1940-10-12 — Page 2

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THE CHINA MAIL, OCTOBER 12, 1040.

HITLER'S AIM IN BALKANS

DORNIERS

HAMBURG

Too Soon To Accept Definite Axis Commitment Game Of Bluff As The Prelude

(By Reuter's Military Correspondent)

DESPITE LARGE TROOP MOVEMENTS IN THE BALKANS IT IS TOO SOON TO BE QUITE CERTAIN THAT THE AXIS POWERS HAVE DEFINITELY COMMITTED THEMSELVES TO CERTAIN LINES OF ACTION THERE, A GAME OF BLUFF IS IN PROGRESS AS A PRE- LUDE.

News from the Balkans has been scarce and most of it completely unreliable. Normal diplomatic channels have been purposely closed by the Germans who have at the same time issued their own reports regarding troop occupations.

CASE OF MR. MILLER

It is understood that the pre- liminary Rumanian police report op activities of Mr. Miller

of

The appearance that vast new military de-exonerated him from the charge velopments are taking place comes from Ger- of sabotage but the director man sources rather than neutrals.

It may be that all this means an attack on Egypt and the Suez Canal by way of the Balkans in- stead of through Libya but there are arguments against such a course.

police refused to take the respon- sibility of releasing him with an order of expulsion froin the

A certain number of me-country. Mr. Miller was therefore chanised troops are embodied handed over to the Rumanian

in this army but the country military authorities. Reuter

is not very suitable for them nor for the German panzer corps with all its proved effi- ciency.

they

Arm-chair strategy is

a, fas- cinating hobby and its exponents are often amusing, when wave their arms in pincer move- merits all over large maps, but the problem to the professional soldier is to attain an object by. the most direct methods and in the shortest possible." time. be a Reuter. to be

Offensives on a large scale require a lot of staging and a glance at the map reveals that a march on Turkey, with the object of taking Syria and then Palestine, would

not major operation. lightly undertaken. We know, however, from ex- perience in France that Hitler is capable of action with lightning speed, that his panzer corps are ready and organised for quick exploitations and that they will cheerfully attempt what would appear to be impossible.

Quality Of Audacity The quality of audacity has been a great factor in the war so far, so the possibility of sur prise movements should not be overlooked.

RUMANIA'S

OIL BAN

MODIFIED

CATCH TARTAR NEAR LIVERPOOL

It is officially stated. that a number of Dorniers which at- tempted to attack Liverpool last night at about. 6.30 p.m. were intercepted by British fighters and chased over Wales. Three of them were shot down.

Earlier, the Air Ministry had an- nounced four British and four German 'planes down in the day, with the pilots of the four British. ʻplanes. all safe. Reuter,

HEAVY RAIDS ON ITALIAN BASES

FURTHER HEAVY RAIDS on the Italian bases

in Libya and other activities of R.A.F. bombers, from

all of which operations the British aircraft returned

without loss, are detailed in an R.A.F. communique

issued in Cairo last night.

ERITREA SHORTAGES

HARD HIT Nazi Official Admission

A number of German towns are mentioned by the Cologne correspon- dent of the German news agency in a report to Ber- lin on the results of bomb... ing attacks by the R.A.F. in Germany on Thursday night.

References are all to "residen- tial quarters" and the correspon- civilians dent adds that many were killed and injured.

mentioned Towns

include Essen, Castrol-Rauxel, Dussel- dorf, Leipzig and Magdeburg, and the correspondent also reports a raid. on. Cologne on Wednesday night."

According to the official Gor man, nows agency a, "eosno, of indescribable destruction" haa resulted, from the bombing of Hamburg on Thursday night, The statement draws a picture of "destroyed houses, fallen walls, collapsed roofs and heaps of rubble."-Reuter,

PATROLS CLASH IN KENYA

A SHARP CLASH BETWEEN. The communique discloses, that

A STRONG BRITISH PATROL important military objectives. at

AND ITALIANS ON TUESDAY Benghazi were ralded on Thurs. It was learned in Buday night, by bombers, not once,

JUST SOUTH OF BUNA, WAS RECORDED IN A COMMUNI- charest yesterday that the but several times.

"As the result of the first""at-

QUE ISSUED IN NAIROBI, YES- Rumanian petrol authori-tack, large fires developed at the

TERDAY. AS A CONSEQUENCE OF THE The communique, states, heavy the ties have reviewed the dock and in the warehouses,

which were still to be clearly BRITISH NAVAL STRANGLE- casualties were indicted on

THE ITALIANO position concerning the seen when the aircraft were thirty HOLD,

IN enemy.

were British casualties

the Graziani's army in Libya has.

on their homeward | ERITREA, ARE HARD PRESSED slight and after the action on the other hand, been ready ban on exports of oil pro-miles away

flight.

FOR FOOD, ACCORDING. TO British patrol withdrew success- ducts to. Greece.

INFORMANT WHO RE- | fully. Reuter. "Aircraft attacking three hours AN

IN: ADEN later were guided to their targets CENTLY ARRIVED by the warehouse fires which were FROM MASSAWA. still raging.

,for some time.

It outnumbers the British and should now be in a posi- tion to attack even without pincer movement or; the left So well beloved by arm-chair strategists.

