1940-09-03 — Page 12

Tuesday,

HONGKONG TELEGRAPH

September 3, 1940.

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FRANCE was not conquered in 43 days. France

collapsed in 43 days. The French defeated FRANCE

themselves and they know it.

COLLAPSED

What happened was the logical consequence of the BECAUSE OF

last ten years of French social and political history and if there had been less misty-eyed journalism, the world would have been better prepared for the shock. There was relatively little Fifth Column activity.

INTERNAL DECAY

Our definite impression was gasoline. Not until last Thurs- The French people-essen- was appalling. We have not that there has been little hard day did the military finally tially good, though perhaps too heard the Germans mentioned fighting since the fall of Faris. order all refugees to stay put, ending most of this senseless civilieod, given to too much except with a kind of impersonal We saw virtually no wounded at traffic which, in some areas, had food, drink and above all talk respect. All ono hoars is bitter

any time, which was explained paralyzed military operations. -had forgotten how to work. recriminations made in an at- by the rapid German advance. Two hours for lunch was still tempt to explain the defeat, the governmental rule, right to Troops are fed up with the

volved, ensualties are probably The Government, palled up people, the Government and surprisingly low. Bombing is a suddenly on June 14, heading the bitter end.

officers are apparently looking terrifying instrument, but at for Bordeaux in shameful bed- As one old lady, put it, "We after their own skins. Every-

worst it is child's play compared lam, one feature of which was are responsible for this terrible one is brokenhearted, angry and with intensive artillery prepara- the spectacle of fat senators thing. France needed a lesson, expecting the worst.

Considering the numbers in-

tions and drumfire barrages of with plush cars and lush women but this is a very cruel one." All reports agree that the the last war. There was no demanding priority in miles-long However, the basic sin for which officers, one of the strong points machine-gunning of the ronds refugee queues at the few gas the French are now punished of the French Army, failed their with refugees and only a small pumps.

Was

a very

their long tolerance of men, and their country. Cer- amount of bombing for military France was not united before the war and the belief that the stupid, bureaucratic, corrupt, tainly wo saw hundreds among purposes, slothful, hopelessly ineffective the refugees, evacuating their

There were no reports of any war had unified it failed to re- leadership.

own wives and familles. We German frightfulness, unless ugnise facts. On the contrary, many Intelligent Frenchmen The final debacle started June noticed the mingling of refugees one considera attacks on military 9, the day the Government left and defeated troops all the way roads containing refugees in thought the war was

Tours soldiers with that category, and these were bad ides, preferring a prosper- Paris. The rapidity and the from

ous, if weak, France to a vic- extent of disintegration-moral- familles, army trucks with civi- confined to northern France,

torious France impoverished by The idea that the French the efforts of forty million people ty, economically and militarily- lians.

would fight only when their back to maintain their ascendancy on was to the wall is another lovely the Continent,

The First Year

The second year of the war opens with Hitler savagely un- leashing his air force against Britain, because he is impotent in all other fields. The anniver- sury of our declaration of war finds Britain in full command of the sen. Hitler deprived of the imtiative on land and air and the British Empire far more powerful than it ever has been before in history.

The decision of this war will

The

Hongkong Telegraph.

Tuesday, September 3, 1940.

Wyndham St., Hongkong Telephone: 20015

second year with every hope of ultimate UFCERA we mt not

myth. Much of the French Army fought hard and well;

These were the men of Munich

of French officers and they governed France until and unprepared as we were two thousands

March. There are million of years ago, nay, twelve months were courageous and loyal,

French workers brought up on But the old saw about the Marxism who saw little to fight

ago.

Our Navy remains to us as our first and priceless beri- tage, and we have shown that French Army being the best in for in France. The reaction to on land and in the air we can the world was a pathetic illu- the news of the peace was com- transform ourselves under stern Ision. Its personal sloppiness plete, bitter grief. A soldier necessity into the world's fore-

most military power-not for not, as people have naively said: "We've been led by men purposes of aggression, but to insisted, a sign of its democracy, with the hearts of rabbits," extirpate evil and to defend but a sign of its inadequacy, If there was ever a country liberty.

