1940-05-20 — Page 24

PAGE

-HONGKONG... TELEGRAPH

The Nazi Military Bible:

TO-DAY'S extracts from the German military text-book, written by Professor Ewald Banis and indiscreetly published in 1933, deals with Switzerland..

Professor Banse reveals why Germany did not invade Switzerland in the 1914-18 War, and why the Confederation may be invaded in the present war,

The book from which these extracts are taken was published for circulation în Ger- many only. But Messrs. Lovat, Dickson, the well-known English publishers, received a copy and decided to issue an English translation.

Strenuous efforts were made by the Nazi authorities to prevent publication and the aid of the British Foreign Office was even evoked. When this failed, the publishers were first of. fered a bribe and were then threatened by Nazi agents,

The text that follows is, of course, the translated expressions of a German.

WITZERLAND forms

SWI

the southern, the Netherlands the northern, portion of Germany's western frontier.

Two-thirds of Switzer- land are German in bloodl and German speaking, and the country is thus oite of those small states which France favours as a res- traint upon German power and which Owe their political independence en- tirely to the goodwill of the great Powers and to their hostility towards the German people.

While the Netherlands in- clude the mouths of the

largest German river, Swit- zerland contains the territory in which it has its sourets evidence this,-of-the-cunning- with which our people have been territorially confined and its military situation pre- judiced as compared with France.

+

A Germany bounded, as in the Middle Ages, by the heights of Artois and the line

INSTALMENT SIXTH

A ski patrol, clad in white to escape notice, patrols an upper Alpine ridge. Italian-Austrian experience in the World. Wor proved that dislodging mountain troops is difficult, and the Swiss have trained for such mountain warfare for centuries.

To make certain of victory in France, says

the author of Germany's military text-book-

HITLER MUST

MARCH INTO

SWITZERLAND

pends upon its position.be tween the foothills of the Vosges and the neutral Swiss frontier.

Would Open

Belfort Gap

This would open for us the Belfort gup, which proved in

of the Jura holds the eastern_the_world_war_impossible to

part of northern France in a pair of pincers, and in those cireumatances the opening batting of a war take place within the Paris basin, that is to say, in France's most vital parts.

To prevent this, the small but independent States of Holland, Belgium and Swit- zerland had to be created or - guaranteed, as the case might

be.

The advantages of their existence are reserved to France alone, for they have been established wholly or mainly at the cost of the Gor- man people.

Invasion Favours

The Reich

Accordingly, a war with France would only be waged under favourable conditions if we were permitted or able to march through Belgium and Holland in the north and through Switzerland in the south.

Such an operation would make it possible to outflank the otherwise probably im- pregnable French fortresses between the Belgian Mouse and Belfort and to neutralise one of France's two military weapons (army and oastern fortifications).-

The importance of Switzer Land from the point of view, of ;- military geography lies in the Jura and in the Bellegarde (or Genera) gap.

minte, The Jura la for the most. part a chain of mountains with extensive longitudinal valleys and short transverso passos; the only tableland can easily be crossed, the moun tains not without difficulty.

Its capture, however, even if limited to the northern part as far as Porrentruy would make it impossible to defend Belfort, the value of which de

force, and would thus make un important breach in the French eastern front.

The diversion of Freuch army corps to the western Alps, and possibly also to the Pyrenees, would. greatly weaken the French forces on the German front; though the decision must, of course, be sought in north-cast France.

The carrying of the Jura and of its modern French rond bar- ricades would also of course give us the plains of the Doubs and Saone and bring the Paris basin via Langres, and south eastern France towards Lyons, within our grasp.

Not less important than the north-eastern Jura is the Geneva ar Bellegarde gap, through which lies the way from the German shores of the Lake of Constance to south eastern France;

Va

A milltary offensive from Gene- could be undertaken (1) across the southern Jura in the valley of the Lower Saone; (2) along the Rhone to Lyons, an im- portant commercial_clty

com- manding the shortest line of com. munication between the south cast and the rest of France and only some 30 miles, from the fac tories and arsenal of St. Etienne;' (B) south castwards straight into the western Alps and so to the rear of the main passes the capture of which is of great_im- portance as regards the Italian. army, which therefore has the strongest possible Interest in seizing the Bellegarde gap after

Crouching in a "fox hole"" dug out of snow, this Swiss Infantryman could caslly make mincement of an approaching enemy with his Swiss carbine, one of the best rifles in the world.

and the Rhine, or from Alance, although we should presumably have encountered a Franco-Swiss line running across the Jura and the central plateau, which would have held up our advance over difficult country.

Wo

should have added con- siderably to our already long front without gaining any deci sive advantage, unless it were the destruction of Belforta result, however, important enough to justify the venture and the effort.

Moreover, the capture of the St. Gothard Pass alone would have given us Important access to Italy and enabled us to strike

French right wing behind Bel- fort and outflank the Italian army from the west

In the winter of 1916-17, the French reckoned seriously with this danger and conferred with the Swiss military authorities.re- garding joint measures of de- fence.