Grotesque maps recently pub- lished, showing black pincer lines in south-east Europe and North Africa with no relation 'whatever to mountains, seas and ́· rivers, are misleading in the extreme and have often little relation to military possibilities.

Distances Involved

Here are some of the distances involved in the much discussed Nazi left wing pincer.

From the Bulgarian frontier to "Aleppo, In Syrin, is 650 miles. From Aleppo to Halfa, in Pales- tine, is over 300 miles. All roads are of doubtful quality.

As a result Rumania has agreed to supply the normal requirements of Greece provided adequate con- trot is instituted in Greece to pre- vent the re-export of oil products.

There will thus be only a slight interruption in the export of oil to Greece pending the organisu- tion of the necessary control.

The report that Rumania is placing a ban on oil exports to Turkey is discredited in Buck

arest.

"Direct hits were registered on three ships in the harbour. "Other bombs fell in the naval dockyard.

Tobruk Also

In an interview with Reuter yesterday, he said food was only obtainable in small quantities and was very bad.

CANADA TO BUILD MERCHANT SHIPS

The Canadian Minister for the : British all Coffee shops had

closed Navy announces that owing to the shortage of coffee commission is to visit Canada very with was shortly for a discussion The shortage and sugar, accentuated owing to the lack Canadian naval authorities about of transport due to the scarcity the building of more merchant

ships-Reuter.

"A further rald was carried out on Tobruk harbour, with damage to shipping, but the full extent Omcial circles explain that Ru-of the damage has not yet pean of petrol. Reuter. mania is under an obligation to ascertained. supply Turkey with oil in ex- "Our bombers raided Assab in change for 12,000 tons of raw Eritrea, with the result that the cotton contracted for in the recent main pierhead was set on clearing agreement, and this and damage caused to...harbour

will be buildings. agreement,. It is added, fulfilled.

Turkish Charges

A BUCHAREST MESSAGE The question that one asks, SAYS THAT THE TURKISH therefore, is why should Hitler TRADE REPRESENTATIVE march a thousand mile THERE ACCUSES RUMANIA OF through Euch country when FAILING IN HER CONTRACT Graziano, army. of Italiana TO DELIVER OIL. HE IS, are already within 250 miles THEREFORE, INSISTING THAT SHIPMENTS OF TURKISH.COX- TON BE PAID FOR IN ADVANCE WITH DOLLARS.

of Alexandria?

There is no answer that would make sense unless he hopes to subjugate Turkey as easily and bloodlessly as: he did Rumania,

But Turkey is the largest and

Under à Turco/Rumanian trade agreement last month, Turkey was

- strongest of all the States or to have bartered her cotton for

..

south-cast Europe and there is. no reason to suppose she would

submit to Invasion.

Turkey's Strength

ollReuter

NEW ZEALAND'S VOLUNTEERS Enlistments in the New Zealand She was the leader of the Bul- Expeditionary Force up to the kan Entente and occupe close of the voluntary recruiting position of Immense strategie: value, as the Straits are the

fire.

"Motor transport on the Dessie- Assob, road was machine-gunned and damaged." Normal recon- naissance flights were carried out by the South African Alis*Force."

Reuter.

TOMMY GUN FIRED

AT CASHIER

CANADA'S VITAL ROLE IN WAR

THE IMPORTANCE of Canada's role in the war is becoming increasingly apparent.

Canada now has a Pacific Military Com- mand for her western provinces of British Columbia and Alberta, and she is sending in- creasing help to Britain.

Armed men entered the Bank

Within the next few months, for, of Ireland branch at Armagh

instance, twice as many Austral- and ordered "hands up." cashier, Mr. Cantlon, moved and, tan, and New Zealand airmen are one of the men fired a Tommy to arrive in Canada for training gun burst in his direction, but under the Empire air training

desk received the bullets or scheme than was originally ex deflected them into the wall. Mr. pected, Potes Clarice, who lives next The annual output of pilots and door to the bank, say men loiter nir gunners in Canada has, been ing about and became suspicious. Increased from 22,000 to over 30,- Ho went to his door, but the 000 NA MANE driver of the car outside the bank, ordered him into his house. On hearing firing, Mr. Clarke Many airmen trained in Aus-ran across the road and tele- tralia under the Empire Air Plan phoned the police. The raiders will soon be ready for service fled without having time even to

system totalled 59,644.-

gateway between the Black Sco.j MORE EMPIRE -

and the Mediterranean and nisò. at form a bridge between -

C and Asin.

Europe

Turkey has a large army........... 26 divisions in peace time and in war she could double "that strength without effort.--

overseas.

AIRMEN

demand money,

Canada has also decided to bulld: 3,000 tanks of amow.type, combining the best features of Britlab and United States, ""mes dlum erulaar, tankis designs Of these, 1,000 will be sent Britain.-Router.

to

MOSCOW AND THE DOUBLE TENTH

The Moscow Radio has been

broadcasting the full text of Gen-

eral Chiang Kai-shek's "Double Tenth" address to the Chinese nation-Reuter

LATEST WAR GIFTS

Among the latest war gifts to reach Britain are £12,000, from. the Amritsar district, War, Corr mitton, and £6,000, from, the Tane ganyika War Fund-Reuler,