ALARM IN GERMANY

Wairarapa Times-Age, 1 August 1941, Page 6

ALARM IN GERMANY

AND LATEST OPPOSITION TO HITLER BECOMING MORE ARTICULATE MISGIVINGS & DESPONDENCY. (Received This Day. 12.45 p.m.) LONDON, July 31. Vividly describing the mounting alarm and despondency in Germany, “The Times” correspondent on the German frontier, deciares that widespread and 'latent opposition to the Hitler regime has become more articulate and is snowballing throughout the Reich. The German High Command is doing its utmost to capitalise a break through at Smolensk, but a multitude of signs suggest that the war has reached a crucial stage. The Germans are frankly admitting the urgent need of a decisive result within a few days. The endless succession of hospital trains from the East, interminable newspaper columns of death notices and the calling up of further recruits for the army on July 30. have markedly increased the Germans’ nervousness and restlessness. British and American aid for Russia has increased the disquietude. The wounded relate that the German blitz failed because the Russians were equally mechanised and fearless. Fanatical and murderous guerilla activity on a mass scale defied counter-action. An immediate and sweeping military triumph, leading to tangible results, can alone silence the open denunciation of the invasion of Russia. At present the break through at Smolensk and appalling Russian losses are inadequate to dispel the misgivings of the Reich population, which is continuously tormented by R.A.F. raids. The “Volkischex- Beobachter” betrays a serious change in public sentiment from the serene confidence existing in June. The newspaper, with queer logic, declares: “The Red Army's stubborn and desperate resistance is striking proof that the Soviet constitutes a mortal danger to Germany and Europe, which is why we must not be allowed to be impressed by the number of wounded or the frequence of death notices, but must consider the enormous number of soldiers battling. The Russians’ losses are irremediable, because Germany aims at the destruction of the Soviet forces. The German losses are relatively insignificant, because once the conquest of Russia is complete Germany will be the sole military power

in Europe. Even enfeeblement is unimportant fox- the future of Europe. “The Times” correspondent adds that everyone realises that the German army is facing the most supreme test in.its history. The public's listlessness has vanished, in the face of evident national peril. Hourly news is ravenously devoured but the non-committal attitude of'the High Command merely increases theuneasiness.The correspondent mentions a report that a German tank division has broken through at Smolensk. but the Russians are confident that they will annihilate the division long before it reaches the outskirts of Moscow. The Wilhelmstrasse, it is reported, expects Leningrad to fall very shortly, but refuses precise details. The correspondent says the Germans undeniably disregard the cost of attempting a blitz rush against Leningrad.