EFFORTS BY JAPAN

Wairarapa Times-Age, 28 June 1943, Page 3

EFFORTS BY JAPAN

TO START RUSSOGERMAN PEACE TALKS REBUFFED BY STALIN AFTER CASABLANCA. NEW APPROACH BEING TRIED. (By Telegraph—Press Association—Copyright) (Received This Day, 10.20 a.m.) LONDON, June 27. < For the past six months the Japanese Ambassador to Russia, Admiral Sato, has been attempting to induce Russia and Germany to talk peace, says the British United Press Stockholm correspondent. Japanese fears that an Axis defeat is impending, after which Japan’s position 1 will be hopeless, are believed to be the reason for these attempts. M. Stalin’s announcement of adherence to the Casablanca policy answered Admiral Sato’s early efforts. A new approach is reported to be based on the argument that Russia and Germany will not benefit from a fight to a finish on the Eastern front, for the benefit of the Western democracies. Meantime, Soviet publicists continue to. play up. the theme that Germany can be defeated only by a heavy blow from east and west. The Trade Union organ “Trud” says: “An overwhelming majority of British and American newspapers agree that it is necessary to fight the idea that the war can be won by the air force alone. The British and American Press almost unanimously says it is necessary to take advantage of the favourable situation and not miss the opportunity of inflicting a decisive and crushing blow on the Fascists.” A leading Moscow radio political commentator, M. Viktorov, declared: “The world is tensely expectant as conditions have become extraordinarily favourable for our Allies as regards military operations on Continent. The Luftwaffe is helpless and cannot interfere with Allied raiders. The so-call-ed Atlantic Wall does not exist and U-boat warfare has taken a decisive turn in favour of the Aliles. All the strategic approaches to Italy are in the hands of the Allies, who have an undenied mastery of the Mediterranean.”