Preparations were inadequate, ripe for revolution, it is France

In this second your of war, finaterial was inadequate, leader- to-day. The rich French refu- inadequate, norale gees on the train to Lisbon the first-line troops was hoped the Germans would occupy

Way

be attained through the instru, disguise from ourselves that the the Empire must bend all its ship mentality of the British Navy, road to victory must still be energy and resources to the one and it will de send in the main long and painful. The task great and paramount task of upon the outcome of the Battle which lies before the British beating Hitlerism. In Hongkong actually high, but once a great the entire country to prevent Officers trying to of Britain now raging in the people must be judged, not by we must do our share by the army starts to crumble nothing disorder.

claim military priority in the skies.

calculations of the extent from only method at present available will stop the process. The first year has witnessed which ww

I don't believe the complete gasoline queves last week were can free ourselves to us, by subscribing to the War triumph after triumph for Hit from the threat of bondage, but Fund for the purchase of aero-

planes. The AUM total The rout of Corap's Ninth Army is summarily pushed out of line by ler, but the collapse of France by a steady contemplation of was and will remain his last, the wide areas of Europe from people of this Colony can offer typical. Five months ago Ninth the embittered civilians. When, the Army permissionnaires were in the little village of Branne, unless he decides upon further which the Germans and their is nothing compared to

expenditure which talking about discipline diffi- outside of Bordeaux, a group of conquest against weak neigh Judas-ally Italy have still to be enormous bours in the Balkans. The dislodged.

All but half a dozen must be incurred by the Mother-

culties. When it broke, the officerless, hungry, exhausted land in the prosecution of the obliteration of France is the lust European countries are under

war. But our contribution, add- officers went home to evacuate troops turned up just out of the and most striking of Hitler's the heel of the conqueror and ed to those from the other their families. The men just line, the villagers tried to gouge achievements. But he has not they all look to us for freedom.

Colonies, is like the grain of kept walking. Six hundred were them on the few bottles of wine defeated the spirit of many of

Our greatest task yet lies be- sand that goes to build the picked up later in Paris cafes. they could afford, but then re- the people of France, just as

We have learned much mountain. More particularly, the spirit of the peoples of Nor- fore us. way, Belgium and the Nether- from the first twelve months of the spirit animating the Colony's An unconfirmed report says one fused to feed them because they We finally fed and the contribution is ever-important, out of six was shot, along with couldn't pay. lands demand that the war be warfare. If Britain

When last heard them ourselves out fought to successful conclusion. British people have to make for, in donating whatever small many officers. Our powerful armies in Egypt yet heavier sacrifices and to sum we can afford, we are volun- of, Corap was in Faris writing canned-goods reserve. bide their time, but are not face further grievous losses, we tarily casting back into Hitler's meant to remain motionless for have always found salvation as teeth the pre-war boast that the his memoirs, but presumably, time those soldiers are hungry an Empire in this war of wars. Empire would disintegrate the along with a number of other they'll take what they want and Yet though we enter the We are no longer unsuspecting moment Britain went to war.

ever.

TRAWLER

NIGHT

Al a word spoken through By Second Officer

megaphone the skipper brings

hix vessel alongside the battle- their faces the while with filthy

ship, and down a Tope-ladder sweat-rags.

come a lieutenant and a handful

of men. Each man is heavily

Alone in the bows, the look-

*

PATROL

wheel-house

man.

to join the look-out

"What do you make of 11?** "It's a ship, sir, so far os i can make out."

Suddenly the lieutenant yells turn- that his voice ing his head nit so may carry. "Hard-a-starboard.

similar characters, he was no nonsense. evacuated in the paddy wagon.

of our The next

Civil disintegration was first

In Bayonne, on June 21, it evident in the north where was clear that one shot would workers in some Industrial

have touched off towns awoke to find that civil bloody mess.

a ghastly The city was full authorities, factory manage of French and foreign fat cats, ment and the best families hud with big cars and expensive fled in the night.

women, just ripe for påving. One of the village authorities, bricks. panicked, commandeered a train

clad in oilskins, sou-wester and out man stares into the gloom, seaboots, and carries his food for constantly dodging behind the

The trawler swings round in ans- and put the entire population Cherbourg had just landed, French troops rescued from the night. Slipping her ropes, little canvas screen erected for wer to her helm. Out of the dark- the trawler moves away into the his protection. On through theness comes

aboard, chuffed off for Paris, haggard and hungry. 'a ship, bearing

When a down gathering dusk.

night the trawler keeps her vigil, upon the trawler.

only to be told to go back, go terrific thunderstorin came up, Outside the harbour the sea is

"Signalman! Challenge!" yells the to work.

these troops threw themselves choppy; white horses shine in

flat in the mud at the first. the gloom, and a waft of hazya moment he thinks he sees a blob

Suddenly the look-out stiftens. For cutchant.

