VON RIBBENTROP.

Ashburton Guardian, Volume 65, Issue 194, 30 May 1945, Page 3

VON RIBBENTROP.

MAY HAVE FLED TO JAPAN. LONDON, May 29. Von Ribbentrop may have fled to Japan in a submarine, according to Adolf Halfeld, former political editor of the “Hamburger Fremdenblatt,” who was interviewed by the correspondent of the “Daily Express.” Halfeld said Ribbentrop and other leading Nazis had long-distance Üboats ready for their escape to Japan. He described Himmler as the efil genius of Germany. “Thank God he is dead. He had been gunning for Ribbentrop and Goering for the last six months. He wanted Hitler to stage a giant trial accusing them of having betrayed Germany, but’the Allied armies moved too fast.” Halfeld added that Goering, by concealing the weakness of the German Air Force had betrayed Hitler last autumn, when the Germans Ardennes offensive was launched. “Goering was afraid to tell Hitler the truth about the Lhftwaffe.

“Hitler, who firmly believed he had been saved by a miracle in last July’s bomb attack, repeatedly said ‘This is the hand of Providence. I will head a German victory now’ and for a few weeks he went mad and had SO,OO0 — some said GO,OO0 —shot out of hand. He spent, days studying maps of the Western Fioni waiting for his intuition to work. One day early in September he suddenly put his finger on the map and cried ‘We will attack there.’ He was pointing at the Ardennes.

“Goering was asked it he could provide ISOC planes which the. Army Chiefs said were essential to cover the offensive. Without hesitation Goering said: ‘Yes my Fulmer. They will he there.’ Em. when the big push started it had the support of only SOO planes. Hitler accused Goering of having betrayed him. Goering, who expected to be shot, kept a Luftwaffe bodyguard day and night.”