THE CHINA MAIL, DECEMBER 1, 1939
Hundreds Killed In Five Soviet Raids On Helsinki
MASS MURDER
AND ULTIMATUM
London, To-day.
WHILE A MASS EVACUATION is proceeding from the flame-ridden capi- tal of Finland, Helsinki, in which hundreds have been killed and wound- ed in five savage Soviet air raids, an unconfirmed report states that the Finnish Government has been presented with an ultimatum demand- ing the surrender of all Finland by 3 a.m. Moscow Time, that is, ap- proximately 9 a.m. to-day, Hong Kong time.
Unless surrender is proclaimed, the ultimatum is said to threaten, Helsinki and
every other big centre in the country will be razed to the ground.
An official Finnish statement concerning the land invasion, declares that Finland's forces are fighting stubbornly at all points. The Russian armies have been repulsed at most points, and where they have suc- ceeded in gaining a foothold, they have been unable to make further progress.
Twelve Soviet bombing planes have been shot down EVENTS
by anti-aircraft fire during the raids on Helsinki. FLEET CHALLENGED
It is also reported that the Finnish fleet, although
PERTURB
hopelessly outgunned, has challenged the Soviet GERMANY
fleet attacking Hango and a naval engagement is believed to be in progress.
¿
Soviet marines are reported to have landed at Hango in the face of withering fire, after the approaches had been subjected to naval shelling and aerial bombing for hours without a moment's cessation. The Russian armies have swept through the Rybachi Penin- sula in the extreme north, but they have made little progress in the Karelian Isthmus, their advance being limited to about five miles, despite the employment of mechanised units advancing under the cover of heavy artillery.
FINNISH MORALE HIGH
In the third raid on Helsinki, forty were killed, mostly wo- men and children. In the fourth raid, at 7 p.m. 250 persons were killed and wounded and eleven Soviet planes were shot down. The fifth raid came at 9 p.m., the Soviet bombers being directed to their objectives by the great red glow of a burning city.
Foreign correspondents in the capital declare that despite the violence of the raids and the fact that the first bombs were dropped only one minute after the alarm, the morale of the civilian population has been magni- ficent and there has been no sign of panic.
The Cabinet met in the afternoonference to air attacks, limiting their
and later met both Houses of Parlia- version to the statement that Soviet ment, where a vote of confidence was planes made "reconnaissance" fights given by an overwhelming majority. over the airports at Viborg and Hel- There is no sign of acceptance of the sink and bombed them. Moscow demand for the Government's resignation.
BRITISH WARNING
TO SOVIET
(SPECIAL TO "CHINA MAIL")
London, To-day. Observers here assumed that the Soviet aggression against Finland will compromise the An- glo-Soviet trade negotiations.
It is reported that London pré- viously warned Moscow that the negotiations would be impossible in the event of Soviet aggression against Finland.
The Russians themselves, how- ever, had expressed their unwill- Ingness to negotiate with Britain if she continued "to encourage powers hostile to Russia."
Havas.
the support of the Soviets.
"The Baltic States were sacrificed by Germany and after raking in this booty the Soviet made demands regarding a free hand in Finland, Sweden and Norway,
Amsterdam, To-day. The Russian invasion of Finland made a tremendous but complicated impression on Germany, says the Berlin correspondent of the Dutch paper "Telegraaf," who was permitted by the German censor to send a telephone popular with Army and Navy cir- message.
In his message, the correspondent said:-
"The concessions are now coming to light which Ribbentrop had to make to Moscow in order to obtain
with
"Here, too, Germany gave way." German circles generally, says the correspondent, sympathise with the Finns and watch apprehension the spread of Rus- sian power in the Baltic. This progress is particularly un-
cles.
The former recall the time when Germans and Finns fought side by side against Russia, and won Fin- land's independence, while naval cir- cles are worried for strategic reasons.
Reuter.
SCREEN FOR NAZI WAR PLAN AGAINST ALLIES?
(SPECIAL TO “CHINA MAIL”) BEHIND THE SCREEN of the Soviet action against Fin-
London, To-day.
land, political circles discern deeper currents of Soviet- Nazi intrigue.
M. Erkko, the Finnish Foreign Min- It ister, told foreign correspondents that Evacuation of the city is proceeding | the Finnish forces everywhere were with the utmost despatch, all trains being full, while many people are travelling by foot, despite the unplea- sant weather conditions.
on the defensive. "This is our policy We have no other way. If there is r chance to make an honest agreement we are always ready to grasp it."— Reuter.
FINLAND'S MILITARY
COMMANDER
U.S. LEGATION HIT During the raids, a bomb struck the U.S. Legation, but none of the inmates was injured. Another bomb, of some 500-lbs. dropped near the
Helsinki, To-day. Russian Field-Marshal Mannerheim, Fin- Legation and killed many persons in land's Grand Old Man, has been ap- an adjoining building. All the vic-pointed Commander-in-Chief of the tims of the bombing attacks have been Finnish forces. civilians,
The Soviet Government, which re- fused for hours to admit that the in- vasion had been ordered, issued a statement last evening declaring that the attack was provoked by a further attempted invasion of Soviet territory by Finnish troops.
SOVIET "RETICENCE" They claim that Russian troops have advenced between five and ten miles into Finnish territory in the Karelian Isthmus. They make only briet-re-
-
Reuter. SEISKAR! OCCUPIED
Helsinki, Tonday. Soviet forces crossed the frontier at Kyrsylae and Káeanaesenke and ́oc- cupied the island. of Seiskari, forty miles to the west of Kronstadt, and also the port of Terijoki, ten miles from the frontier. after bombard- ment from the sea. Reuter.
.
HANGOE ISLAND TAKEN?
Stockholm, To-day. It is reported here that Soviet troops have landed on the Island of Han"}
is considered possible that Russia got a free hand in Fin- land, while the Réich will later deal with Norway and Sweden, thus gaining most important strategic posi- tions and economic gains-notably lumber and iron ore.
goe, "the Baltic Gibraltar," following bombardment from the air, though this is not confirmed,
The Finns are stated to be resist ing bravely on the Karelian Isthmus, which is being attacked by land and sea-Reuter.
ADVANCING TOWARDS THE "MAGINOT LINE"
Rome, To-day.. Soviet forces who crossed the Finnish frontier are now rapidly advancing towards the Finnish *“Maginot Line,” 20 miles from the border, according to a message from Helsinki.
They are encountering some re- sistance.
It is reported that the hospital at Enso was destroyed during 'à Soviet bombing raid,
some value for an air attack on Bri- Scandinavian bases might prove of tain, while Germany might be able to continue her export trade by using the Norwegian harbour of Narvick, in Ofoten Bay, which is connected by railway with the Gulf Bothnia.
The Red Army attacking Petsamo, the region which separates Norway and Russia, may help the Germans in their Scandinavian adventure. Hayas,
to
Soviet warships are stated have bombarded Helsinki- In” the afternoon, but their fire was im- mediately answered by coast. bat- teries,
Helsinki's "train and bus ser- vices have been suspended.—Reu- ter.