Pacific News-Review
pp. 3-4 · Read in the full issue
Notes And Comment On
The Progress Of The War
From October 14 To Nov. 11
Oet. 14: British newspapers welcome the emphatic declaration by President Roosevelt that Americans are not to be scared away from Britain by the com pletion of the Japanese-Axis Pact. They comment upon the hesitancy now being shown by Japan in the adoption of a strong pro-Axis policy.
Oct. 14: German armies have practic ally completed the occupation of Rou mania, which now becomes a puppet state of the Axis organisation, it is reported that there is increasing Axis pressure on Yugoslavia. The Yugoslav premier, in an outspoken speech, said that the Yugoslavs will fight for their independence.
Oct. 14: British and American oil interests are removing their huge stores of oil from Chinese ports to Singapore, where they may be used for re-fuelling British and American warships or for transport to China via the re-opened Burma road.
Oct. 15: Very large stocks of war material for China have been concen trated in Burma in anticipation of the opening of the Burma road.
Oct. 16: The attitude of Russia towards German penetration of the Balkans remains unknown and incalculable. Tur key maintains a tone of spirited inde pendence, and declares that she will fulfil all her treaty obligations to Greece if Greece should be attacked by the Axis Powers, Oct. 16: The Germans continue to make mass night raid attacks upon Britain —especially London, where hun dreds of tons of bombs have been drop ped—and the RAF, night by night, is extending the scope and severity of its raids upon German cities, especially Berlin.
Oct. 17; While Italy is continuing to bring pressure to bear upon Greece, trying to induce her to abandon her treaty with Britain, the Germans are doing their utmost to bring Bulgaria under their control. There are indica tions of demoralisation in Syria, owing to the machinations of the Italian offi cials who have been trying to take con trol of that country since the French capitulation.
Oct. 18: Since USA disclosed its strong attitude towards Far Eastern affairs, following upon the Japan-Axis pact, the general tone of the Japanese press towards Britain and the USA has been modified and, while all precautions are being taken, there are hopes of a better understanding in the Far East. An agreement may now be made under which the Netherlands East Indies will supply Japan with 40 per cent, of her petroleum requirements.
Oct. 18; Two important developments to-day were that Britain re-opened the Burma road, described as “China’s life line”; and it was announced that the United States would make another loan to China.
Oct. 20: Yugoslavia, under Nazi pres sure, has entered into a trade agreement with Germany, which virtually means that she becomes economically and poli tically dependent on the Axis Powers. A Yugoslav minister acknowledged that the country had been “obliged to enter a system which promises to become the general European commercial policy.”
This development, combined with Ger man infiltration in Bulgaria, is regarded as a prelude to action against Greece and Turkey, opening the way for an Axis thrust down through the Balkans against British power in the Middle East.
Oct. 20: Japanese aeroplanes are bombing the Burma road. While they are causing some interference with traffic, they are not preventing the operation of hundreds of motor lorries, which now are engaged in transporting war materials into China.
Oct. 20: It is officially stated that what has happened already to Berlin, at the hands of the RAF. is nothing to what is going to happen in the future, and that already all western Germany and the Ruhr have suffered far more heavily than any place in Britain.
Oct. 20: The Italian armies on the western frontier of Egypt are still sitting idly in their trenches, doing nothing except occasionally sending out motor patrols. They are being daily and nightly bombed by the RAF.
Oct. 21: There is in England growing irritation because the British navy is not allowed to use the southern and western ports of Ireland to combat the increasing U-boat menace. Dublin is brightly lit at night, and provides Nazi planes with an invaluable guide in seeking the black out cities of western England, which they plan to bomb.
Oct. 22: Britain’s Prime Minister (Mr.
Churchill) speaking both in English and in French, broadcast a stirring appeal to the French people not to hinder Britain’s fight and to have faith in an Allied victory. He predicted that Britain would gain command of the air next year. Mr. Churchill’s French broadcast was jammed by the Nazis, so that the French people could not hear his re assuring words.
Oct. 23: Conferences between Hitler and Laval (vice-Premier of the Vichy Government), are causing great interest.
It is believed that Germany is putting pressure on the Vichy Government to bring France into the war with Ger many against Britain, and that similar proposals are being put up to Spain.
