THE-NAZIS’ HOPES

Ashburton Guardian, Volume 60, Issue 28, 13 November 1939, Page 5

THE-NAZIS’ HOPES

SEVERANCE OF THE ALLIES. BRITAIN A MORTAL ENEMY. FRANCE SELDOM MENTIONED. (United Press Association— Copyright.! NEW Y’ORK, November 10. Mr G. H. Archambault (military correspondent of tho “New York Times” in Paris) states: “Belgium and Holland, particularly tho latter, are continuing preparations to resist a German invasion, the threat of which seems to ho growing. “Judging by troop movements there nro other indications, less obvious but perhaps not valueless. For instance, German prisoners of war examined by intelligence officers on tho Rhine-Mo-selle front persistently insist that the Germans intend peace to come without fighting, ‘because our Fuehrer wishes it so.’ Undue importance should not be attached to statements by prisoners, but the men are manifestly repeating a lesson Dr. Goebbels may well have taught, since it smacks of propaganda.

“However, one-point remains fundamental in the art of war—it takes two to make a fight. Leaving Poland out of the picture, what are the facts ? Tho French entered Germany and tho Germans avoided a general battle. The French then decided to withdraw to their own territory. The Germans followed, but stopped at the frontier. “The French make it clear that they will not take tho offensive. The Germans do not react. French flyers inflict heavy casualties, and instead of seeking revenge a German aeroplane drops tracts near Paris. “Against the French the Germans hitherto have seemed to wish to remain static. Against the British they liavo been dynamic. Mr Churchill has admitted that tho British naval losses exceed those of tho Allies on tho YYestern Front. German propaganda daily repeats that Britain is Germany’s mortal enemy, but scarcely alludes to France. From prisoned’ mouths, comes the echo: ‘There will ho no war. The Fuehrer wishes it so.’ “In Paris and London the mere idea of trying jo sever the British-French alliance is dismissed as sheer madness,. yet the German leadership appears to set high hopes on this. “If* pushed to a logical end, total war against Britain alone might well include the seizure of bases along the North ISea. Belgium and tho Netherlands consider it wiser to leave nothing to chance. On the Rhine-Moselle fronts tho Germans have broadened the scope of local operations significantly. Should any operations bo carried out against Belgium or the Netherlands it is expected that they would coincide with some demonstration between the Rhine and the Moselle.”

Mr Archaniih'ault notes that the German methods -on the YYestern Front have changed. . The. strength of the raiding parties' was doubled, and instead of withdrawing immediately, resisted, striving to nress beyond the outposts and possibly implying attempts to capture ’ positions—• tactics which, if pursued methodically, might throw light on their intentions.