FALSE OPTIMISM

Auckland Star, Volume LXXII, Issue 165, 15 July 1941, Page 6

FALSE OPTIMISM

BRITAIN WARNED

RELIANCE ON RUSSIA o HITLER'S STRIKING POWER SYDNEY. July 13. •So alarmed is the British Government at the rising tide of optimism at the war position that it to-day warned the public that it represents a "fearful misapprehension, - ' declares the "Suns" London editor.

Everything points to the next th™ e niol ?, th r offering worse trials than ever, the Government says. . ''. H l lle !' s army is the most efficient dnd best-equipped in the world- he is determined to employ his might n^fhi^' 6 ""SfH. before October; and nothing could be more serious than the publics failure to realise the facts. ♦K Re l son for lne Public optimism is the three meat events for the democracies which have occurred in recent weeks—Russia's entry into the war America's occupation of Iceland, and the Syrian armistice. Public reaction in some areas, especially those not blitzed, or where trade is booming and wages are nigh, is such that "festivity funds" i Ve . bocn o P e ned in readiness to celebrate victory. People here have been lulled falsely largely because of the cessation of blitzing for two months. But. the authorities say. night J bombing is not conquered; we can retaliate with ever-growing defences, taking larger toll, but we cannot yet cause catastrophic losses: and there is nothing to prevent a resumption of the biggest blitzes on Britain. Indeed, Tuesdays raids on Britain were the heaviest in the number of machines involved and the weight of bombs dropped since May Hi and only five enemy planes were shot fan Russians (Stand? i The situation boils down to this: i-an the Russians, after counterattacks, make a stand? Can the (•ermans maintain the impetus of their attack? It is not so :nucn a matter of men as of machines and supplies. The German advance, despite Russian resistance, has gone as deep in the first fortnight as the advance through r ranee. It would consequent!v be rash to say that Hitlers original plan (although behind timetable) has been hopelessly upset. It is equally dangerous to believe the Germans, even if they reach Moscow, cannot conquer " Russia would become bogged, with Hitler'-; military might helpless to attack Britain. i

The facts are very different, bocause Htiler's plans do not envisage the complete conquest of Russian territory. He wants to finish the war in 1941 with a culminating onslaught on Britain. Joint .Action in Iran Hitler is determined not to become bogged in Russia. He has uot the slightest intention of attempting to occupv the whole of Russia indefinitely, but aims t<> overthrow the Stalin regime and establish a puppet Government, then call a Continental conference to settle Europe under his "new order" as a prelude to a gigantic air offensive against Britain. Hitler aims at a simultaneous blow in the Middle East, and clearly Britain and Russia cannot delay action in Iran much longer. * :