A SUMMARY OF THE SITUATION

Dominion, Volume 34, Issue 135, 4 March 1941, Page 8

A SUMMARY OF THE SITUATION

The main movement of the German forces in Bulgaria is down the valleys in the direction of the Greek frontier, and a vanguard is said to have reached the frontier at four points. Two troop trains are also unconfirmedly said to have gone to the Turkish frontier. Troops have continued crossing the Danube. The German and Bulgarian authorities claim that the purpose of the occupation of Bulgaria is protective. London states that the British Minister in Bulgaria has discretionary power to decide when to break off relations. Turkish warships are guarding the Dardanelles, which the authorities have mined. The Greeks, who are described as unfaltering and indifferent to the German threat, have pushed ahead in the central sector in Albania and made a gain also in the south. After the disastrous earthquake at Larissa, Greece, while die local R.A.F. personnel were helping in the rescue work. Italian planes bombed the area. The R.A.F. made an exceptionally heavy night attack on Cologne, Germany, and later in daylight raided German aerodromes. x In Eritrea British forces advancing on Keren have captured an important pass. Further progress has been made on the road to Gondar in Abyssinia, and by patriot forces in the Gojjam. Vehement exchanges are reported to have occurred between Berlin and Tokio following Mr. Matsu’bka’s recent message to Mr. Eden. Ribbentrop’s office stigmatized Matsuoka as a cringing faint heart who feared Britain. Matsuoka replied that Germany would be well advised not to allow the war to spread too far and that Japan would go no further than non-belligerency. The terms of Vichy’s reply to Japan's mediation proposal in the* Thai-Indo-China border disputp have not yet been disclosed. This is taken to indicate that France has asked for some adjustments.