The Bay of Plenty Times MONDAY, JANUARY 25, 1943 HITLER’S DAYS SEEM NUMBERED

Bay of Plenty Times, Volume LXXI, Issue 13055, 25 January 1943, Page 2

The Bay of Plenty Times MONDAY, JANUARY 25, 1943 HITLER’S DAYS SEEM NUMBERED

Hitler lias lost the initiative of the war, and there does not appear to be the slightest prospect of his I‘e“''eun» 1 ‘ e “'' eun » j f f ith his not recover the initiative his days are numbered, blushed it ll triumphs the Western Front. Hitler set out to conquer n omidable eastern neighbour, but made a When on June 22, 1941, German troops mvaded Russia, n anj " ■ the predictions that Hitler had made a grave mistake, and eyeiit have S the truth of the predictions. The manpower of Kuss a is almost inexhaustible and Hitler was no doubt aware of tins It is one thing to have the manpower and another thing to r Manpower trained and'equipped, and the KuSsian army a the outset, was not strong enough to offer stiff resistance t i f;he vaders. Russia had to maintain a huge army hi Sibem as a eh e on the Japanese. Had this army been available m B™oP|.“ doubtful whether Hitler would have attacked Russia. The Soviets soon mobilised their resources and with the help of. the and war material poured into Russia by Britain and the United States Stalin lias been able to arm and equip millions of men, and at the moment the Red Army isnumerically and bette equipped than the Germans. Tins is proved by the fact that the Russians hold the initiative in the air and on the land, and aie driving the Germans like chaff before the wind Almost every r day there is fresh news of a Russian victory, and these victories must multiply. The German troops are demoralised, and every retrea emphasises this. Hitler must now make a desperate effort to ho up the Russians, and what will be the nature of that effort one cannot say, but whatever effort he may make he cannot hope 101 success. He may order the use of poison gas by his troops, but two can play that game and Hitler cannot afford to lose more troops. He could, of course, withdraw troops from the conquered countries and send them to Russia. If that is attempted he would increase the vulnerability of his west front, besides affording the depiessed people a splendid opportunity for reprisals. Hitler is in a perilous 1 Some venture the opinion that Hitler may withdraw from the Russian front and concentrate his efforts in the Mediterranean. That is a wild and illogical suggestion, Hitler cannot withdraw from Russia because the Soviets will not allow him to do so. The Germans must fight or capitulate, and if they choose the latter course then all will be over bar the shouting of the victors. The Germans and the Italians are no longer formidable in the Mediterranean zone, thanks to the victorious Eighth Army In the Mediterranean zone the Allies hold the supremacy in the air and on sea, and it is hopeless for the Axis to dream of recovering their position in the Middle East. Hitler and his satellites are in a very tight place, and it will become tighter when the Allies take the offensive in Europe. The offensive will soon be started. The bombing of Berlin is one of the preliminary signs. The Russian victories, togethei with the capture of Tripoli, have changed the entire aspect and piospects of the war.