RIPE FOR ACTION

Evening Post, Volume CXXXV, Issue 151, 28 June 1943, Page 3

RIPE FOR ACTION

COUNTRIES OF EUROPE

AXIS FEAR OF FUTURE (By Telegraph—l'rpss Association—Copyright.) Rec. 2 p.m. LONDON, June 27 Almost every European country is ripe to align itself with the Allies against the Axis, says the Turkish newspaper,,. "Vakit," quoted by the Soviet news agency. "vakit" describes the situation in the Balkans as alarming. Another Turkish journal, "Yeni Sabah," says that discontent is rife among the Axis satellites. Resistance in the occupied countries is growing. The initiative has passed into Allied hands. Reports reaching London stress the growing German anxiety over the possibility of an Allied move against Greece. German engineers and Bulgarian workers, after completing defences on the Greek coast, are reported to have withdrawn 10 miles inside the coastline, where they have started building a second defence line. A third chain of concrete fortifications is being erected in Bulgarianoccupied Greece along the Mai'itsa River. The jittery attitude of the Axis propagandists and the inspiring Allied broadcasts have caused great excitement among the Greek population, who expect early liberation. "Nothing shows more clearly how the initiative lies with the Allies than the wild guesses in the enemy countries about the forthcoming military moves," comments the diplomatic correspondent of "The Times." German commentators and newspapers are obsessed with the R.A.F. raids, and* still devote much time and space to what they think the Allies are planning to Ido next. A spate of such thoughts came from Germany all through the weekend. The Italian newspapers dwelt in great detail on the imminent Allied offensives against Italy and also the other countries of South Europe." INVASION EXPECTED. "We must expect invasion of the ! Italian peninsula," said Rome radio. ["The signs are:-Concentration of large units of the British Fleet supported by American ships, the movement into the Mediterranean of many important Allied supply convoys, and also the continual bombing of Italy, apparently with a view to assisting the landings. "Rome is too sober to preclude the possibility of an initial success by the Allies, but it will be more difficult for them to extend their bridgehead and maintain supplies." Stockholm and Madrid sources each quote what they call official reports from Rome that the Italian fleet has moved.- The Madrid report says that the Italians have put to sea for offensive operations, while the Stockholm report states that the Italians merely sought the safety of Italy's eastern ports. Naval observers in London believe the latter seems the more likely explanation ,in view of the bombing of Spezia.