TENSE SITUATION

Wairarapa Times-Age, 21 August 1943, Page 3

TENSE SITUATION

“GET READY” WARNING TO FRENCH PEOPLE ALLIED LANDINGS AWAITED. WIDESPREAD SABOTAGE REPORTED IN DENMARK (Bv Telegraph—Press Association— Copyright) LONDON, August 20. ' A high British Army officer last night broadcast another “get ready warning to the French people. “Those of you who belong to the resistance groups know already that your services will be wanted on ‘day J’ at ‘hour H,’ ” he said. The situation within France is extremely tense following upon General Eisenhower’s message to prepare for an invasion, reports the “New York Times" Berne correspondent. All groups of resistance are reported to be ready and anxiously awaiting Allied landings, which are expected at any day. In the meantime the Vichy Government is perturbed and perplexed. M. Laval, striving to cling to office, has proposed a reconstruction of the Cabinet to include former Senators and Deputies who still have popular support. However, the Germans, are likely to remove Laval when the invasion occurs and substitute M. Doriot. the leader of the French Nazis.

Street fighting has broken out between German soldiers and Danish civilians in Odense, the third largest Danish city, where a state of siege has been declared, says the “New York Times” Stockholm correspondent. Elsewhere in Denmark the wave of sabotage has reached gigantic proportions. On Wednesday night 60 factories were dynamited. Reports indicate that saboteurs are wrecking war factories more thoroughly and extensively than could Allied bombers. The Danish Parliament met in extraordinary session yesterday. It is believed the Germans will be forced to take drastic measures to cope with the situation.