WORLD EVENTS

Wairarapa Times-Age, 25 June 1941, Page 2

WORLD EVENTS

STRUGGLE AGAINST NAZISM PHASES OF CONFLICT. ADDRESS BY ARCHDEACON RICli. "When fog and mist mar the vision on when events move with unexpected rapidity, it is not always easy to see the whole range of world happenings in their true perspective or to realise the broad issues which are striving amidst the welter of alarms to work themselves cut to their determined end." stated the Ven. Archdeacon E. J. Rich, in an address on current events at the Kuripuni Ladies’ Guild gift day yesterday.

Archdeacon Rich indicated that there were four theatres of war to be examined, to get a true perspective of the titanic struggle. They were the Battle of the Atlantic, the battle of the air, the battle of the Middle East and the battle for Russia. The figures published recently showed British shipping losses to be staggering in their immensity. They had been told frankly that their losses were greater than the replacements of Britain and the U.S.A, combined. He advanced his views to conclude that the battle was being slowly but surely won, The battle of the air was closely bound up with the battle of the Atlantic. In the last fortnight Britain had taken the offensive by day as well as by night. Never again would British forces fight without adeciuate air support. Germany was feeling the loss of the experts she had killed and lost during the last seven years. Berlin was plainly annoyed at the effectiveness of British bombs. As Hitler found himself at bay he would undoubtedly seek to wreak his worst on England which had dared to stand between Him and the domination of the world. The struggle for the Suez Canal was bound up with the battle of the Middle East. Archdeacon Rich referred to the campaign in .Syria and the defeat of the Vichy sympathisers. Dealing with the attack on Russia, Archdeacon Rich stated that the crafty tortuous mind of Hitler was now revealed. Hitler needed food and oil. His generals had told him that he could conquer Russia in a month. Then replenished, his people would be satisfied and his army in good heart for its last trial, an attack on England. It was a desperate hope, a gambler throwing his all on a quick victory. There would come out of the Russian offensive a peace offensive on a grand scale. Russia had a tremendous capacity for suffering and her soldiers were brave. In conclusion Archdeacon Rich stated that the British Empire would remain a united Empire and would fight on until evil had been overthrown and every nation restored.