ANXIETY IN ITALY

Wairarapa Times-Age, 11 May 1943, Page 4

ANXIETY IN ITALY

FEARS OF AIR BOMBING & INVASION UNCONCERN PROFESSED BY GERMANS. OVER COLLAPSE IN TUNISIA. (By Telegraph—Press Association—Copyright) (Received This Day, 11.40 a.m.) LONDON. May 10. With the Allies now in the position they wanted for the 1943 operations, comes evidence of mounting Italian invasion fears. The Rome radio stated today: ‘’The fall of Tunis and Bizerta is a serious blow to the Axis, particularly to Italy. Tunisia was an advanced Italian defence position and its fall means that Italy is directly menaced. Very bad days lie ahead. Our cities will be destroyed by devastating air raids and Italy's fair soil will very soon be a theatre of bloody fighting, but the Italians, with their immense courage, can ’stand up to adversity. We must be certain that fallen Africa, drenched with Italian blood, will see us back as victors. We owe this to our dead." Germany, however, is still explaining that the Tunisian events do not constitute a defeat. The military commentator of the Berlin radio claimed that the Axis forces have not been defeated, but only compressed by material superiority. "In the past four years,” said the commentator, "we Germans have gone through many victorious campaigns, but we have won victories without ever having had such a crushing superiority." General Dietmar said: “The enemy's overwhelming superiority has come into its own, but the result of the Tunisian campaign does not surprise experts, who are astonished that the inevitable has only now occurred. Our jump to Tunisia and our long delayingaction have been fully justified. We meantime have been able almost to complete the Atlantic wall, consolidate the military and political situation in South-Eastern Europe and consolidate the Eastern front to a degree beyond all expectations. We have also prevented the launching of a second front when it would have been most awkward for the Axis. The enemy's organisation is chiefly responsible for his success."

DEFENCE OF RIVIERA EVACUATION OF CIVILIANS RUSHED. WORK ON FORTIFICATIONS SPEEDED UP. (Received This Day, 1 p.m.) LONDON, May 10. The Axis authorities are rushing the evacuation of civilians from the French Riviera at top speed, says Reuter’s Zurich correspondent. The Axis are also speeding up work on the Riviera fortifications, camouflaging and reinforcing light artillery. They are also said to be installing long-range guns, with big stores of weapons and ammunition, at certain points. New U-boat bases are stated to be established along the French Mediterranean coast. Many new airfields and seaplane bases are being built and reinforcements of Italian seaplanes are expected.