FRENCH FAILURE

Waikato Times, Volume 127, Issue 21191, 14 August 1940, Page 7

FRENCH FAILURE

LACK OF ORGANISATION SAND IN CARTRIDGES BREAKDOWN OF SERVICE (United Tress Assn.—Elec. Tel. Copyrlfht) LONDON, Aug. 13 Cartridges filled with sand, the complete breakdown of the French Army Service, which supplied artillery batteries with the wrong calibre shells, and the complete lack of organisation, were among the principal factors contributing to the collapse of France. This was said by Mr Warren Irving, an American radio commentator, just returned from occupied and unoccupied France. The soldiers, he said, complain bitterly that they never had a real chance to fight. “ Many of them told me,” said the commentator, “ that when their small-arms and ammunition ran out they had difficulty in getting more, and when they did it was useless, the cartridges being filled with sand. Even the peasants in unoccupied France are now seeking to place the responsible for the collapse of their country where it belongs, but no particular name are mentioned. “ Petain is still popular, but is regarded as a dupe of politicians. In many quarters there is fear of a revolution, but for the present it seems that the people will drift along on the course determined by the Vichy Government. Dropping of Leaflets The recent showering of Germanoccupied and unoccupied France with leaflets setting out the true position in which the French have been landed by Marshal Petain and his followers is applauded as an intelligent action and one likely to add vastly to Germany’s difficulties in trying to subdue the French people. The Times in an editorial article says: “ The practice of dropping leaflets was rather discredited during the early months of the war, because of the feeling that the Germans upon whom the leaflets were showered would be completely unresponsive to the truth, and because the leaflets themselves left much to be desired, but a revival of the practice for the benefit of populations temporarily under German power has everything to commend it.” It is pointed out that all reports show that the French people in particular are completely bewildered by the turn of events, and that the Germans, with the assistance, either voluntary or enforced, of certain political members of the Vichy Government, are trying to turn the bewilderment into resentment against Britain. Inspired By Nazis Outpourings like those of M. Marquet, the French Minister for the Interior, that those guilty of taking France into the war must be punished, are seen in London as purely Nazi inspired and calculated to further bewilder the Frenchman and make him feel that France was so rotten and weak as the result of the former Anglo-French policy that it is incapable of doing anything without German aid.

Reinforcing this view, the Times special correspondent on the French frontier states that Paris newspapers insist on the necessity of Marshal Petain returning to Paris because of the growing opposition in the capital to the “ Men of Vichy.” The opinion is expressed that Marshal Petain i v Vichy is a prey to dangerous influences and does not fully realise the urgency of the problems involved in the renovation of France. It is obvious that if Marshal - tain moved to Paris he would mov ever under the direct pressure of the Nazi thumb, which is the most likely explanation of the Paris newspapers insistence.