13: Soldiers and naval ratings aboard the troopship “Mohamed Ali el Kibir’’, which was torpedoed and sunk in the Atlantic, showed magnificent discip line and steadiness. There were 755 sur vivors, out of 860.
Aug. 13: Boasting extravagantly of the victories which they expect to win shortly in Africa, the Italians say that in the Middle East they are facing Australian, New Zealand, South African, British and Indian troops. They deride these forces, and say they lack war spirit and have an inferior command, and that their fighting will and organisation will break down when they face the manly warlike quali ties of the Italians.
Aug. 13: A fierce controversy is pro ceeding in the United States as a result of a proposal by Mr. Hoover, head of the European Food Distribution Commission, that the United States should ship large quantities of foodstuffs to the countries occupied by Germany, which are threatened with famine. It is recognised that the British attitude to any such pro posal will be an uncompromising “no”— because all occupied countries are being deliberately and systematically denuded of food supplies by the invading Ger mans. Foodstuffs sent in by charitable Americans, in such circumstances, will merely assist Hitler to defeat the block ade.
Aug. 14: Australia had its most serious air accident to-day, when a Defence De partment plane, flying from Melbourne to Canberra, crashed near Canberra, ana the Minister for Army (Mr. Street), Minister for Air (Mr. Fairbairn), Vice- President of Executive Council (Sir H.
Gullet) and Chief of General Staff (Sir Brudenell White), with six minor officials, were all killed.
Aug. 14: Relations between Italy and Greece are strained, but Rome denies re ports that military action is imminent.
Aug. 14: Big fleet of British bombers crossed the Alps and did great damage to aircraft factories and motor plants in northern Italy—especially Milan and Turin.
Aug. 14: Large forces of Italians are advancing in British Somaliland and, al though the much smaller British forces are resisting, it seems likely that they will retire to the coast. British Somaliland is a small barren country of no economic value.
Aug\ 15: An unknown submarine tor pedoed the Greek cruiser “Helle” (2,115 tons) wiiiie she was anchored off one of the Greek islands. This is causing great excitement and tension in Greece. There is no doubt that the submarine was Italian.
A s this was to have been Hitler s day of triumph—he announced in May that he would be in Paris on June 15 and m London on August 15—the occasion is being celebrated throughout Britain by a sober weighing up of the general military situation. It is being found very encouraging. The British are
more than holding their own against all the air forces which Germany can bring against them.
Aug. 15: The Italians are advancing rapidly in British Somaliland and are only 75 miles from the main port, Berbera, Aug. 15: The armed merchant cruiser “Transylvania” was sunk by a U-boat in the Atlantic —over 30 men lost.
Aug. 16: The German air raids cul minated yesterday in a great attack by no less than 1,000 machines, but the Ger mans did not make any breach in Britain’s aerial defences. British destroyed no less than 169 German aeroplanes—a record for one day. Only 34 British fighters were lost, and 17 of their pilots are safe.
Aug. 16: The tension between Italy and Greece, as a result of the sinking of a Greek cruiser by an Italian submarine, is increasing. Greek forces are being mobilised.
Aug. 18: Spanish troops, estimated at 16,000, with guns and light and medium tanks, have landed in Spanish Morocco.
The intentions of Spain are not clear, and it is thought by some that this may be a prelude to a plan under which Ger many will march huge armies through France and Spain, across into North Africa, in order to mop up the French and British Colonies there. But Gibraltar must first be taken from Britain.
Aug. 19: R.A.F. bombers, every night without fail, on an ever-increasing scale, make attacks upon military objectives in Germany and the German-occupied parts of Holland, Belgium and France. Attacks upon factories in North Italy are also be ing made with growing frequency—al though this involves an air-journey of over 1,600 miles.
Aug. 16: It is authoritatively reported that Britain has offered to lease naval base sites in the Western Hemisphere to the United States in return for 50 American destroyers.
