Wairarapa Times-Age MONDAY, SEPTEMBER 28, 1942. SECOND FRONT DEMANDS.

Wairarapa Times-Age, 28 September 1942, Page 2

Wairarapa Times-Age MONDAY, SEPTEMBER 28, 1942. SECOND FRONT DEMANDS.

TT has been suggested bf late by a well-known Washington correspondent (Mr Arthur Krock) that the Allies never intended to open a second land front in Europe this year. According to Mr Krock, the much-discussed sentence in the communicpie, issued in June last, announcing that Britain, the United States and Russia had reached a full understanding regarding the urgency of creating a second front in Europe in 1942 was a deliberately ambiguous statement made, on the initiative of President Roosevelt, in order to play on enemy nerves —the Soviet- Government of course being apprised fully of the actual position.

So far as the enemy is concerned this deception may have served its intended purpose, but unfortunately the people of Russia as well as many of those of other Allied countries appear to have been encouraged to entertain false hopes of. an earlier attack by land on the Axis forces in Western Europe than was in fact deemed practicable. If feeling on this subject is running as high in. the Russian civilian population and fighting forces as some recent reports have indicated the use of ambiguous language in the Allied communique in June must be regarded to that extent as regrettable.

There appears to be a general failure in Russia to appreciate the enormous weight of the war load Britain is bearing and has borne now for over three years at sea, on land and in the air. There are signs also of a failure in Russia to make due allowance for the time needed even by a nation as great and powerful as the United States to mobilise its fighting strength, and for the heavy additional call made on Allied resources by the addition of Japan to the Axis combination.

A statement made by Mr Wendell Willkie in Moscow on the subject of a second front is noteworthy as providing additional evidence of the strength of the Russian demand for Allied land action in AVeste.ru Europe and perhaps on other grounds as well. Affirming that victory or death are the only alternatives admitted by the Russians, Mr Willkie said, as he is reported, that the best way to help the Russians is to open a second land front in Europe at the earliest possible moment approved by our military leaders, and that: “Next summer might be too late.” It may be assumed that Mr Willkie made this statement with a due sense of responsibility and also with a more accurate knowledge of the military situation than is available to the general public in Allied countries.

Even with the northern winter near at hand, nothing is to be taken for granted where the opening of a second 'land front in Europe and other possible military developments are concerned. Last year the Russians sprang a surprise on the enemy with their winter offensive. The possibility is perhaps not to be ruled out that, with the offensive power of the Allies now expanding apace, new surprises may be in store for Germany and her partners —the latter already troubled and uneasy —in the winter about to open.

lii any case the Russians, in spite of their insistent demands for the opening of a .second land front in Europe, are showing no signs of weakening on their own front. Hitler’s minimum objective in Russia is the establishment of a front which can be held lightly, enabling him to switch the bulk of his air and armoured forces to Western Europe and perhaps to send heavy reinforcements to the Middle East. In spite of the progress the German forces have made in their drive to the Volga and the Caucasus their prospects of gaining this measure of relative ■security and freedom for new action are by no means good. There is every indication that the Russian armies will continue to fight in full power and meantime the Allies are massing their strength in the west and are building up a great and increasing air superiority. Far-reaching developments conceivably may occur long before another summer opens in the northern hemisphere.