FRENCH EMPIRE

Wairarapa Times-Age, 27 September 1940, Page 5

FRENCH EMPIRE

MENACED BY THE AXIS & JAPAN PLANS FOR AGGRESSIVE ACTION. RUINOUS POLICY OF VICHY GOVERNMENT. (British Official Wireless.) RUGBY, September 25. The events at Dakar, says the “Yorkshire Post,” must be viewed as part of a wide web of strategic manoeuvre stretching from Africa through the Mediterranean to Indo-China. “In the view of the Axis Powers and Japan the French colonial empire is ripe for dissolution,” says the paper. “Germany and Italy mean to use soma of it for establishing a new order in Africa and the Near East and Japan dreams of a new order in Asia which will include the Dutch East Indies and perhaps the Philippines. The privileges she is trying to secure in IndoChina are not required merely to help her war on the Chinese. “These far-reaching prospects are hidden from the people of France, who are told that the Vichy Government is determined to keep the French empire intact. All the men of Vichy, in fact, are doing is to preserve all they can for the convenience of the aggressor countries, whose intrigues they are powerless to restrain. “Herr von Ribbentrop’s visit to Rome was concerned with the Axis plans for action throughout the vast area from Syria to Dakar. £enor Suner in Berlin was receiving instructions as to the role mapped out for Spain in these ambitious undertakings. She is to be given the territory of French Morocco in return for assisting in the assault on Gibraltar. “Mussolini wants Tunis and Syria from France, together with Egypt and the Sudan. West Africa is preserved for Hitler. He would be able to look across the Atlantic toward the Americas, a prospect- which the ‘New York Times,’ writing on Dakar, has not overlooked. He would be well placed also to set about ‘liberating’ South Africa with General Hertzog’s aid. Dakar is the keypoint to these widespread schemes.”

REASONS FOR WITHDRAWAL DESIRE TO AVOID CONFLICT BETWEEN FRENCHMEN INTERCEPTION OF WARSHIPS.

(By Telegraph—Press Association— Copyright) LONDON, September 25. The British Ministry of Information statement on the withdrawal of the Free French and British forces from Dakar says:—"General de Gaulle had good reason to believe, from information which reached him, that a large proportion of the French population of Senegal supported the Free French movement and would welcome his arrival, and that a similar situation might be established there to that which exists in French Equatorial Africa. . , “He therefore proposed to Britain that he should proceed there with some of the troops at his disposal, with the goodwill and support of Britain. Britain was all the more ready to afford General de Gaulle this support, as information had reached the Government that German influence was spreading to Dakar. “Meanwhile, while the expedition was en route, the Vichy Government dispatched three cruiser from Toulon which passed through Gibraltar and eventually arrived at Dakar. It is no part of the Government’s policy to interfere with the movements of French men-of-war as long as they are not destined for any ports under German control. For this reason no hindrance was put in the way of the vessels in question passing through the Straits of Gibraltar. When, having done so, they pursued a southerly course, they were permitted to proceed. They therefore reached Dakar without interference. “When they later put to sea, again steaming south, it was thought that they might be intending to in'erfeie with the situation existing in Frerwh Equatorial Africa, which had already declared for General de Gaulle. Ships of the Royal Navy intercepted thenpassage, and insisted on their revert - ing their course, which they eventually did, two of them returning to Dakar, and a third, which was suffering from engine trouble, being escorted by one of His Majesty’s ships toward Casablanca. THE LANDING ATTEMPT. “On the morning of September 23 emissaries of General de Gaulle, flying the tricolour and a- white flag, attempted to land at Dakar and met with a hostile reception, being fired on and seriously wounded. The port batteries opened fire on one of General de Gaulle’s warships and subsequently on His Majesty’s ships which were standing in order to render General de Gaulle support and assistance is needed« “Before returning the French fire the Admiral in command made the following signal in plain language: I shall be compelled to return your fire unless fire ceases.’ As the fire of the shore batteries did not cease it was returned, and both His Majesty’s ships and the shore batteries scored hits and incuired casualties. “Fire from the French battleship Richelieu was joined to that of the shore batteries and consequently her fire had to be returned. The British naval commander warned the French authorities that submarines would be engaged if they were left in the harbour. In spite of this warning, three submarines made attacks on our ships and active measures had to be taken against them, with the result that two were sunk, but the entire crew of one were fortunately saved and will e repatriated at the first opportunity. “The forces of General de Gaulle attempted to make a landing which was not successful, and when it became plain that only a major operation ol war could secure all of Dakar it was decided to discontinue the hostilities, as it had never been the intention of the Government to enter into serious warlike operations against Frenchmen who felt it their duty to obey the commands of the Vichy Government. General de Gaulle himself was most anxious that he should not be the cause of bloodshed to his fellow-countrymen. The forces concerned therefore are now benig withdrawn from the region of Dakar.” OPINION IN U.S.A. ANGER AT VICHY ATTITUDE TO GERMANS. LONDON, September 26. In its attitude to the Dakar position. United States opinion, while recognising the difficult position of the French, does not conceal its anger that the Vichy Government is co-operating with the' Germans with an unusual amount of willingness. The “New York Times” says this morning that it will be of serious concern to the United States if the Axis proceeds to use Dakar as a base. The “Herald-Tribune” says that if held by the United States or an ally the value of Dakar as a means of breaking up the Axis in the South Atlantic would be vast.