HISTORY AS IT HAPPENS

New Zealand Listener, Volume 4, Issue 94, 10 April 1941, Page 3

HISTORY AS IT HAPPENS

‘tn. thts Wecllon. appears a.Yay by day record of the events of history in the making. As some time elapses in the publication of "The Listener," this diary is at least one week retrospective.

Thursday, March 27 A military coup took place in Belgrade early in the morning. The 17-year-old King Peter seized power and appointed General Simovitch to lead the country. The Regent, Prince Paul, left the country and the Prime Minister who signed the Axis Pact was arrested. The young King appealed to all the people to cease demonstrations. A small German detachment occupied El Agheila, 150 miles south of Benghazi. Marshal Petain was given an ironical reception when speaking to industrial workers, Roosevelt’s special emissary, Colonel Donovan, after visiting the whole of the Middle East praised the work of the British forces and warned America of the dangers of a German victory. Ninety per cent. of the employees of the Bethlehem Steel Plant struck on a protest concerning union matters, threatening to tie up 1,500,000,000 dollars worth of defence orders. Winston Churchill promised all possible aid from the British Empire for the new Yugoslav Government. The Rt. Hon. Peter Fraser announced that he had been invited to go to England. Friday, March 28 Germany sent a note to the new Yugoslav Government demanding an explanation of the speed-up of Yugoslav mobilisation, and requesting the Government to indicate whether it endorsed the previous foreign policy. Cairo communique announced the capture of Harar, second largest town in Abyssinia, and Keren, key point of the Italian defence in Eritrea. Hitler met the Japanese Foreign Minister, Mr. Matsuoka. Saturday and Sunday, March 29 and 30 An outstanding naval victory was fought between the Italian and British Mediterranean fleets in which the Italians suffered severe losses. In Belgrade popular demonstrations continue against Germany. Mr. Matsuoka left Berlin for ie The new Yugoslav Cabinet -decided to return to full and absolute neutrality. The Italians evacuated their forces from Diredawa, Labour disputes continued throughout American industry but some success in settlement was achieved by the Defence Mediation Board. Monday, March 31 ; Fuller details were available of the defeat suffered by the Italian navy Three enemy cruisers of 10,000 tons each, possibly a fourth, and three destroyers, were sunk, and it was believed that a battleship was also sunk. A thousand Italian survivors were rescued by the British, but the rescue work had to be abandoned because of German dive-bombers. On ihe Britisa side

there were no ships lost or casuaities sustained, but two aircraft were .nissing. French shore batteries in Algeria fired on light British forces. The British ships were investigating a French merchant convoy. The United States seized 30 Axis merchant ships in American ports and 35 Danish ships. Sabotage was discovered on the Italian ships, and 1600 members of crews were taken into custody. Altogether, 300,000 tons of shipping were involved. Tuesday, April 1 Graphic stories were published of the naval battle in the Eastern Mediterranean and tributes were paid to the work of Sir Andrew Cunningham. The Fleet Air Arm delayed the fast Italian ships until the British forces arrived. The German surface raiders Scharnhorst and Gneisenau after raiding ships in the Atlantic, were found berthed at Brest and were heavily bombed by the RAF. In the first three months of 1941 enemy aircraft over England were destroyed at the rate of. 50 a month, Germany and Italy protested to America against the seizure of their ships. Average British expenditure during the last three months rose to £13,000,000 a day. Wednesday, April 2 Asmara, capital of Eritrea, surrendered to the British forces without a fight. Germany demanded of Yugoslavia an apology for recent incidents, ratification of the signature to the Pact, and demobilisation. Over a million Yugoslavs were with the colours and the Government seemed unwilling to discuss demobilisation. General Sir Alan Brooke issued a warning that the possibility of German invasion still remained. Reports from America stated that the convoying of goods to Britain might soon be undertaken, ; Italian officials in America were ordered by Rome to be prepared to leave the States at a moment’s notice.