Wairarapa Times-Age THURSDAY, APRIL 10, 1941. BAD NEWS FROM THE BALKANS.

Wairarapa Times-Age, 10 April 1941, Page 4

Wairarapa Times-Age THURSDAY, APRIL 10, 1941. BAD NEWS FROM THE BALKANS.

'J'ODAY’S news from the Balkans, and particularly an announcement that the Germans have entered Salonika, calls from British people throughout the Empire for the response made by the Acting-Prime of Australia, Air Padden, in. his declaration that the effect will be to steel us in a determination to pul additional effort into the struggle. The news as it stands is bad. Not only have the Germans followed up their mechanised thrust, into the Vardar Valley, in the Greek frontier region, with a quick and success! id. drive on. Salonika, but they are reported to be making such progress in various parts of Yugoslavia, as points to the possibility of a collapse of that country’s resistance.

It is now clear that hopes of a united front being established in the Balkans will) British support, were unduly optimistic. Gallantly as she refused in the end Io follow the craven example set. by Rumania and Bulgaria, Y ugoslavia evidently acted too late to permit of effective joint measures of defence being planned and carried into effect. While the Koval Air Force is taking heavy toll of the advancing Germans, there is no news at. tinie of writing of the British land forces having been engaged. The Yugoslav failure which laid bare the Greek left flank in Macedonia appears Io have deprived our forces of the chance of lending effective aid. Whether the British units will be able to assist, in salvaging some paid of Greece from the wreck remains an open question. The heroism and constancy of the Greeks in any ease stand out in bright contrast to the otherwise rather dismal picture meantime presented in the Balkans.

In Africa, the British capture of the Eritrean port of Massawa is an event, to be hailed with great satisfaction. It marks an important stage in the collapse of the Italian empire ’in Africa ami will contribute to the establishment of secure sea communications with the Near ami Middle East. In making it known, however, that the British Imperial forces in Libya have fallen back on Tobruk, after fighting a hard rearguard action, the British Prime Minister (Mr Churchill) has emphasised that a heavy task has yet to be faced in defending not only Cyrenaica, but Egypt, Much, fortunately, has been accomplished in Africa of which the effect remains and will remain. The conquest of the whole of East Africa is now on Ihe point of completion, and although for the time being ground is being conceded in Libya, the destruction of more than half of the army organised by the Italians for the invasion of Egypt greatly affects the total outlook.

‘Account has to be taken, not only of the immediate effects of the present adverse turn of events in the Balkans, and of questions that arise as to the security or otherwise of the Turkish Straits, but of possible repercussions further afield—for example, the extent to which Japanese policy in the Pacific may be influenced. . Britain and the British Empire can do nothing else, however, than meet increased difficulties and increased, dangers with intensified effort and unfalteringresolution.