Aug. 18: After a couple of quiet days, in which Germany probably is re-organ ismg her battered air fleets, intense air
raids upon England were resumed. New methods of attack had no more success than hitherto in penetrating Britain’s de fences.
Aug. 18: The British Navy appeared suddenly upon the coast of Libya and. with long-range gun-fire from many ships, smashed up Italian concentrations, which had been preparing for the invasion of Egypt. Great damage was done to Fort Capuzzo, which the Italians have now abandoned.
Aug. 19: Although the partial mobili sation of Greek reservists has been ordered, it appears that the Italo-Greek tension is decreasing. Italy has apologised to Greece for bombing two Greek destroyers, claiming that she was under the impression they were British.
Aug. 19: About 600 German planes at tacked objectives in England yesterday, but did no material damage. The Ger mans lost 141 planes in this day’s raid, and the British 22 fighters, the pilots of ten of which are safe.
Aug. 19; The effect of the British naval attack upon Italian forces in Libya was shattering. About 90 minutes after the British ships left, they were found by Italian bombers, but before the Italians could attack, R.A.F. planes, which had been waiting for them, swooped down upon them, and 11 Italian planes were destroyed, without any British losses.
A ug- i 5: A shai ’P dispute between the United States and Japan, as to who would take over the guarding of the Inter national Settlement when the British troops were withdrawn from Shanghai has been settled. The United States has gamed control of the central section in cluding the waterfront.
T An agreement between the united States and Canada to establish immediately a permuient Joint Defence Board is regarded as an event of histori cal importance, and is another step in the apparently inevitable alliance between Great Britain and the United States in the defence of European civilisation. * s re P° r ted from Hong Kong that oetween 30 and 40 French warships an if-LnYS? "I Indo-China from Madagascar d base - th °W*t to be i Aug : * 9 / J/AJ. bombers again attacked important Italian factories in Northern iiaiy.
Aug. 20; The British evacuation of Somalnand is now complete, o T^iB cam Paign was of minor importance.
Somaliland had no value, either economi caliy or strategically, although it is ad mitted that it may be regarded as another set-pack to British prestige in the Middle r>ast. Hitler has congratulated Mussolini hls magnificent victory in Somali- Au &; Bri tain’s Prime Minister (Mr.
Churchill) says that the total of British killed, missing, wounded and prisoners in Qo^ ar ’ lncludin 8 civilians up to date is 92,000, a large proportion of whom are prisoners. Casualties in the first year of the last war, he said, were 365,000. “We will resolutely and methodically prepare a Si ai^^ gn a B ains t the enemy in 1941 and 1942”, he said.
Aug. 20; R.A.F. planes attacked mili tary objectives in Berlin last night and about 40 explosions were heard.
Aug. 21: Italian troops are concentrated on the Italian-Greek border and Greece has called up further military classes.
The Axis Powers are trying to force Greece to abandon the British guarantee.
Greece is unwilling to do this.
Aug. 21: It is clear now that Britain is rapidly overhauling Germany’s numeri cal lead in aeroplanes. German bombers and fighters are being destroyed more quickly than the German factories can replace them, whereas Britain is receiv ing an ever-increasing supply of mach ines from the United States. Mr.
Churchill says that new aircraft pro duction in Britain already exceeds the output of the German factories.
Aug. 21; It is officially announced that the same amount of shipping is using British ports as before the recent in tensification of air raids on Britain.
Aug. 22; German guns mounted on the French coast, which occasionally drop shells in English coastal districts, this morning shelled a convoy passing through the Straits of Dover, out did not score a hit. Then German bombers at tacked the convoy and British fighters came and drove off the bombers.
Aug. 22: The Premier of Egypt an nounced, at a secret session of the Egyptian Parliament, that Egypt will de clare war on Italy if Italian troons in vade Egypt. This has reference to the ex pected advance of Italian armies con centrated in Libya.
Aug. 22: Trotskv. exiled Bolshevik leader, died in Mexico City from wounds inflicted by an assassin.
