AXIS FEARS

Wairarapa Times-Age, 29 June 1943, Page 4

AXIS FEARS

OF ALLIED INVASION

OF BALKANS AND ITALY. GROWING EFFECTS OF AIR BOMBING. (By Telegraph—Press Association— Copyright) (Received This Day, 1.25 p.m.) LONDON, June 28. The “Daily Telegraph’s” Istanbul correspondent says the Bulgarian Government believes that at the first concrete sign of an Allied landing there will be a general uprising in Greece and Yugoslavia. The air raids on Salonika and Athens have heightened Axis fears that an Allied invasion of the Balkans is near. An Axis military mission is in Greece, inspecting defence works.

Reuter’s Stockholm correspondent quotes an Essen newspaper as saying that the Italians are braced for an Allied second front, which is believed to be imminent. The evacuation of South Italy has led to a decreased number of civilian casualties. Naples and other target cities now have most extensive shelters. Air strategists in Washington express the opinion that the new system of concentrated air attacks has been so successful that it might be said that the invasion of Europe has already begun. Landing operations in Italy may be only weeks away. Air bombardment is being carried out on such a carefully-planned basis that hardly a bomb is wasted. All objectives are being studied minutely with the aid of aerial photographs, and in the light of the latest informationmuch of it from underground sources. Some military observers believe the time is near when the relentless air bombardment of Axis targets will produce unexpected and sensational results, ahead of schedule.