GERMANY’S STRENGTH.

Ashburton Guardian, Volume 63, Issue 248, 30 July 1943, Page 3

GERMANY’S STRENGTH.

CAN LAST ONLY SIX MONTHS. ALLEGED REPORT TO MUSSOLINI LONDON, July 28. The Gothenburg paper “Handelstidning” publishes a circumstantial story from German opposition circles stating that Mussolini’s fall was preceded by a report from the Italian military attache in Berlin (Lieutenant General Mavras) expressing the opinion that Germany Avould he unable to hold out for more than another six months. Lieutenant-General Mavras is stated to have based his opinion on the following seven points:(1) All branches of German war production, particularly tanks, show a decreased output. (2) Germany lacks the manpower for the front and her industries, and there are now 250,000 fewer men on the Russian front than last year. The quality of the troops is lower, and there is also a shortage of 1,250,000 workers. (3) Germany lacks fast four-engined bombers. New planes show grave deficiencies and neAV pilots are bad. * (4) U-boats have failed, and losses among trained crews are particularly serious. (5) The food situation is unsound and is becoming daily Avorse as the result of the lack of agricultural labour. (6) The Nazi Party is experiencing a crisis. Belief in victory is disappearing and leading Germans are trying to contact democratic circles abroad. (7) Unrest prevails among students, and the middle classes are also successfully practising sabotage which is particularly shown in the failure of total mobilisation, \