1941-04-12 — Page 7

THE CHINA MAIL, APRIL 12, 1941.

CHINA MAIL

-WINDSOR HOUSE

HITLER'S HESITATIONS

son

One of the most inter- esting aspects of the Bal- kan campaign is the rea- Hitler hesitated so long before he finally de- cided to support his Axis partner. His indecision was extremely dangerous to himself as well as to Mussolini, and promises | to cost him more than he probably cares to visual- ise. The resistance which he must now expect is more than doubled by the presence of British Im- perial Porres in Greece, which, a few months ago, would not. have been available for this area. The German Fuehrer has also given General Wavell time to smash the Italians in Africa. The Germans have had to start the! campaign in Cyrenaica al- most from scratch, where- as help given earlier would have added to the strength of the Italians and made the British ad- vance so much more diffi- cult.

As matters now stand, Britain is in a position to keep her supply lines open across the Mediterranean, especially since the Battle of Malapan which broke Italian naval power. The

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Triumphs In Africa Weldon James

Delhi Conference has pav-covered his prey with

Smashing British victories

By-

in, inforcements rushed from Addis

his Fast Africa foreshadow the early Ababa at the order of the Duke of

veterans for the new campaigns

and

the

Viceroy of Ethiopia and dissolution of Mussolini's Empire Austa.

release of as commander of the besieged troops. ed the way for a steady foul saliva and then had and the possible

With Keren end its high increase in supplies to the it suddenly wrested from many as 200,000 hardened British

į plateau and

10,000 1- Middle East, and the ex- his coils, would be in in Cyrenaica and the Balkans,

tives under The Unjon Jack,

British bad pulsion of the Italians amiable mood compared

comparative- Greatest of the British triumphs the

easy ground to Lover from the Red Sea, will in with Hitler when he ex-are the capture of the Eritreanly

the marching on to Asmara, the capi- stronghold of Massawa and this bitter all likelihood result in dir-perienced

[+ Massawa, Eritrea's Ethojnan capital of Addis Ababa. tal, included the capture

of largest seaport. Naval cooperation ect American shipments disappointment." Since Others

the Gambelit.

in wertern Ethiopia, by; here, such as employed in the re- to Red Sea ports. This is Yugoslavia had lost

a new column of British and Free capture of Berbera, speeded the second time during moral support of the Lea- Belgian forces, and the empation Eritrean collapse.

ut! the f

The taking of Harrar, Haile the course of the war that gue of Nations, with the several itahan posts

Southern Ethiopian front be native

Selassie's lume town and Ethio- Hitler has failed to seize break-up of that body, imegulats,

pra's second vity (50.000), was a golden opportunity, since the failure of the

The capitulation of the demoral almost as great a triumph for Bri- The withdrawal of the Balkan Entente and the used mat isolated Fascent units in!tain's fast-moving West and South

units advanced from British army from France collapse of her old friend all Ethiopia may make the head-African forers. These mechanised Jigjiga lines in another week.

through the Marda Pass, a natural. showed he had not the France, coupled with Ger-

This would enable the British defence reinforced with deep de- necessary decision to fol- man penetration against command, with their control of fences of wire, tunnels and tank

But the Fascist fight here. low up his advantage and which the Government the seas, to leave only a handful traps.

was apparently track-meet stuff attack Britain when she had been powerless, Hit-of garrison troops in East Africa

and concentrate their furces else- compared to that at Keren, was at her weakest — -an ler had foreseen no diffi-where--some on the Libyan front, attack that would have culty in forcing his will on more in the Balkans.

Not that the British Govern had more chance of suc-the conglomeration of

ment have 200.000 troops in East than the delayed races, often antagonistic, Africa, Nothing like it, in allin Addis Ababa and the entire

But the neutralising action of last September. which comprise Yugosla-probability.

of the eastern half of the con- Hitler's indecision could via to-day. Germanytiment would release reserves iT afford good material for needs

i

what Yugoslavia the Sudan and Egypt, as well as in South Africa, and permit the psychological study, but can supply invaluable dispatch of considerable numbers from the military point of supplies of copper, lead, of Free French and other foreign view his lack of nerve at chrome and bauxite. With Balkan fronts. the crucial moment aug-, the exception of bauxite,| The Italians had approximately March 23-a seven-day stretch of

cess

The early fall of Diredawa and cutting of the railway, destroyed almost the last avenue of escape for the Italian troops and civilians

southern half of Ethiopia,

War In The Air

Nazi indifference to the law of probability has always argued

claims. Take the Berlin com- muniques for the week ended

Up almost constant air raids on Briz.

against acceptance of German war

legion forces to Mediterranean or

urs ill for his future suc- Yugoslavia is Germany's 114,000 troops in East Africa.

until yesterday the British had tish ports and industrial centres.

cess. Should he succeed so sole important source of captured nearly 70,000, principally Adolf Hitler's High Command far as to over-run Yugo-these essential materials, in Italian Somaliland and southern asked the world to believe that Ethiopia. As for British numbers, the Luftwaffe lost only two slavia and Greece, he does and in the recent abortive Gen. Wavell's headquarters in planes (one of them over north- so to-day at the cost of agreement, heavier

ex-Chiro

has been noteworthy for ern Germany) while Britain lost silence, and there are only guesses 25. That seemed to be stretching and many men

a bit far, particularly much ports to Germany had on the number of English, Aus- credulity

South after the official German news material, and his position been included. Here was tralians, New Zealanders,

Africans, West Africans, Indians, agency had reported “startling". must be worse than it another case of loss threte, now under arms in Africa. new British defences. might have been three ough hesitation. If Ger- Keren's downfall was a parti-

'Plane loss figures released by months ago, when Musso- many had made the same cularly demoralising blow for the

Italians, because the Fascist de- the British Ministry of Informa- lini had the power to as- demands on Yugoslavia fence there was the best they had tion for the western front seemed sist him.

two months earlier than put up anywhere in the war. The more plausible. London again re- British said so, and with reason. ported a tremendous lead in the Yugoslavia's refusal to she did two weeks ago, They began the

Middle East, but even Rome hasn't slege late in

contested the RA.F.'s control of with crack Scottish sign away her freedom for when Hungary and Rum-January.

Here is the. Highlander and Indian regiments the air over Africa, the doubtful blessing of ania fell, the Government leading the attack. The Italians, British box score: German domination, would in all probability not only fought long but well, re- peatedly counter-attacking, parti- must have been a blow have succumbed. Gercularly during the intensified siege which Berlin had not an-many, coupled with Italy's of the lust 12 days, ticipated. As Mr. Chur- then unbroken army and Duke Among Defenders chill put it: "A boa con- navy, appeared all-power- Observers estimated the Fascist strictor who had already ful.

WESTERN AREA

March 17 to 23 Axia...... 11 British

MIDDLE EAST Axia .... 32. British

Grand Totals for the 'War. 'defenders at 85,000, Including re-Axlɛ .... 6027

British ..

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