HARDEST WAR

Wairarapa Times-Age, 22 May 1942, Page 3

HARDEST WAR

GERMANY HAS EVER HAD TO FIGHT

GOERING’S ADMISSION & BOAST.

“HITLER A GREATER GENERAL THAN NAPOLEON.”

(By Telegraph—Press Association—Copyright) LONDON, May 20.

“This war is the hardest Germany has ever had to fight,” said Field-Mar-shall Goering in a speech in Berlin today. “There are two fronts—the external front and the home front. The winter campaign has been terrible. The Fuehrer suffered deeply for his troops, but he knew he must not yield; we had to hold the front. Only those who experienced this know what it cost.

“There was a veritable stream of bad news from the Russian front during the winter campaign. The Russians penetrated to our rear on every front, guerillas blew up railways and cut our supplies, the terrible cold almost froze our troops, and the weather also interfered with our railway communications and our front was cut off from munitions, food and clothing for days. ®

Goering said that all through the bittel’ Russian winter the army had to stay put, knowing that behind them there were only heaps of ruins. He painted a picture of snow drifting everywhere, and men almost freezing to death.

“Hitler paced up and down from his dug-out, fire pouring from his eyes. He told this battalion' to do this; he ordered this point to be held. Hitler, of course, is a greater general than Napoleon,” Goering said. “The men and women on the home fronts must understand that sometimes harshness only will achieve triumph,” he continued. He said that the weather, even in Germany, had been unkind. There were three extra hard winters. The last harvest was bad, and more rain was needed for the coming harvest. “It is necessary for our arms workers to go bn straining every, nerve. We must become harder till victory is won. Our war decrees must be obeyed. Your leaders know what is necessary; they will do everything for you and they have the right to expect you to do what they ask.”

Goering was speaking at a presentation of decorations to war workers. He said nobody must think that the ceremony meant that they could sit back and celebrate. He concluded by calling down the blessings of the Almighty on Hitler, saying it was unthinkable that Providence had raised this man from such obscure beginnings only to push Germany back into the abyss.