Aug. 23: British guns on the Kentish coast are now firing at the German guns on the coast of France across the Straits of Dover (21 miles wide).
Aug. 24: German air formations con tinue their daily and nightly attacks upon England and Scotland. Formations to an increasing degree F.re trying to penetrate the defences of London. Yesterday, for the first time, people in Trafalgar Square could hear the anti-aircraft guns on the outskirts of the city.
Aug. 24: R.AE. bombers, on August 22, daringly raided the Italian base at Boma, in Libya, and destroyed two Italian sub marines. an Italian destroyer and a sub marine depot ship.
Aug. 24; The Foreign Minister in the Petain Government made a bitter attacx upon Britain for refusing to lower the British blockade so as to permit the entry of foodstuffs into Prance.
Aug. 25: Germans made the biggest mass raids of the war upon Britain yesterday, using over 1,000 planes. London and Portsmouth were attacked. Damage was done and many casualties caused but not on an alarming scale. 48 German planes and 10 British fighters were lost. A par ticularly savage attack was made by enemy bombers upon Ramsgate, and a large part of the undefended town was wiped out. Little damage was done to Portsmouth.
Aug. 25: War continues to threaten the Balkans, as Italy menaces Greece, and Roumania and Hungary distrustfully negotiate about a revision of their boundaries. There is no indication of what Russia is likely to do.
Aug. 26: So seriously has the official relationship between Britain and France deteriorated that, it is stated, a declara tion of war against Britain by the French Government at Vichy would not take the British Government by surprise.
It is believed that Germany and Italy are trying to induce France to take this step. Against this, however, it should be pointed out that if France officially de clares war on Britain, Britain immediately will seize the greater part of the French Empire. Under' present conditions it is the" intention of Britain, when she has defeated the Nazis, to assist in the res toration of the French Empire. In the meantime the French Colonies are not being interfered with —on the contrary, they are being economically assisted in many cases by Britain.
Aug. 26: To-day, London had its 15th air raid. German plane formations are
daily and persistently trying to break through the outer defences of London.
Meanwhile, R.A.F. bombers are nightly attacking objectives in Germany, Italy, France, Holland, etc. Their activities ex tend as their numbers increase. All the evidence shows that they are doing an enormous amount of military damage.
Aug. 27: Britain last night experienced the most extensive night raid of the war.
At least 50 enemy planes, operating singly, circled over London for over six hours. Bombs fell over a wide area. Much troublesome damage was done, but little of military importance.
Aug. 27: British naval forces on Friday and Saturday penetrated into the Italian harbour of Bardia, near the Egyptian frontier, engaged their targets at point blank range, and bombarded the Italian troop concentrations in the fort, and the seaplane base.
Aug. 27: The German air force has had such severe reverses in its attacks upon Britain that it is now expected that dif ferent tactics will be employed, with harder blows and probably an intensifica tion of night-bombing. It is expected that Germany from now on will attack with waves of aeroplanes day and night. But British defences are in excellent order, and British morale is high.
Aug. 27: The situation between Greece and Italy is still regarded as grave.
Aug. 29: Germany and Italy, determined to prevent war in the Balkans, have sent their respective Foreign Ministers to Vienna, to which city also the Foreign Ministers of Hungary and Roumania have been summoned.
It is expected that Roumania will be told that she must give up a large por tion of Transvlvania to Hungary, other wise she will be invaded by Germany. If Roumania resists it is possible that Russia will interfere—Russia has large troop formations on the Russo-Roumanian frontier.
Aug. 30: There is an interesting report from Washington, that the United States and Russia have agreed to re-consider their mutual interests in view of the moves being made by the Axis Powers and Japan.
Aug. 31: Roumania has agreed, at Vienna, under pressure by Germany and Italy, to cede to Hungary about two thirds of the province of Transylvania.
The cession has been received with con sternation throughout Roumania and pub lic disorder is feared. It means that Rou mania becomes a German puppet state, and Germany gets all her oil and wheat.
