NOT ALTERED

Dominion, Volume 33, Issue 185, 2 May 1940, Page 9

NOT ALTERED

Opinion That Hitler Blundered LOSSES IN CAMPAIGN Germans Underestimated Resistance In Norway (British Official Wireless.) (Received May 1, 7.5 p.m.) RUGBY, April 30. The latest declaration by the Norwegian Government is welcomed in London. When the Norwegian Government affirms, “We consider freedom to be so valuable that we prefer to endure war rather than surrender” they speak in a language which is well understood by the Allied peoples, and the Norwegian Government’s assertion that Norway did not want'war and had attacked no one, that she will fight on for freedom and that the war will last till Norway.is again free is felt to be worthy of the spirit of the brave people to whose aid the the Allies have come without hesitation or reserve.

The difficulties facing the Allies in going to the assistance of the Norwegians in the way of the advantages gained for Germany by means of the Nazi technique of a sudden attack, treacherously planned and prepared in advance, were never underrated here. The experience of the first three weeks has provided no reason for revising the opinion that arduous and prolonged effort will be called for from the Allies and Norway.

Having obtained temporary local mastery in the air by the seizure of the air bases in Norway, the Germans are now in a position to hamper military action so as to render unlikely any easy early or spectacular success for the Allies on the land, but that fact does not affect the validity of the original judgment of British observers according to which Herr Hitler’s decision'to attack Norway was a major blunder, prompted in the view of many by his anxiety to seek a decision quickly at whatever cost.

Nazis’ Heavy Sacrifice. To get a footing in Norway the Nazis had to sacrifice one-third of the German Fleet. They had to expose Germany to serious and continuing losses in men, shipping and material. The advantage gained locally in the air is only maintained at great cost in petrol. With the Admiralty’s announcement yesterday that three German transport and supply ships have been sunk, the total since April Sis brought up to 28, in addition to the Maine, which was scuttled, another ship which was set on fire, and 10 more transports and supply ships set on fire and probably sunk. A further 10 German transports and supply ships have been hit by torpedoes and probably sunk, and the German expeditionary force also has suffered losses due to mines. The German losses of men have been very heavy if those lost with the transports are included. The German invasion was cleverly planned and, capably executed as it was, nevertheless it was based on an expectation that Norwegian resistance would not be met with or would quickly collapse. The event lias proved quite otherwise, and the German military command is faced with a continuing liability involving defending at heavy expenditure in men and materia] positions far from the home bases and with the lines of communication threatened by the Allied command of the sea, and by Allied air action. Germans’ Future Problems. A Press telegram from Zurich (Switzerland) tonight underlines this aspect of the matter. The message states that it has been learned from an excellent source in Berlin that the High Command is feeling increasing anxiety that the war in Norway will develop into trench warfare, and the commanders there have been ordered to do all in their power to prevent this. The message goes on to refer to a prevalent opinion among neutral observers that a protracted war in Norway would seriously upset the plans of the German military authorities. Whether this news report is well founded or not, informed opinion here is satisfied that when the final reckoning can be made in respect of Herr Hitler’s Norwegian adventure it will be found to have been so much more costly to Germany and to have brought her so little advantage that it may well prove to have subjected her limited resources to an excessive strain.

AGAIN OVER SWEDEN German Bombers From Norway (Received May 1, 7.5 p.m.) STOCKHOLM, May 1. Five German bombers, northward bound, flew over Swedish territory, but they turned back to Norway when antiaircraft guns went into action. A decree bars foreigners from further districts in Sweden. It is authoritatively stated in London that no British officer or soldier has crossed the frontier into Sweden in tlie course of the present campaign in Norway.