Wairarapa Times-Age SATURDAY, MAY 2, 1942. SECOND FRONT TALK.

Wairarapa Times-Age, 2 May 1942, Page 2

Wairarapa Times-Age SATURDAY, MAY 2, 1942. SECOND FRONT TALK.

DURING the last few weeks there has been an active revival "of talk about the desirability of opening a second front against Germany by invading Western Europe, but obviously nothing is less likely, or less to be desired, than that any accurate information as to what Britain and her Allies intend to do in this matter should be allowed to escape prematurely. A cablegram from Boston yesterday quoted the Washington correspondent of the “Christian Science Monitor as stating that the United States is urging on Britain a direct land invasion of Europe, while London, it is reported, holds the view that the cost in lowered morale and squandered equipment of an unsuccessful, invasion would make its value doubtful. If this division of opinion really exists, Lord Beaverbrook lias ranged himself on the American side, but it seems rather more likcTy that whatever uncertainly the situation holds has been engendered deliberately by the Allied Governments, with a view to "imposing the greatest possible strain on the enemy's nerves and to a not inconsiderable extent on his military resources. Nothing is better established than that the most powerful offensive action that is practicable is demanded as definitely and emphatically by a. great and growing weight of opinion in Britain as in any part of the Allied world. Assuming, however, that the British Government and High Command are in complete sympathy with this demand, they evidently are doing only their plain duty in allowing no hint to escape of the course of action they mean to adopt. From the standpoint of the Allied nations, complete uncertainty in the mind of the enemy as to what form Allied action will take in Western Europe or elsewhere has very great advantages. At the simplest view, doubts as to where or when the blow may fall must constrain the Nazis to retain in Western Europe forces they would very much like to send to Russia, the Balkans or other Avar areas to take part in the “shattering' blows” Hitler has promised to strike in the immediate or early future. The results of the raids in. which British combined forces have smashed their way into some of the strongest enemy defences on the Atlantic seaboard-doing considerably more damage to the enemy than he was able to do to them —are already highly suggestive of what might be accomplished by a multiplication and intensification of similar attacks, not to speak of a full-scale invasion.

There has been some bold and brave talk from the Nazis of an ability on their part to wage war this year on a blitzkrieg scale on four or five fronts if need be, but it seems rather more reasonable to believe that Axis gangsterdom cannot now engage in any military enterprise of great magnitude without finding itself involved' in heavy dangers and difficulties, making conflicting demands on its air and other forces. As the British Minister of Production, Captain Lyttelton, has said, it is difficult to see how Hitler will be able to stand up against the colossal forces being built up against him by the United Nations while the Nazi forces are in the grip of a terrible campaign against our brave Russian allies. The last thing to be expected, however, is that the Allies should give any clear indication beforehand, to Hitler and his accomplices, of what they intend to do.