NEW MOVE?

Otago Daily Times, Issue 24415, 28 September 1940, Page 11

NEW MOVE?

HITLER'S SCHEME SPANISH ALLIANCE MEDITERRANEAN CONTROL FAILURE OF BLITZKRIEG (United Press Association) (By Electric Telegraph—Copyright) NEW FORK, Sept. 27. (Received Sept. 28, at 0.15 a.ra.) The Herald Tribune says that. a responsible European Government has informed its embassy at Washington that Germany will soon abandon the attack on Britain in favour of the occupation of the remainder of France preparatory to an attempt to take Gibraltar and bottle up the Royal Navy The Germans have concentrated 26 divisions at Bordeaux and Biarritz. Hitler desires a diversion to cover the failure of the battle for Britain and also to force Spain into an alliance. This scheme favours Britain insofar as it will free the French colonies from loyalty to Vichy. The State Department has noted the synchronisation of the offensive movements in Europe and the Far East. It was stated in London that neutral observers on the Spanish frontier report that 500 German armoured cars arrived at Bilbao a fortnight ago, detrained, and proceeded southward. A recent report stated that the Spanish press has intensified its attacks on the Vichy Government, declaring that it is unable to control its North African Empire and hinting that Snain should step in because “it is called on to impose security both from geographical and .spiritual viewpoints.” The British authorities regard suspiciously Spanish reports concerning North Africa. The Spanish News agency says that fresh reports from French Morocco show that support for General de Gaulle is increasing daily and is likely to become overwhelming sooner than was expected. General Nogues’s loyalty to Marshal Petain is doubtful, particularly in view of the fact that air force units were allowed sufficient liberty for many of the units to fly to Gibraltar to join Britain.