SOLDIERS’ LIVES

Wairarapa Times-Age, 1 September 1943, Page 4

SOLDIERS’ LIVES

NOT TO BE SQUANDERED MR CHURCH LL ON ALLIED ■ STRATEGY. SOUND MILITARY PLANS. r (British Official Wireless.) ~ (Received This Day, 9.45 a.m,) RUGBY, August 31. Observing, in his broadcast from Quebec, that his hearers would not wish him to tell them when the Allies would launch their attack on the German invaders of France, Mr Churchill added that whenever the great blow was struck “you may be sure it will be because' we are satisfied that there is a good prospect of continuing success and that our soldiers' lives will be expended in accordance with sound military plans and not squandered for political considerations of any kind. “I submit to the judgment of the United Nations and history that Brit-ish-American strategy, as directed oy the combined chiefs of staff and as approved and to some extent inspired by the President and myself has been the best open to us in practical circumstances,” the British Prime Minister continued. “It has been bold and daring and has brought into play against the enemy the maximum effective forces that could have been deployed up to the present by Britain and the United States, having regard to the limitations of ocean transport, the peculiar conditions of amphibious warfare and the character and training of the armies we possess. The terrific aerial attack on Germany would not have been possible without the magnificent stand the Russians have made against Hitler’s forces. No country has withstood such a devastating attack as that thrown against the Russians.” Mr Churchill said the fate of King Boris of Bulgaria might serve as a warning to other rulers that “the wages of sin is death.” Pointing out that Britain’s principal activity against Japan must of necessity be centred in India, Mr Churchill expressed his confidence in Lord Mountbatten, the newly-appointed Commander-in-Chief in South-East Asia. Turning to Italy, whose “war impulse” had been destroyed and which had paid a terrible penalty for a110w- .... ing itself to be misled by false and criminal guides, the Prime Minister said: “How much easier it is to accept them than to shake them off.” -A large number of German troops and by far the greater proportion of the German . Ail’ Force, he observed, had been EJirawn away from France to hold down •‘“■tile Italian people, in order to make Italy a battleground and to keep the war as distant and as long as possible away from German soil. By far the greater part of the German Air Force had been drawn from the Russian front and was being worn down with evergrowing intensity, night and day. We had established a strategic initiative and potential, both in the Atlantic and the Mediterranean, of which the enemy could neither measure the weight nor perceive the hour of application. In conclusion the. Prime Minister said; “ft is not given'to the clearest and * the most calculating mortals to know with' certainty what is their interest. Yet it is given to a lot of a simple fotks to know what is their duty. That is .the path along which the British Com- . '-monwealth and Empire, the Great Republic of the United States, the vast U.S.S.R., the indomitable and innumerable people of China and all the United Nations shall march till our work is done and we may rest from our labours and the whole world may turn with hope, confidence, good sense and aearly-bought experience from war to lasting peace.” MORTAL DAMAGE INFLICTED BY RUSSIA. ON GERMAN WAR MACHINE. • (British Official Wireless.) (Received This Day, 1.0 p.m.) RUGBY, August 31. “Complete triphibion” was the novel phrase Mr Churchill coined tonight, to describe Lord Mountbatten. This meant • a nature equally at home in earth, air and water—also well accustomed to fire. Commenting on the comparative youth of the Commander-in-Chief of all the Anglo-American forces in South-East Asia—who “will act in constant association with Chiang Kai- ■ shek,” —the Prime Minister said: “If an officer, having devoted his life to the military art, does not know about war at 43 years of age he is not likely to learn much more about it later on.” On the subject of a second front, Mr Churchill observed that he always thought of a third front as well and added: “I always thought the Western democracies should be like the boxer who fights with two hands, not one. I believe that the great flanking movement into North Africa will be regarded in after years as quite a good thing to do in all circumstances. Certainly it reaped rich and substantial results. Africa has been cleared of the enemy and at least 500,000 prisoners are in our hands. In a brilliant campaign of 38 days Sicily, defended by over 400,000 Axis troops, has been conquered.” Among the Premier's references to the Russian war effort were these noteworthy words: “No Government evei formed among men has been capable of surviving injuries so grave and cruel as those inflicted by Hitler upon Russia, but he under-rated Stalin, and, thanks also to the stand made by the British peoples when they were all alone, and to abundant British and American supplies and munitions of all kinds, Russia has not only survived and recovered from her frightful injuries, but has inflicted, as no other force in the world could, mortal damage on the German Army machine.” ■ ' A study of the full text of Mr Churchill’s speech also shows the importance that he attached to recent events in Europe. He said: “The most important and significant events are taking place in the Balkans as a result of the Russian victories and also, I believe, of the Anglo-American campaign against Italy. Twice in the last thirty years the Bulgarian people will owe their liberation and existence to Russia.”