THE SITUATION IN SCANDINAVIA

Evening Post, Volume CXXIX, Issue 89, 15 April 1940, Page 7

THE SITUATION IN SCANDINAVIA

Heavy Blow to the Nazis

NAVAL SKILL IN BALTIC

Was Hitler Driven Into Action?

- (British Official Wireless.) : (Received April 15, noon.) ; ' RUGBY, April 14. The only major development in the situation in iScandinavia which is reported refers to a new immense Baltic minefield and the announcement that this hemming-in of Germany's northern.coast has strengthened the feeling of calm confidence with which the Scandinavian position is regarded in London. „■*• Universal satisfaction is felt at the news of the British naval exploit at Narvik yesterday, and the public is particularly impressed by the fact that the'Admiralty^ in place of its well-known reticence in normal messages, described the attack as "extremely successful" and signalled congratulations to all concerned in "this vigorous, daring, and skilfully conducted action, which may well tend to clarify the situation on this part of the Norwegian coast." '•■■ ; Press comment generally suggests that the last remark 'seems to be an understatement of what expert commentators regard as a heavy blow to the German campaign, in Norway. •' Further information regarding the Narvik exploit, in connection -with which the Admiralty communique stated operations were proceeding, is awaited, and, meanwhile, the fact that- the Germans 'are still in possession of Bergen and Trondheim arouses no special anxiety. In authoritative "quarters it is recognised that the importance of evicting the Germans from these forts, in which they are isolated, is of secondary importance compared with the task of destroying the German fleet, with which such satisfactory progress has been reported. Complete severance of the sea communications of these Nazi forces with Germany now seems to be assured. In naval quarters here respect for the German naval strategists has been greatly lowered by last week's striking demonstrations of their failure to understand the basic principles on which success in . sea warfare is based. ■ . The naval correspondent of the "Sunday Times" says that prime errors were obvious within twenty-four hours. The invasion was undertaken across waters of which the German navy not only did not have command, but also did not have even temporary command, and, secondly, the invading forces, both naval and military, were divided up into«small raiding parties which aimed, as the Norwegian communique makes clear, at no fewer than" eight different points distributed over as much as a thousand miles. It is charitably assumed by students of naval warfare here that Herr Hitler was driven into action by the need to supply his public with new sensations, and that the German naval staff cannot have failed to warn him of the dangers of the enterprises. Events are regarded as lending colour to reports, hitherto treated with reserve, that Grand Admiral Raeder has fallen into disfavour for the vehemence with which he advanced his arguments against the project. Information regarding actual fighting in Norway is scanty. As -' is generally known, the German forces-exercise effective control over very small parts of the country., The 8.8.C.'s broadcasts in Nor- ■ wegian and English are Norway's main sources of trustworthy news < in the present circumstances. .