SECRET MEETING

Wairarapa Times-Age, 9 August 1943, Page 3

SECRET MEETING

AT HITLER’S HEADQUARTERS DISCUSSIONS AND MOVEMENT OF TROOPS. GENERALS AND THE NAZIS. (By Telegraph—Press Association—Copyright) LONDON, August 8. Hitler has held important military discussions at his headquarters, says Berlin radio. Those present included Herr Bormann, who is his deputy, Marshal Goering, Herr von Ribbentrop, Dr. Goebbels, Herr Himmler, and Generals Speer, Keitel, Zietzle, Milch, and Jodi, Admiral Doenitz, and also Hitler’s adviser, Colonel-General Jeschonek.

“Diplomatic circles in Washington believe that the evacuation of Berlin reflects a weakening of morale both in the Government and among the German people, and that it may even mean that Hitler and his chief aides have lost authority, and affairs are now completely in the hands of military officials,” says the.. “New.. York Times.”

“The German generals,” the Madrid correspondent of the Associated Press of Great Britain reports, “are anxious to obtain the collaboration of a number of the officials who were dropped by Hitler, particularly Dr. Schacht, the financial expert, and they are also expected to summon non-Nazi technicians to fill posts in various Ministerics. It is believed that the Press, which will remain under Goebbels but subject to the army policy, will shortly launch a new campaign emphasising that the Gormans should concentrate on defence efforts. There will be less mention of the Nazi Party activities and the Fuehrer, and more appeals to patriotism.

“The Germans, it is stated, believe that the changes will strengthen rather than weaken the war machine. They expected to eliminate the over-frequent clashes between the party and the army, which has long felt that too much attention has been given to the party’s phobias, such as the antiJewish campaigns.” However, Herr Snuckel. the German manpower chief, in a statement over the Paris radio, said: “There will not be a revolution inside Germany. There also will not be a change of Government. 'The German nation is united behind Hitler.” He added that from now on the German Government would expel all the Jews from Europe. It seems obvious that the Germans are digging in in the Balkans for a fight to the bitter end, says the Istanbul correspondent of the “New York Times.” They have begun to carry out a rapid redistribution of troops in Yugoslavia, Greece and Albania, movinn three divisions to the vulnerable Albanian and Dalmation coasts and rushing the coastal fortifications in Albania opposite Taranto and Brindisi. \