World Events Explained.

Auckland Star, Volume LXX, Issue 219, 16 September 1939, Page 3 (Supplement)

World Events Explained.

By ARPAD SZIGETVARY.

Turkey. Bulgaria. Opposed to them were what was known as the Allied and Associated Powers: Great Britain and Ireland. India. Canada. Australia. New Zealand. Union of South Africa. Other British possessions, including Newfoundland, the British West Indies, and Malta. France. Kussia. Italy. Japan. United States of America. United States of Brazil. (ireece. Montenegro. Portugal. Rumania. Serbia. Sia m.

All the above countries actually participated in warfare in tlie European area. It may aurpri«e you tliat Bruz.il and Siu.ni (now known as Thailand) did so. Brazil sent her modern fleet of two battleships, three cruisers and several destroyers, and placed them at the di*|K>»al of the UritLs.li Navy. As well as that, she Kent airmen. The Siamese gent airmen. several of whom proved themselves worthy aerial fighters. They were attached to the French. ('liina. While Chinese troops were not actually engaged in lighting Germany, Chinese labour corps, comprising f-evcral thousand men, were employed by Britain. France and Hussia on various Euroj>ean fronts. Cuba. Cuba \va« eager to engage in actual combat, but her first troops were unable to reach Europe until just after the Armistice. San Marino. I Costa Kica. Guatemala.

huill. Honduras. Liberia. Nica rujjua. Panama. Although all these countries declared war against Germany, none of them were actually engaged in lighting; if we may make un ex>eption of the Liberia, the Wed Afr can negro republic. A German submarine destroyed the Liberian navy of one *hip and shelled the republic capital, Mourn via. Bolivia. Dominica. Kciiador. ■ Peru. 00? I Uruguay. , ouij These countries did not declare war on Germany, but severed dlploiflSlfW relation*. moil Although Japan was an nilv o Britain prior to 1014 «he did not declare war on Germany until IVi# war had been in progress some time* On the other hand Italy, Iwfore had promised to join Germany ana Austria-Hungary in the event W war. Instead of that, after hesitating for quite a while, she joined Britnifl and France. In the case of Italy, history may repeat itself. She ha« once apain more to gain by joining Britain ond France than by aiding Germany.