Wairarapa Times-Age WEDNESDAY, FEBRUARY 12, 1941. WAR IN THE BALKANS.

Wairarapa Times-Age, 12 February 1941, Page 4

Wairarapa Times-Age WEDNESDAY, FEBRUARY 12, 1941. WAR IN THE BALKANS.

JX some of its leadin'! details, the situation in the Balkans has developed quickly to :i point al which an end is made ot all uncertainty. Any possible doubt as to the position and status of Rumania has been cleared up by the announcement of the withdrawal of the British Minister (Sir R. lloare) and his stab, on the ground that the Germans, without a word of dissent from the Antonescu Government, are using Rumania as a base for offensive military operations. At the same time, there is sufficiently definite news that the Bulgarians are allowing their country to be taken over rapidly by German air stalls, technicians and troops, some of them posing for the moment as civilians. It is reporter!, too. that the Bulgarian Army is moving Io the southern frontier, to block any move by Turkey. while the Germans proceed unhindered into Greece. It is not reasonably in doubt that the reports here touched upon and others of similar trend give a reasonably accurate indication of the Axis intentions and plans. As to possible Allied action, the position meantime remains much more obscure and some highly important factors —amongst them the precise attitude of Turkey—are still quite undetermined. Turkey has declared emphatically and with every appearance of sincerity that she will uphold and defend her neutrality, and extended Anglo-Turkish staff talks took place at Ankara very recently. How far Turkey feels, or is likely to feel, herself interested in the Balkan conflict stopping short of her own frontiers has yet. however, to be disclosed. This particular question may not be important, for it has also yet to appear that there is any probability of Balkan conflict, once it opens, stopping short of or at the Turkish frontier. A report said to have come from Ankara that Ttirkey is unlikely to help Bulgaria is robbed of interest and significance by the fact Aiat no opportunity for Turkey to help Bulgaria has arisen or is likely to arise. If Bulgaria is freely admitting German troops she is already well past the stage at which she might have been helped. Little value evidently can he attached to statements regarding the attitude of Turkey which come from the Rome radio and from a Yugoslav newspaper which supports the Axis. .Much. of course, depends on the magnitude of the effort Germany is prepared to make in the Balkans. At. a minimum she is no doubt bound to make a serious effort to stiffen and support the failing military energies of Italy and this would imply at least a powerful drive against Greece. The alternative policy has to be considered that the Nazi dictatorships may im contemplating a bolder effort and may he hoping also to force a way through Turkey to I lit' oilfields of Irak and Iran. It is well known that Germany has great forces which could be drawn upon in such an enterprise. According to a recent estimate she has 225 divisions, including 13 tank divisions and 10 motorised divisions, all excellently equipped, totalling 3,500,000 men, strung out from Norway to the Black Sea. Even with 70 of these divisions watching Russia. Germany no doubt is in a position to throw very powerful forces into an attempt to break out from the Balkans into the lands beyond. Particularly when account is taken of air force as well as land force however, it is definitely a question whether the Nazis can afford the dispersion of strength that an attempted drive into tin* Mediterranean regions would entail. That question is emphasised by the expressed opinion of the Brilisli Chief of Stall’. General Sir .John Dill, endorsed by Mr. Churchill, that Hitler may bo driven by economic and other conditions in Europe to try to invade Britain ii the near future. In the extent to which that opinion is sound, any considerable diversion of strength to the Balkans would appear to be n very risky enterprise indeed for the Nazis. A criminal desperado ami egomaniac like Hitler no doubt is capable, however, of extravagant action. Presumably he knows that nothin-/ short of the destruction of Britain would enable him to win the war. but he may be hoping to gain a measure of advantage in the Mediterranean which would lighten the greater task. He may lie hoping, too, by offensive action in the Mediterranean, to induce Japan to pass from passive to active support of the Axis and to plunge into war with the British Empire and the United States. As a means of slowing lhe flow of American material aid to Britain, this development is desired /reall.v by the Nazis and the strengthening of the defences of Malaya of which something has been heard of late, is an indication, among others, that the possibility of an extension of Japanese aggression is no! lightly to be dism isset I. lhe immediate fact to be faced in any case is that the Germans arc preparing for an early offensive in the Balkans, and ordinary prudence makes it necessary to assume that the effort will be powerful ami formidable of its kind. The initial threat is tn Greece, by a German drive through Bulgaria, but how far and in what manner the threat -will extend it is a? present impossible to say. b'or reasons that have been touched upon, imlieat ions that Turkey is unlikely |.> attempt to support Bulgarin are m>i of great importance, ini; a -.treat deal ni;iv depend upon whether Turkey is prepared to eo operate with Greece in stemming a German drive into Macedonia. I hat Greece will get all the support Britain is aide to give no doubt goes without saying. In this connection. M-znim an.-.-may attach Io a report which stated y.-sterda v that I ,i.-i it .-ua nt G--neral Sir II ?J \\ dson had been appointed Military Governor of Italy’s lost Libyan province of (yrenaica. The compi.-st of Italy s Airman Empire has hern carried alr>-;tdv to a -!. !V •at which a considerable movement British Imperial !’<>r<---s the Balkans becomes an oimous possdnlitv. tin tin- whole, the situation in the Balkans ami adjacent regions holds some ratlo-r open possibilities )>>it there is a de.j] to he set a/ainsi any hopes the Nazi -tictaiorshii- m.-iv tie basing upon the southeastern thrust for which it has made extensive and ekihm-.iii- preparations. nop. app.-ireinli tar a-Ivan I towards completion The problem v. jt h?!a mlittg and deteating a German offensjvp Lv w.w of th-- I’, dk-u-s a v.-r.x mrn-h more prmn.smg and kop-ful aspect th, n would have worn in the days when it was supple,i -im- |-. : h had to he reckoned with as ■ formidable llaV .d p. '•G-.-n her armies i n Libya and .-L.-where in Africa w-.-r- stti! unbroken.