Wairarapa Times-Age MONDAY, NOVEMBER 25, 1940. ACTION IN THE BALKANS.

Wairarapa Times-Age, 25 November 1940, Page 4

Wairarapa Times-Age MONDAY, NOVEMBER 25, 1940. ACTION IN THE BALKANS.

TN both material and moral effect, the splendid eounterstroke in which the Greeks have taken the Italian advanced base of Koritza and, for the time at least, rolled back the tide of Italian invasion,'is of very considerable importance. Tn the well-planned operations they have carried out with so much valour and skill, the Greeks ’have subjected the enemy to heavy losses and have made large captures of valuable war material. The shock to the morale of the Italian forces is even more important, and is likely to be of lasting eflect. Even in the .flush of victory, however, the Greeks themselves have recognised that they are at the beginning rather than at the end of the task of defending their country against invasion. In spite of the humiliation and loss they have suffered and seriously as they must be involved in difficulties in Albania for the time being, with winter opening and their forward communications wrecked, the Italians are still possessed of immensely superior resources. Account has to be taken also of the possibility, if not the strong probability, that Greece may be attacked by Germany as well as by Italy. It is chiefly the prospect of Germany coming to the assistance of her discomfited ally that makes it necessary still to regard the outlook in Greece as critical. If account had to be taken only of Italy, Greece, with active British aid, might be able indefinitely to hold her own. British sea and air forces have done and are doing a great deal to cut down or neutralise the great advantages Italy enjoys in factors of numerical strength and weight of material. The value ol British aid has been made apparent on the bat tiefronts and perhaps even more in the smashing attacks that have been made on enemy bases in Italy and in Albania. It greatly affects the outlook 'that there is every reason to believe that these attacks Will be continued and extended and that all forms of British assistance to Greece will be increased. / The great question to be determined in the immediate future is whether Germany intends to make an early effort to lilt Italy out of her difficulties by launching an attack on Greece by way of Bulgaria and perhaps also through Yugoslavia. As to Ihe intended policy of the last-mentioned country in such an emergency as is now developing, no dependable news is available. Assuming that Bulgaria is to be regarded for practical, purposes as a German province, Yugoslavia is wrapped around by Axis or Axis-controlled territory and admittedly is not well placed to assert and uphold her neutrality, though her desire presumably will be to do so. A German al tack on Greece by way of both Yugoslavia and Bulgaria must be regarded as a possibility. If it takes shape, Greece will be assailed on a new and wide front of invasion in Macedonia and in Thrace. Even an attack by way of Bulgaria alone woidd be formidable and would menace in flank and rear the forces which have distinguished themselves in their heavy defeat of the Italians. There can be no question of taking anything for granted where the campaign in Greece is concerned until it is known whether the Germans mean to attack and Io what extent., in that ease, Britain will be able to support. Greece and Turkey, whose participation appears Io be assured, in stemming the Nazi onset. Strong and well-equipped forces evidently woidd be needed to repel a German drive on Salonika and other poffts along the northern seaboard of the Aegean Sea. These ports have their own importance, apart from the fact that their capture would represent to the Germans a promising first step towards the further invasion of Greece and an attack on the Turkish Straits. Il is true that on account of the poor performance, or lack of performance, of the Italian fleet, sea bases on the Aegean would not be as valuable to the enemy as if the Italians were making an active and spirited bill for naval command of the Mediterranean. Even within the limits thus imposed, however, Salonika and other bases in enemy hands no doubt would be turned to account in the operation of submarines' and naval small craft. Air bases in this region also are ol great importance. Determined action no doubt will he taken Io repel any drive the enemy may attempt on Salonika and other parts of northern Greece. Some reports transmitted by the 11. yesterday spoke of advance parlies of British troops having landed on the mainland of Greece, though a statement that these troops included New Zealanders lias been denied authoritatively in Wellington.