A SUMMARY OF THE SITUATION

Dominion, Volume 34, Issue 121, 15 February 1941, Page 12

A SUMMARY OF THE SITUATION

Though no specific development is confirmed and the Japanese official spokesman says he considers that ‘‘nothing will happen the new atmosphere of tension in the Pacilic is at least still piesetn. The Governments of the Far East and other parts of the J. acilic are without exception reticent as to the nature of the dangei w.ucn is foreseen, hut London takes a serious view of recent ptogiess made in the German efforts to obtain the more active co-operation of Japan in the war. Washington officially does not recognize any new crisis, but it admits having again advised American non-combatants to leaie Shanghai as soon as possible. The view recently indicated from various sources that the genet al aim of Germany is to prepare offensives on more than one iron! is supported by an analysis given in a dispatch from the Balkans which envisages a policy in the expected spring offensive of attacking on as many points as possible. Tn the Balkans at least the Germans are still more active and have now drawn Turkey, A ugoslavia and Greece into the range of their war of nerves and diplomacy in an effort to silence or split the local opposition to their plans. Ibe 'i ugoslav Prime Minister is at present on a visit to Germany. Following the meeting between General Franco and Signor Mussolini on Wednesday Marshal Petain entertained the Spanish dictator at dinner in the south of France on Thursday. _ Little news of either meeting is available. The respective foreign Ministers, Admiral Darlan (France) and Senor Sttner (Spain) also conferred. The Italians have intensified their resistance at Keren. Eritrea, and fighting has taken place on a heavy scale. The question of what has been happening in the inteiioi of the Libyan desert since the war started there has now been adequately answered by remarkable disclosures of the operation.-. >jf parties of New Zealanders and others over this vast area Their many triumphs included the defeat of the Italians at the fort and aerodrome of Murztik, south-west Libya. .1 his success was at the time attributed solely tom Free French force from the Chad.