GERMAN PROPAGANDA

Dominion, Volume 34, Issue 80, 28 December 1940, Page 4

GERMAN PROPAGANDA

Whirling Words Disproved "MEIN KAMPE’S” WARNING t By "Kimb-Tiiriier.”l Gi-rmany's pinpaganda campaign in Hu- lasi nmidb Ims taken new daring lines, Iml Ims liei-n exphiiled by the Nazis' u« n acts. All tile n hil ling wm’ds to lieralil Hie e.-ipinre ni initain v.ere di-pi u\e,[ by lhe ankwai'd tm-t that tin- invasion did not make an appearalire, ami Hie Gueliliels machine had lo "pipe down" nn Hie lili:zl;i leg. The danger of prupngtimla retreals Ims been made clear by mi less an expert tiian Adolf Hiller. wlm in "Mein Kempf” said lhal you should never em-ottrage your <>wn side to uiiilere'litmile Hie enemy, since a resulting disillusimi may endanger its nmrnle. Iu the last war Hiller declared German propag.-imla was guilty of this error lo such an extent, lhal "in Hie eml Germans turueil down everything they’ were told by tlieir own side us

"swimlie” ami "rot." "Thus," lie proceeded. "German prop.-igamla afforded us tlie' incomparable example of how tlie work of ■euligliteiimeiil' should hot be done." Both Hitler ami tlie artful Dr. Gueliliels appear to have forgotten this passage front "Mein Kampf.” If they have not, tlie efforts of tlie Nazi propaganda machine to escape from tlie toils of ils own •’enlightenment” must provide :i painful speclnele. On June 2(1, two days prior lo Hie French armistice, tlie Deutseliiandsender announced tli.-il "in a few weeks England will lie on Hie ground as broken ns Fram-e is now.” On June 21 tlie 'l’ransoeean News (.'able proclaimed that “danger exists for England in tlml tlie Fleet remains blocked in its ports, ami that naval war will not develop because of tlie rapidity of tlie German action." (Nine days later there was powerful proof al Oran that Hie British fleet was still abroad.) Tite Napoleon .Menace. On July 10. Bremen radio announced that "Hie British Government of 1801 took tlie matter more seriously than Hie British Government appears to do now, though tlie menace at that time (Napoleon) could not in any way hear comparison witli tlie menace (if today.” Five days later Zeesen informed tlie German people that "though lhe exact minute of tlie al lack is known only to tlie Fuehrer, it is generally felt that there are only a few momenls to go." Goering also warned Hie world Hint lhe Fuehrer had only lo "press tin- button” ami England was done. Qu July 19 Hiller made his last ".-ippeal to reason" ami gave Hie Brilish a lasi eiiancc lo save themselves. Nine days afler ait article in tlie oliieial sun tg.iri organ of Hie N.-iai I’ariy dealing with tlie new order emitaiavd these opening words:— "The peoples of tlie earth are still holding their breatli ami awaiting tlie aniiiliilaling blow wliieli Germany will launch against tlie British Isles now Hint tlie nione.vh.-i-g tyrants, in tlieir hypocrisy ami criminal obstinacy, have rejected tin- Fuehrers magnanimous peace offer. After tin- new Reieh’s demonstration of its armed might England will mu get another chance." Heavy Air Attacks. No doubt can exist that tlie heavy air attacks started on August 11 marked tlie prelude to lhe "invasion.” Bur tlie German air-force was defeated ami there was no tangible evidence of a German crossing' of "iln- ditch." Early in November tlie Zeesen radio station asserted with reference to tlie invasion, "tin- period may be short or long. for. though I lie whole world associates Germany wiiii I lie Iditzkre.ig, she is mu anxious to break war speed records." iu other statements, too. tlie Goebbels propaganda machine began to' piav down the invasion talk. Tlie danger of fontrmlietions, of disillusioning retreats. Hitler tuns said, is tlml they will cause German people to "turn down everything limy are told by (heir own side as •swindle’ and ‘rot.'" All Germans may not listen to British or oilier foreign broadcasts, but there Ims been enough in tlie Nazis' own prop.ig.-imla to “endanger their morale." Even tlie biimleet Nazi patriot llimtl notice tlml despite all tlie iimmuncenmni.s of i lie crushing of the obstinate but suicidal British, no Gerimin commiiniipies are yet dated from British soil, ami the British Govermr.:-i:i still exists because lhe German radio platoons still itilminaie against it. Evidence of this is found in the "Sehwarze Korps.” the organ of Hitler’s Blackshirt Guards—-ami one of tlie most trm iih'iit of all Nazi news- I papers. It says: "There are many people in Germany wlm have tlie audacity to question the results of Hie war so far achieved. "line can often hear tin- question: 'What was i lu- good of onr victory ill France when there was no endeavour to attack England?’ "Moreover, il is often said about the war in Fr.-inee that pt-i-cions time was wasted in mareliiug to Lyons ami southern France while there was no atteiupt to cross tlie Channel." The arlii-le com-lndes by warning Gcftnaus to "refrain from making such ridiculous remarks." ('miiplainls by Women. Major Martin in tlie German army pulilicalion "Die Wehrmacht'! writes: "Women at home show a lack of tinderstanding by saying tlml our army does nothing, and by asking why men who .-ire sorely needed at home cannot lie allowed to re-turn. "The same question is often asked by soldiers, who seem to think that war can be carried on by tin’ navy ami tlie air force. "We won the war in I’ol.-iml. Norwax. 11011.-iml amt Franee. Inn il is not sutliciem to have reached tins aim.

ns England is not willing to recognize our victories. ••The conquered territories need ruling by vast contingents of German troops so tlml the war can be carried on by the navy ami lhe air force. ■fliese ami other German statements suggest iiinl Nazi propaganda lias committed the sin for which the Fuehrer condemned rhe German propagandists of 19.14-IS. ami as the Nazis are superhumanly tlwreutgli they have made a complete job of exposing tlieir own "swindle" and "rot.

Finally, Hiller himself has joined those wlm have helped to disillusion tlie Germans. In his recent speech t-> armament workers lie made no reference to invasion. He spoke of repelling Hie British if they landed in any country occupied by the German Army. Tlie contrast between this latest utterance and those of Hiller of it few months ago. show that tlie invincibility legend lias worn thin. As J. C. Johnstone lias said, the legend of invincibility eau have a nemesis as well a- a nimbus.