BALKAN THRUST

Wairarapa Times-Age, 16 October 1940, Page 5

BALKAN THRUST

DISCUSSED BY LONDON “TIMES” LINE OF LEAST RESISTANCE SOUGHT BY NAZIS. ALLIED STRENGTH IN NEAR EAST (British Official Wireless.) RUGBY, October 14. Discussing the Balkan thrust, “The Tinies” says: “Hitler has been compelled to recognise that the blitzkrieg against Britain is yielding no prospects oli victory, ' none of those quick, dramatic results necessary for his prestige at home and abroad. “Spain, in spite of the blandishments lavished on Senor Suner (General Franco’s recent envoy to Berlin and Rome), has not committed herself as far as can be divined to a departure from her watchful attitude. Marshal Graziani has had time to experience some uncomfortable realities in the campaign which he launched against Egypt at a moment when German bombers were supposed to be on the point of reducing London to ruins. “The line of least resistance must have seemed to lead through the Balkans. “The first step in the bloodless subjugation of Rumania has been successfully undertaken during the past week, and a credible outline of the Axis plan now seems to be shaping itself. It amounts to the administration of a coup de grace to Egypt and the Suez Canal by some fresh form of pressure, if not indeed by actual attack from the north. In no other way can the so-called pincers of the Axis be made to close on the British stronghold in the eastern Mediterranean. There are two obstacles in the way of realisation of any such grandiose plan, and the first is the power and spirit of Turkey. “It is significant that the successes of the Axis in south-eastern Europe have been achieved exclusively at the expense of those who allowed themselves to be bribed and terrorised. “Yugoslavia, so far, has been saved from molestation by her well-known determination to defend herself and by the reputation of her troops as stubborn fighters in difficult country. Greece hitherto has been spared because she has presented a firm front to the bully.

“Turkey is the strongest military Power in the Near East, and she stands second to none both in the proud assertion of her independence and in the capacity to resist any infringement of it. Turkey will be saved by her own resolution.

“The second obstacle to the project is the growing strength of Britain in the Eastern Mediterranean. Had the Axis Powers been able to launch their offensive at the . moment of the signing of the French armistice the threat might have been formidable. Since then, however, successive reinforcements of men and material have reached the British military, naval and air forces in the Near East.”