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Wairarapa Times-Age WEDNESDAY, JULY 16, 1941. VICTORY IN SYRIA.

QN all grounds, the victorious conclusion of the Syrian campaign is to be welcomed. That it was necessary to invade and occupy this territory to prevent its being handed over to Germany and to raise a barrier against German aggression is not in doubt. For the fact, too, that in’Syria Frenchmen were opposed to their own brethren and to British and Imperial troops, sole responsibility rests upon the traitors of Vichy. The necessity of fighting a campaign in these circumstances nevertheless was grievous and in the loss of gallant lives that has been entailed there is cause for sorrow deepened by the fact that only crime and treachery could have made such a campaign inevitable. The defeat of the Vichy forces in Syria, as the Commander-in-Chief of the Allied forces in that territory (General Sir 11. l\f. Wilson) has said, “should assure us a bulwark of defence against, the Germans and a well-placed position from which to deal with them.” On what lines precisely the campaign in the Middle East is destined to develop' has yet to appear. A good deal no doubt must depend on the course of events on the vast Russo-German front, and not least in Southern Russia. The British Commander-in-Chief in the Middle East, Sir Claude Auehinleek, observed recently, in a statement to war. correspondents at Cairo, that he thought the Germans would try to push to the Caucasus and thence to Baku. If they secured the Caucasus, he added, tliey would almost certainly try to drive to Basra, probably for the moral effect and in order to compel the Allies to maintain large forces in India and the Middle East. It seems possible, too, that while the Allied occupation of Syria has, amongst other things, saved Turkey from being encircled by the Nazis, Hie latter may now be inclined to look upon Turkey as their next victim. There have been some reports of late about a Nazi threat to the Turkish Straits and a massing of Bulgarian troops on the Turkish frontier has been reported and denied. Whatever may befall, however, the occupation ol Syria strengthens the Allied position in the Eastern Mediterranean, incidentally lending to safeguard Cyprus, and should do much to impede or prevent a German move against Egypt from the north, as part of a pincers movement in concert with the Axis forces in Libya. With Hie firmly held fortress of Tobruk const it u tin g a st anding menace to their flank and rear, a nd 1 heir sea and land communications exposed, as has been demonstrated most, impressively of late, to damaging attack, the position of the enemy forces in Libya appears to be one of considerable insecurity. Although there are dangers, defined and undefined, still to be guarded against and provided for in the Middle East, the occupation of Syria has its place among developments which may open the way to attack on the enemy and contribute in no unimportant degree to his ultimate defeat.

Permanent link to this item
Hononga pūmau ki tēnei tūemi

https://paperspast.natlib.govt.nz/newspapers/WAITA19410716.2.15

Bibliographic details
Ngā taipitopito pukapuka

Wairarapa Times-Age, 16 July 1941, Page 4

Word count
Tapeke kupu
506

Wairarapa Times-Age WEDNESDAY, JULY 16, 1941. VICTORY IN SYRIA. Wairarapa Times-Age, 16 July 1941, Page 4

Wairarapa Times-Age WEDNESDAY, JULY 16, 1941. VICTORY IN SYRIA. Wairarapa Times-Age, 16 July 1941, Page 4

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