Seizure Announced Of Enemy Ships In Brazilian Waters

Taranaki Daily News, 27 August 1942, Page 3

Seizure Announced Of Enemy Ships In Brazilian Waters

Rec. 9.10 p.m. Rio de Janeiro, Aug. 25. Paraguay and Bolivia have granted Brazil non-belligerency rights. The Brazilian Government announces that it has seized 57 German and 18 Italian ships in Brazilian waters. American military experts agree that Brazil's entry into the war opens entirely new and probably decisive strategic possibilities. Major Seversky says that Brazil's participation cannot be overestimated. Indeed, it may become a major element for ultimate victory. Air power makes Natal and Pernambuco (on the extremity of, the bulge into the Atlantic) as vital strategic points as Gibraltar, Suez and the Dardanelles. Because of the Brazilian Atlantic bulge Natal and Pernambuco are the central and soutb Atlantic gateway to world communications. This bulge makes direct aerial trans-Atlantic bombardment possible. Major Seversky concludes: "The struggle for decisive control of the south Atlantic gateway is - now inevitable— either the United 'Nations' will dominate it from Natal or the Axis from Dakar." Major Feilding Eliot in the New York Herald-Tribune empjrasises its, , importance for controlling the submarine menace, and asserts that 'with Btazilian bases available for the Allies it will be possible to seal the narrow soutb Atlantic gateway and consequently definitely check the U-boat war.