Wairarapa Times-Age THURSDAY, APRIL 3, 1941. A NATION UNDISMAYED.

Wairarapa Times-Age, 3 April 1941, Page 4

Wairarapa Times-Age THURSDAY, APRIL 3, 1941. A NATION UNDISMAYED.

THAT Greece is in no way intimidated by the threat of German attack has been made manifest, not only in the complete* and crushing' defeat of the recent counter offensive in which the Italians are reported to have suffered losses totalling .>(),0(1(1, but in enterprising and successful, though limited, aggressive action bv Greek forces on vital sections of the battlefront in Albania. Obviously, however, the immediate outlook in that theatre of war has been modified to some extent and must be considered in its direct and intimate relationship with Hie larger developments that are now possible in the Balkans. Had it been necessary for them to take account only ol the. Italians, it is likely that the Greeks would have followed up their decisive success of a week or two ago by bringing up reinforcements and opening vigorous thrusts at klbasan, Berat, or Valona. Now, however, they must husband their resources in Albania in view of the possibility that they may have to meet formidable German attacks in Macedonia and Thrace. They are assured in any ease of all the support that Britain can give, but what support they can count upon receiving from Yugoslavia or Turkey has yet io appear. At its face value, the present, declared policy of the Government of Yugoslavia moans that that country will not fight unless she is herself attacked. For Hie time being, the whole situation awaits definition and determination. Germany’s present inclination apparently is to concentrate on efforts to reduce Yugoslavia to submission as a preliminary to further action in the Balkans. This inclination is understandable, as the military correspondent, of the “Sydney Morning Herald” pointed out the other day, because, while it is difficult to see how Germany could transport sufficient, supplies for a large army on the Bulgarian railways, the Yugoslav system would serve this purpose admirably. Bulgaria (the correspondent added) has only 1841 miles of railway, and most of this runs in an east-west direction and is thus of little direct use to any German southern drive. But Yugoslavia has 4,548 miles of track, almost all of which links on to the main southern system, or the railways leading direct to Sofia. A similar contrast pertains with regard to roads. While Bulgaria has scarcely any roads worthy of the name, Yugoslavia has spent many millions of dinars in recent years in developing a highway system of over 26,000 miles, some of the highways being modern auto-roads on the German and Italian model. Germany’s problem is accentuated because it is known that she is relying to a large extent on mechanised divisions and thus must have a larger proportion of heavy equipment than would otherwise be the case, and the Bulgarian road system cannot allow the expeditious transport of all this material. . . . Unless she can gain control of the Yugoslav transport routes, Germany would thus conduct, a southern offensive under somewhat serious handicaps. On the other hand, it now seems quite certain that the Yugoslavs will resist with all the force at their command any German penetration of their country. In an invasion of northern Yugoslavia, the Germans might encounter no very serious difficulties. It is reasonably certain, however, that in an attempt to advance through *the Serbian mountains the Germans would be met formidably. Indefinite as the outlook still is in many respects, it is on the whole decidedly belter from the Greek standpoint'than it recently seemed to be. If the Germans drive south without attacking Yugoslavia, they will be hampered seriously by bad and inadequate communications. If Yugoslavia is attacked, the Nazis will bo embarking on a very much greater and more formidable adventure than if all roads to the Greek frontier were open. Tn thaf ease it is probable that Greece will be able to count upon the active and effective co-operation of her Balkan neighbours, other than Bulgaria, as well as upon British support and the material aid she is promised from America. The questions now open between Nazi Germany.and Yugoslavia obviously have their vital bearing on the position in Albania, as well as upon the larger questions that await determination in the Balkans,