The Auckland Star: WITH WHICH ARE INCORPORATED The Evening News, Morning News, The Echo and The Sun SATURDAY, NOVEMBER 29, 1941. HOW MANY YEARS TO WIN?

Auckland Star, Volume LXXII, Issue 283, 29 November 1941, Page 6

The Auckland Star: WITH WHICH ARE INCORPORATED The Evening News, Morning News, The Echo and The Sun SATURDAY, NOVEMBER 29, 1941. HOW MANY YEARS TO WIN?

the German advance into Russia proceeded, at heavy cost but without decisive check, there arose in Britain a demand for such positive action against Germany as would relieve the pressure on the new ally. Military action on the Continent of Europe was advocated. Clearlj', an opportunity existed; but it could not be grasped because Britain was not strong enough. The safety of the home base had to be secured, and the offensive in Libya was in preparation. The offensive has since been launched, and the outcome of the battle is yet undetermined. Meanwhile the Germans have continued and intensified their vast assault on Moscow, and they have made some ominous gains. Against this can be set the fact that the Russians in the south have launched a counterattack, which has made encouraging progress. However, the general situation in Russia is such as to suggest strongly that the Soviet power has been so weakened in more than five months' fighting that for a long time to come it will be incapable of offensive action on a major scale. While avoiding defeat, it will be unable to achieve victory, although if it continues to hold large German forces and inflict heavy losses on them it will contribute towards victory. But the supreme tar.k of striking the long succcssion of blows which will be needed to bring about the defeat of Germany remains Britain's task—Britain's, with American aid. Perhaps the conflict in Russia was needed to show us the colossal magnitude of the task. That conflict has been, and continues, on a scale hitherto almost unimagined; the German losses, even taking the figures of their own admissions, have been colossal. Yet, and despite the conditions of winter, the Germans continue their assault on Moscow with "undiminished numbers," and their supplies of munitions and equipment of all kinds, in quantities apparently also undiminished, continue to be manufactured and successfully transported to them. Not only that, but they are able to spare, or at least they are sparing, air reinforcements for the Libyan front, and there are indications that they are preparing the way in France for the transfer of large troop reinforcements as well. When all this is considered, together with the fact that German troops are guarding the whole coast of Europe, from Narvik to the Pyrenees, and maintaining domination of the conquered and occupied countries, we may approach a realisation of the might of the enemy's war machine, and of the efforts which will be needed to break it. How long will it take? No unofficial estimate could have much value, but at least it can be said with assurance that this war is much more likely to be longer than shorter than the war of 1914-18. That is to say, it is likely to go on for at least another three years. All estimates which include a prediction of "peace before Christmas" (though, to be sure, their authors seldom specify which Christmas) should be closelv analysed for traces of wishful thinking. And not onlv vears of time will he required, but years of work and sacrifice, vears in which comfortablc ideas, privileges and practices, still persisting, must be utterly forgotten. In New Zealand, partly because of our distance from the conflict, and partly because official propaganda, as an Australian recently pointed out, tends to be an elaborate attempt to prove that there is nothing to worry about, there is a widespread inclination, apparent in actions more than in words, to regard the Dominion's war effort with complacency. Yet the war effort, and particularly the war sacrifices of New Zealand are mostly exerted and suffered by our fighting men abroad Extra effort and real sacrifice, within New Zealand, are seldom to be noticed among any section of the people. Until that is no longer true we should not claim, or even privately think, that we at home are playing our full part in the struggle against Germany. Up to date we have made efforts which are comparable with, and commendable bv the standards of 1914-18—but this i 6, and will be, a harder war.