GERMANY PREPARED

Wairarapa Times-Age, 29 December 1943, Page 3

GERMANY PREPARED

FOR ALLIED ONSLAUGHT ON EUROPE BOLD TALK BY GOEBBELS. ATTEMPT TO MINIMISE EFFECTS OF BOMBING. (By Telegraph—Press Association —copyright LONDON, December 27. “Germany is prepared for the onslaught against Europe and the army is on its toes,” declared Dr. Goebbels, when interviewed by a correspondent of the German overseas news service. “After their failures and bankruptcies in the wars of bombs and nerves the British and Americans in 1944 will have to take their greatest risk —an invasion of western Europe. We have become accustomed to the thought that this war will be a very long one, and that is why I do not say that the year 1944 will bring the end of the war in Europe, though it may be said that, it will decide who will be the victor. “Can the air raids, by destroying war industry and tampering with the lines of communication in Germany paralyse our anti-invasion army in the decisive hour as the enemy general staff hopes? The German industrial experts declare that the enemy overrates the losses inflicted by his bombs. The German war industry .cannot be destroyed from the air. Dr. Albert Gansenmueller, Secretary of State for Communications, has

assured me that the railways in 1944 will do their duty. “Summing up these impressions, one thing can be said: Germany is waiting and is prepared for the onslaught in 1944 against Europe. Battle will be given the British and Americans with ferocious determination in the conviction that the year will bring a decisive victory.” The agency’s correspondent added that after exhaustive conversations with Field Marshals von Rundstedt and Rommel he had convinced himself in the pash week of the preparedness for action of' the European western area. During an extensive inspection of the installations, which had been brought to the highest technical pitch, he had a large number of talks with local commanderg.