The Evening Star WEDNESDAY, SEPTEMBER 2, 1942. AFTER THREE YEARS.

Evening Star, Issue 24289, 2 September 1942, Page 4

The Evening Star WEDNESDAY, SEPTEMBER 2, 1942. AFTER THREE YEARS.

On September 3, 1939, the Nazis invaded Poland. This act marked the beginning of a war on a scale never before approached in the history of the world. By means of lies and false pretences Hitler had hilled the suspicions of a large section of the people of Great Britain. When he struck his action was sudden and swift. The mistakes and omissions by the Germans in the last war were taken into account, and an immense war machine, actual and potential, was designed to meet the occasion. It is functioning now with terrible intensity to such an extent that the outside world is amazed at the apparently inexhaustible supplies of men sent to the battlefronts and the limitless quantities possessed by the enemy of tanks, heavy guns, and all Lho other accessories of warfare. There seems to be no scarcity oven of oil, a commodity indispensable to modern military operations, which it might be supposed the Germans would find it extremely difficult to obtain in adequate quantities. Many people thought that the pace set by the Nazi High Command was too furious to last, but as yet there is no sign of a break in its aggressive and powerful thrusts. Germany has had enormous successes. Poland was overwhelmed, and trembling neutrals collapsed one after another. The worst blow fell with the successful invasion of France, which moved Mussolini to throw in his lot with what appeared to be the winning side. His miscalculation has resulted in the loss of his African empire, which had been acquired at so great a cost. At the critical moment the Empire found the right man in Mr Churchill, and though he could promise nothing but blood, toil, tears, and sweat—a promise that has been amply fulfilled—his authority and prestige remain unchallenged throughout the Empire. Today America stands firmly as a partner in the greatest of the world’s enterprises, and the determination of her people to fight for democracy was immensely strengthened by the foul blow struck by Japan at Pearl Harbour, for which she will have to pay dearly. The two loader's of the United Nations are men of outstanding character and ability, and, what is all important, they work together in complete harmony. Who can doubt that they will pilot the way to victory? There is as yet no perceptible crack in tho German armour, but there can bo no doubt that f3ie war machine is working under conditions of great stress. If tho frenzied attempts to give a knock-out blow to Russia before the winter sets in fail the reaction among the people and army may be far-reaching. In the last war, as the news of tjie “ black day of the German army ” —three months' before the armistice—trickled in, a wave of depression spread throughout the army and the country. It is to be hoped that history will repeat itself in tins way, for if the military plans are unsuccessful the enormous losses of German manhood will not be the only factor in the position. There will be the terror from the skies, which in spite of Goering’s promise to the contrary will continue to spread devastation in many cities. This will be achieved by Allied air superiority in personnel and machines.