Oct, 24: Interest in the United States Presidency election, on November 5, is daily growing. The Republican candi date (Mr. Wendel Willkie) is campaign ing strongly. It is believed now that the result will be close. All the influence of the Axis Powers is being used to defeat Mr. Roosevelt.
Oct. 24; Hitler on Wednesday had talks with General Franco (Spanish dictator) which are believed to be closely related to his talks with Laval.
Oct. 25: Hitler and Marshal Petain, head of the Vichy Government, had a historic meeting in France to-day. It is believed in London that Hitler has failed in his main plan—which was to induce France and Spain to declare war on England.
Oct. 27: Officially announced that Hit ler and Marshal Petain have agreed on the “principle of collaboration for the reconstruction of peace in Europe”. This, of course, means that the Vichy Govern ment has resisted Hitler’s demands that France declare war on Britain. Franco appears to have taken up a similar stand in regard to Spain—this is already acknowledged by the controlled Italian newspapers.
Oct. 27: Tension between Italy and Greece is growing. Italy accuses Greek soldiers of having attacked an Italian frontier outpost in Albania.
Oct. 28: Giving Greece only three hours’ notice in the form of an ulti matum, which was delivered at 3 a.m., Italy has attacked Greece and the two nations are now at war. Italian troops
immediately crossed the Greek-Albanian frontier, and fighting is proceeding all along the frontier. Greek Government has ordered general mobilisation and appealed to Britain for aid, which is being given immediately.
It was learned, later, that Italy in this matter perhaps acted independently of Germany. Italy evidently expected Greece to surrender immediately, or collapse very quickly; but, instead, the Axis Pow ers made their most serious miscalcula tion in many months, because Greek ter ritory and bases are now available to the British, and the general British strategic situation in the Mediterranean is now greatly strengthened.
Oct. 28: To-day, Hitler and Mussolini met and conferred at Florence, in north ern Italy.
Oct. 29: The Greek Army is putting up a stubborn defence along the whole Albanian frontier. Reports are few, but there is no indication that the Italians have made any substantial advance anywhere.
Oct. 29: The Royal Air Force every night is attacking military objectives in Germany and Northern Italy, on an ever-inci easing scale. Enormous damage is being done. The German Air Force continues its day and night raids against England. The British people seem to have become accustomed to these condi tions, and the country’s activities go on as usual.
Oct. 29: The most serious aspect of the war situation, and one that is creat ing growing anxiety in responsible quar ters, is seen in the increasing losses of British merchant shipping tonnage. It is evident that large German and Italian submarines are present in large numbers in Atlantic waters, south and north of the British Isles, and the British losses are very serious. In the week ended October 22 the losses totalled no less than 198,000 tons. The Axis Powers, having been defeated in their air attacks upon England, are now concentrating all their strength upon crippling Britain’s sea-borne commerce.
Oct. 29: It is announced that soon six foreign armies will be in training in Britain, each under its own flag, com manders and military law. These pre sumably are the escapees from France, Norway, Holland, Poland, Belgium and Czechoslovakia.
Oct. 30: The re-occupation by Chinese forces of important towns in Southern China is reported. Some newspapers describe these as Chinese victories—but there are indications from several points that Japan is beginning to withdraw her armies from Southern China. No one as yet can see what this portends.
Oct. 30: Reported that five German divisions are waiting in Albania, ready for a lightning attack upon Northern Greece when the Italian forces have conquered the stubborn Greek divisions on the frontier. The organ of the Ger man Foreign Office says that Turkey may shortly receive an ultimatum similar to that delivered by Italy to Greece.
Oct. 31: British warships have bom barded Italian bases in the Dodecanese Islands and British airplanes from Egypt have made raids upon Italian bases dur ing the last few days.
Nov. 2: It is officially announced that British forces—presumably air and naval —have landed in Greece. A strong British base is being rapidly prepared on the island of Crete, from which British air forces can attack the Italians in Albania,
or north-west, against the “heel” of Italy. Greek ports are being made avail abe for the use of British warships.
Nov. 3: The Italians are being held by the Greeks on the coastal sector of the frontier, and Greeks have thrown them back several miles into Albania. The Greeks now threaten the important Albanian town of Koritza.
Nov. 4: All reports from the Balkans indicate that the Greeks are holding up the Italian army on the Greek-Albanian frontier. Meanwhile, the British, using Crete as their base, are rapidly develop ing air attacks for the assistance of the Greeks.
