A SUMMARY OF THE SITUATION

Dominion, Volume 34, Issue 81, 30 December 1940, Page 8

A SUMMARY OF THE SITUATION

The R.A.F. Bomber Command has been concentrating on the •bases from which the Germans attack British shipping. For tin todays and nights bombs have been rained on Lorient, the chief U-boat base on the Atlantic, and the aerodrome near Bordeaux from whicii Germany’s heaviest ocean-going bombers are dispatched has also been heavily attacked. Other British aerial activity has extended along the German and German-occupied, coasts as far as Norway, where the Fleet Air Arm made a successful raid. Also over England the air war has been resumed, beginning on a heavy scale. On Friday night London was severely bombed, and on the following night a coastal town was attacked, though not very strongly. The situation in Africa is generally little changed, with British reinforcements still arriving round Bardia. The Italians are still unable to halt their retreat in Albania, where the Greek attack is being assisted by detachments oi Albanians under a noted rebel leader. Both in the north and in the coastal sector the Greeks have made further progress. A fierce battle is raging around Kelcyra. A report from Manila quotes the belief of American naval circles there as authority for charging that Japan is allowing her port facilities to be used by at least 12 German vessels which arc arming and otherwise fitting out as raiders. A broad hint by the Australian Naval Minister that the raiders in the Pacific are using a neutral base is repeated in Manila in a claim that some Nazi ship.have left Japanese-controlled waters alter fuelling. The report proceeds that the Germans by the use ul these ships are hoping to co-operate with a Japanese drive into the South Seas with the main object (for the Nazis) of drawing the American Meet eastward while she embarks on an adventure in south-eastern Europe. Mr. Anthony Eden has started negotiations to improve relations with Russia by conferring with her Ambassador in London. It is said they exchanged assurances of their desire for better relations. At the same time evidence is provided in Soviet and Japanese publicity organs of friction between these two countries.