The Swiss, however, were. at the same time negotiating with German headquarters with a view to Swiss German action in faca of a French attack. But these conversations did not pro- ceod far, as the German general staff was sceptical about a French

crossing the Alpe in the direction at Milan, her industrial centre invasion of Switzerland.

of the Rhone vallsy.","

In the world war Germany r08-. pected Bwlan neutrality as she did that of the Netherlands,

Forcible vialation would pro- “bably have been more difficult than In the case of Holland, for the German'speaking popu- lation; certainly, and perhaps the French population too, is a tougher proposition than the Dutch, while the country of. fers more serious obstacles- not ta entry but to egress Into France or Italy, the bank, Nevertheless capable Gor man commutes would have had no great difficulty in reaching the tableland of the Jura from Swabia via the Lake df. Constance

and to outflank the armies of Venetia.

The possible advantages were Tory great, but the probable.re- sults slight, and we cannot therefore blame our higher. command for having allowed Switzerland to continue at her private game of soldiers,

Allies Ready

For Invasion

As a matter of fact, the AL lies in 1916 anticipated n Gorman violation of Switzer land's neutrality as a definite possibility, and though, that the plan was to get round, the

Swiss neutralliyil, in only useful to the French and not to us, which explains the orl gins of the Confederation's political independence.

Switzerland is very 111-oquipped for war purposes, especially as the collapse of the tourist indus- try, which is her Arst source of revenue and business would speedily load to national bank ruptcy

Iation made up of different races. Two-thirds of the inhabitants are Germans, the rest French, Itali- ans and Rhetiana. Racially they consist of Eastern, Dinaric, Nor- die and Mediterraioan elements,

The German element is of Ale- mannle stock, like the neighbour- ime Aathing and Black Fares- ters.

And yet the German Swiss imagine that la conjunction with the other threo miclal ele- ments, which speak foreign languages, they constitute h single nationality, and they dig.. on artificial trench. between themselves and us, which is deeper and wider than the Lake of Constance.

This conception, which they uphold with all the impartiality of the Eastern race, is the in- tellectual baals of the Confedera- tion, which would otherwise have no reality, since the Latin ele- ments have no such deep convic- tion.

Further, the ruling patrician and owning families, which have. for centuries directed the affairs of state, and canton, are afraid “that by absorption in a larger na- tional unit they would lose their ancient privileges. Criticism Of

"Kinsfolk"

From the military point of view, therefore, the character of the German Swiss is the decisive factor

This, like the old German character, is grounded in com- mon sense and is of a very independent spirit, enterpris- ing, tough and reserved.

Ita ruling features, however, are a calculating materialism, un- limited self reliance and a ten- dency to criticism, not to аду fault finding.

The intter tendency is directed mainly towards their German kinsfolk across the Rhine, and reminds us of the pelican which pecks its own breast.

This anti-German feeling le so strong that even in peace time the German tourist is al- ways worse. treated in German Switzerland than the British. the French and American tourist.

This childish aversion de- mands our most serious atten- tion. It is an important fact fraught with possible military

consequences, being of itself equivalent to a strong army corps and much more danger- ous than the anti-German. Teel- ing of the Alsatians, since it is based upon the belief, doubtless ~ justified in the Middle Ages but lon" since obsolete, that liberty and equality, those most scared of human possessions, are at stake.

It is this idea alons that separ ates us from the German Swiss only, indeed, until they realise that they are politically In no way superior to their brethren on the right bank of the Rhine.

CHINA ASSOCIATION Election of Committee ́ ́At

- Annual Meeting

At the annual meeting of the China Association in London on May 7 the. following were elected to the Com mittoo:

President, Mr. D. G. M. Bernard; Chairman, Brig. General C. R. Woodroffe, C.M.G., C...G.D.,

Vice-Chairman, Mr. G. W. Swice; Hon. Treasurer, Mr. M. Wolfers; Messro, R. G. Buchan, A. W, Bur- kill, onE, W. R. Cockburn, E. J. Davies, G. M. Dodwell, W. B. Ken- hott A. O. Lang, BP, Leigh, Lie

Compelled as she is to Import foodstuffs, coal and all the raw- materials for her industries, Bwitserland is at all times ocono

Ganerat - Sir George : Maned amorty mienily dependent upon one at least of her neighbours.

QBE, LGA, KC.M., Capt. A. K Like Belglum and the Untied MacEwan, 0.8.x, Str. George Moss, States of America, Switzerland raz. A. Rose, and air Thomas. has no people, but merely "a" popu- Strangman.

Monday, MAY 20, 1940.

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Prayers For France

French Leaders At Divine Service

ÍDROCIRKOTÓZTHÉZSTILEG P PARIS, May 19 (UP)-Tlie bells in the old towers of Notre Dame pealed through the bright sunshine this afternoon in the areas surrounding Quasimodo's Gothic haunts as dense throngs of Parisiens stood outside to await the solemn service in the Cathedral, at which prayers were offered for France.

While churches throughout France attracted extra heavy attendances at to-day's Masses, the special service at Notre Dame furmed the centre of interest.

Notables Attend

M. Reynaud. Uhe Premier: General Weygand, the hero of Verdun and new Allied Supreme Comanander-in- | Chief, M. Daladier and other lenders of the Allied effort were among the worshippers.

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When the crowds saw their white. halted Marshal veteran of the last war wearing the gold "Kep" of Marshal of France, the place roared with hoarse cheers.

OSTEND

SPECIAL TO THE “TELEGRAPH" PARIS, May 10 (Domel)-The German Air Fores launched an all-

In the streets, thousands bowed their heads or kneli in prayer as the night oir raid on Ostend last night. services were being conducted in the Cathedral,.

Ostend is the temporary seat of the Belgian, Goverment,

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