Nov. 4: RAF bombers from England, for the second night in succession, attacked Naples and ‘dropped bombs on military objectives.
Nov. 5: The Prime Minister (Mr.
Churchill) stated that 14,000 civilians have been killed and 20,000 seriously injured in enemy air raids on Britain since the war started —nearly four-fifths of this number in London.
Nov. 5: Losses of British merchant shipping by enemy shipping continue alarming. Two British armed merchant cruisers, the “Laurentic”, 18,700 tons, and the “Patrotlus”, 11,300 tons, have been torpedoed and sunk. One of the largest British merchant vessels afloat, the “Empress of Britain”, 42,300 tons, has been sunk by enemy action.
Nov. 6: In the United States President ial election yesterday, Mr. Roosevelt was returned for a third time with an over whelming majority. He had not a large majority on the popular vote—perhaps 6,000,000 in a total vote of 50,000,000 — but the majority was so well distributed throughout the States that he appears certain to have about 450 votes in the total electoral college vote of 531. The Democrats also secured substantial majorities in both houses of Congress.
As the foreign policy of Mr. Roosevelt was clear and unequivocal—namely, re sistance to the dictators, and all possible help, short of war. to Britain —it ap pears that his re-election in so emphatic a way is one of the most important events since war broke out. The decision of the American people means virtually that the last of the great European democracies —namely, Great Britain — will not be defeated until the United States also is defeated.
Nov. 6: The British Prime Minister ad mitted frankly in the House of Commons that recent destruction of merchant ton nage by enemy submarines in the At lantic has become for Britain a more serious problem than that of enemy attack by air. Mr. Churchill added that the refusal of the Government of Ire land to allow Britain to use ports on the south and west coast of Ireland “imposes a heavy and grievous burden, and a burden which never should have been laid upon our shoulders”.
Nov. 7: Britain’s latest aid to Greece has been a third raid upon Naples by the RAF, and a loan to Greece of £5,000,000.
Nov. 8: The Premier of Ireland 'Mr.
De Valera has caused intense resentment throughout the British Fmpire by re fusing point-blank, and with bitter words, to give or lease to Britain anti-submarine bases on the coast of Ireland.
Nov. 8; The Germans claim triumph antly that a pocket-battleship, which is operating in the North Atlantic, com pletely destroyed a large British convoy totalling about 80,000 tons. The Admiralty says, however, that although some ships were destroyed a number saved them selves by scattering and making no wire
less signals
Nov. 8: British bombers from Crete are now regularly attacking Brindisi and other Italian ports, from which military supplies pass from Italy to Albania.
Nov. 8: It is now clear that the whole of the Japanese forces in South China are being evacuated, and concentrated on the large island of Hainan. Does this new move portend a fuller occupation of Indo-China by Japan, or attack upon the Netherlands Indies.
Nov. 9: • Two large freighters—one British and one American —were destroyed by mines in Bass Strait, between Tas mania and Australia. A minefield, appar ently laid recently by an enemy raider, is being swept up.
Nov. 10: Mr. Neville Chamberlain.
British Prime Minister from 1937 until May, 1940, is dead, at the age of 71. He underwent a serious operation recently.
Nov. 11: Hitler, after tremendous pub licity, was to deliver a broadcast to the German nation from his famous Beer Hall, in Munich, on Friday night. A few minutes after he commenced speaking, RAF bombers appeared over Munich and gave the town a terrific thrashing for several hours. All German radio stations were off the air. A recorded version of the Fuhrer’s speech was broadcast the following day.
Nov. 11: One of the worst earthquakes in European history devastated Rou mania, which recently became a puppet state of the Axis Powers. There has been enormous destruction and loss of life.
Much damage was done to the oil wells, which were the main cause of Germany seizing and occupying this country.
Nov. 11: It is confirmed that Greeks, in central portion of battle-front, have inflicted a severe defeat upon Italians, who are retreating through mountains in disorder.
Nov. 11: RAF bombers, whose offensive strength is constantly growing, last night bombed German Baltic port of Danzig, 1,000 miles from England.
Nov. 11: Molotov, Soviet Premier and Foreign Minister, has arrived in Berlin for conferences with Germans, Italians and Japanese. German newspapers glee fully forecast another diplomatic defeat for Britain.