Sept. 1; Germany continues savage mass air attacks upon British towns. Yesterday German raiders dive-bombed and mach ine-gunned women and children in Lon don shopping areas. The R.A.F. hit back at German military targets with deadly precision.
Sept. 1: It is reported at Vichy that rebellion against the Petain Government has broken out in Indo-China, as well as in the various territories of French Equatorial Africa.
Sept. 1: There is great resentment in Roumania against the territorial disposi tions made at Vienna and all the elements of a widespread revolt are appearing.
Sept. 1: The British armed cruiser “Dunvegan Castle”, 15,000 tons, was sunk by a submarine in the North Atlantic; 30 men are missing.
Sept. 2: The air attack on Britain is intense. The fact that the ratio of Ger man losses to Britain has fallen consid erably does not mean that the defence is weakening. It means that Hitler, stung by his heavy losses of bombers, is now sending over fewer bombers, and far more fighters to protect them.
Sept. 2: Independent correspondents re cently in occupied France say that, de spite German propaganda, the French nation remains anti-German and pro-
British. The French neonle seem to be now emerging from a kind of torpor, which followed the shattering news of their capitulation to Germany, and there is a marked revival of the national spirit, a desire for independence and a pride in nationalitv.
Sept. 3; Desnite ceaseless attacks by German air squadrons upon Britain, the R.A.F. bombers go out every night on a front extending from Norway, through Germany and France, to Northern Italy, and do enormous damage. Berlin now is raided by R.A.F. bombers every night.
Sept. 3: It is announced on the anni versary of the outbreak of war that an agreement has been reached between Britain and the United States under which the United States will supply Britain with 50 destroyers, to be put into service immediately, while Britain will lease to the United States important naval and air bases in New Foundland, the West Indies and British Guiana. This is regarded as the most important event of the war.
Sept. 4: Japan’s demands for permis sion to send Japanese troops! across Indo china to attack the Chinese are creating a condition of tension which concerns both Great Britain and the United States.
Sept. 5: U.S. Secretary of State (Mr.
Cordell Hull) has publicly warned Japan that she must not alter the status quo of French Indo-China or the Dutch East Indies.
Sept. 5: The air raids against England are mounting in fury. The enemy attacks upon the London area are almost con tinuous, day and night. A good deal of damage is being done, but it seems only to strengthen the resolution of the British people.
Sept. 5: Hitler, in an unexpected public speech, announces an unrestricted “all in” air attack upon England—especially Lon don. He abandons his promise of an early defeat of Britain. He talks now of a war that will last five years, in which Ger many will outlast and out-bomb England.
Sept. 6: Hitler’s admission now that the war may last for years has started an extraordinary rally in the stock exchanges of the world. It is accepted as a clear cut admission that he cannot beat Britain.
Sept. 6: King Carol of Roumania has abdicated in favour of his son Michael, 19. Carol is leaving for Switzerland. Gen eral Antonescu, a pro-German reaction ary, becomes dictator of Roumania, which is now wholly under the domination of the Axis Powers.
Sept. 6: Japan, replying to U.S.A., said that the latter country had no cause for alarm concerning the status quo of Indo- China.
Sept. 6: Large naval reinforcements have almost doubled the effective strength of the British Navy in the Med iterranean.
Sept. 8: The Nazi’s most savage air assault upon London to date took place on Saturday. Over 300 people were killed and about 1,300 seriously injured. A great deal of severe damage was done in east ern and south-eastern London—especi ally along the Thames. Bombing was in discriminate. The Germans simply drop ped their bombs as far in over the city as they could get.
Sept. 9: What is described as the big gest convoy ever assembled has arrived safely in the Mediterranean, without enemy interference, carrying very large reinforcements for all classes of British troops in the Middle East, where heavy fighting is expected soon.
Sept. 10: The enemy’s aerial assault on London continues. Damage is severe, but not paralysing. Germany is sacrificing hundreds of planes.