The headlong evacuation of thunderclap, which made them smoke blows over the starboard of blackness a little more black than boat are the bows of a cruiser, her was needed was: (1) clear, con- sorer than ever.

Paris began on June 9. What look foolish and, therefore, quarter. The forepart of the

R.A.F. con- funnel is soon

protruding ram through covered with often has he imagined queer shapes worn a cutting this the stant radio directions as to who tingents were pouring into the white coating of brine.

like ships and submarines during the outline of the bridge comes into should go, where to go and how which looked like more British city for evacuation to England, past forty-five minutes! He watches view, with the faint Indication of

funnels abaft it.

to get there; and (2) efficient rattling. The Portuguese con- road policing. There was nei-sulate was literally besieged, re- thor. When the French radio quiring five men with rifles to

the surrounding night, But how

Towering high above the patrol

cruiser's deck. She is a friend, inak-

Inside the wheelhouse are and waits. three figures. In the middle is In the wheel-house the three men light ashes downward from the the helmsman, energetically sense semething unnatural. For aing for harbour, and timing her arri spinning the wheel; on his star-tense moment all words cease. Then val to coincide with the first streaks should have been going con-hold the door. It took two sol- board side, jammed into the "Seems to me as if there's a strip of dawn. · Presently the trawler foremost corner, is the skipper, ahead of us, skipper," says

the siters course to return to harbour, stantly in an effort to control diers to get four of us in and

and a hardy old seadog, while to port lieutenant

little later again makes contact this incredible population move rifle for pushing us too fast. one of them got clubbed with n fg the lieutenant. Between them "Aye, scemis to me 50. The with the ship, that

that nearly

hement, much of it entirely un- Altogether, the effect was a replies doubtfully. Next down. they keep the boat on her course, moment, he speaks into the voice-Out of the grey mists of early necessary, it was playing dance most dreadful atmosphere, pro- keep each other company, and pipe in front of him.

morning come towering funnels and keop a sharp look-out. Oc- "Stand-by, below."

masts: Ship after ship passes, until music or repeating over and bably not fully realised in casionally they stamp numbed | The uncertain shadow grows and a whole squadron in line har steamed, over stale communiques. The Ameri

feet.

darkens. Then comes the look-out's hall, his voice compelling, yet not over raised.

"Ship ahead, sir." "Right ahead!" "Right. ahead, sir."

ran hor

glances at the

been

The Heutenant

result was utterly demoralising Upon the funnel casing in the

skipper.ust have

and went on days and days with Man Of 72 Dives In That lee of the wheelhouse are gather-

a near half of France fleeing, the other thing, old man, We were right in

To Save Boy Evacuee ed the handful of naval ratings, i

amongst that lot, and must have half watching fascinated. Final When a boy evacuee from Acton, save for one man who is on look- A moment before a group of sleepy

missed them by a narrow margin." out duty in the bows. They men were huddled together. Now "Sure! replies the skipper, shrug the virus of flight would w., fell from landing stops into the

gling his shoulders, we

do infect watchers and they too river at Toines, Devon, a man who everyone is tense, the signatpan,

certainly do huddle together for warmth. Jump on hand, ready to flash the scient

could not swim held on to a rope and again draws would pack and take to the road, jumped to save him. Below in the stokehold, the challenge, the crew of the 12-pounder Presently the trawler agat

the boy, so removing a canvas alongside the battleship; A hard, not really knowing where they He could not reach trawler's own stokers keep their are hurriedly

These

Beventy-two-year-old Mr. watch, appearing at intervals over while two torpedo men stand Heutenant and the, skipper. The were going or why.

Kent, a scientist, dived and rescued, by a torpedo." above deck lovel to snatch a Bring the gun to the ready, cries the rope ladder flung down to them of food and, more important, is in hospital recovering

officer, and his handful of men climb hordes stripped the countryside the boy, an

The boy went home; but Mr. Kent. breath of cold air, mopping the Reutenant, Jumping from the Another patroiis over, pati

firm, hand-shake: passes between the

17

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