GERMANY’S “NERVE WAR”

Evening Star, Issue 23350, 21 August 1939, Page 16

GERMANY’S “NERVE WAR”

MEANING OF THE MANCUVRES DISfIUET ABOUT SOUTH-EAST EUROPE RUMANIA MAY BE LINE OF LEAST RESISTANCE ' LONDON', August 11. Although manoeuvres on tho full scale have not yet begun in .Germany, it is expected that towards the end of August they will be in full swing on an unprecedented scale. It is variously reported that between 2,000,000 and 3,000,000 men will then be under arms. In addition the harvesting will have been completed. It is believed in reliable quarters that Herr Hitler intends to employ his aerial and land forces in a series of bewildering lightning moves, aiming at shocking Europe’s strained nerves still more severely. Attention is being switched ’from Danzig to South-eastern Europe as a possible danger zone. Disquiet caused by the revelation of Germany’s pressure on Hungary has been increased by reports of troop .concentrations in Slovakia. Foreigners observers throughout Germany will be watching very closely in an attempt to detect anything ominous in Germany’s maiuenvres, which, like the manoeuvres in Britain and elsewhere in Europe, are normally held during August and September. It is believed that to bailie these foreigners. Herr Hitler has already agreed with tho chiefs of the staffs to a scheme under w’hich troops will concentrate and disperse with astonishing speed, moving rapidly from point to point in Greater Germany, and thus Lending to confuse observers Consequently, it is suggested that if this scheme is employed, observers may find it more difficult to decide whether any great significance should he placed on a sudden concentration of troops and war planes at any one of a number of possible danger points. TENSION IN BERLIN, Already the arterial roads in Germany are alive all night with streams of.army lorries, while heavy artillery, tanks, amt supply wagons rumble in various points. The Berlin correspondent of ‘ The Times ’ says that the increased tension that has been apparent in Berlin, with

its consequent increase of war talk, shows no signs of abating. “ There is, however, no salient fact in tho German military situation, at any rate, which can in itself be regarded as significant,” he says. ” Manoeuvres on a large scale have not begun as far as is known.” It is difficult to establish what development has suddenly switched attention to the possible German designs in South-eastern Europe, unless it is a Home report that Hungary’s relations with "the Axis are sharing pride of place with Danzig in the agenda of ths talks between the German Foreign Minister, Herr von Ribbentrop, and the Italian Foreign Minister, Count Ciano, at Salzburg. Well-informed quarters have been closely watching tho south-east since the Hungarian and Bulgarian territorial claims were discussed in Berlin, and Germany put pressure on Rumania for her harvest. LINE OF LEAST RESISTANCE. Emphasis on the south-east is now coming from Italian quarters. The Italian Press is giving prominence to to-day’s arrival at Trieste of the Yugoslav Premier, M. Tsvetkovitch, as it is believed that he will meet Count Ciano when Count Ciano returns from Salzburg. Italian newspapers hint that Yugoslav foreign policy is veering towards the Axis. Observers point out that the switching of German activities to the southeast would be consistent with Herr Hitler's so far successful policy of finding the line of least resistance. They say that the line is now definitely not Poland, but probably Rumania, although Rumania now has many men under arms and possesses a line of fortifications designed to hold up infantry or a mechanised army advance from tho west. It is learned that deliveries have already begun of the armaments that Rumania ordered in Britain under the credits arrangement. INSULTS FOR MR CHAMBERLAIN LONDON, August 10. Insults are being heaped on Mr Chamberlain by the German Press, which ridicules him in the course of its outbursts as a result of tho article in the Warsaw newspaper, ‘ Czas.’ threatening that Danzig would be blown to bits if it united with tho Reich. Tho Berlin 1 Lokalanzeiger.’ referring to Mr Chamberlain as a “ British umbrella pacifist.” asks if Mr Chamberlain needs further proof of Poland’s 11 naked brutality and aggressiveness

than that given by threats to shell Danzig appearing in a Warsaw newspaper.” The Berlin ‘ (Borsen-Zeitung ’ slates: Poland is claiming that we are not men enough to punish the besmirching of our gleaming escutcheon, and. the attackers of our property and rights, by the destruction of the attackers. Does Poland realise what it would mean if one day 80,000,000 Germans should bo possessed with an ardent desire not to answer Polish arrogance with words alone? ” “ Europe must now expect a stiffening of German propaganda, accentuation of the ‘ war of nerves,’ the playing up of • nuisance values,’ and reports of troop movements, in the hope that some weakening of, or even panic on, the peace front will be discernible.” declares the diplomatic correspondent of ‘ The Times.’ " Despite Danzig’s obvious effort to prolong the Customs dispute with Poland, the possibility of bringing it to a conference is not vet excluded.” he states. “ If a new ‘ war of nerves ’ commences, it is likely that Japan will join in. Danzig’s stiffer Note to Poland doubtless reflects Herr Hitler’s instructions to the leader of the Danzig Nazis. Herr Foerster, and indicates an intensification of the German propaganda against Poland, against the peace front, and against Britain.” lie continues. “ But this is not likely to be effective. The matter will not be settled at Danzig or at Warsaw. Dates worth watching will be August 27, when Herr Hitler speaks at Tannenberg. and September 3, when the Peace Rally (the name given to this year’s congress of the Nazi Party) will open at Nuremberg.” The diplomatic correspondent of ‘ The Times ’ refers to the stiffer Note which the Danzig Government lias sent to the Polish High Commissioner, M. Chodacki, as no doubt reflecting the instructions which Herr Foerster has received at Berchtesgaden. He does not explain, however, to what subject the Note relates—whether it is the Customs dispute or another issue. The Berlin correspondent of the *. Yorkshire Post ’ believes that Herr Foerster is urging Herr Hitler to provide " diplomatic support ” for Danzig should a crisis arise, and he states that this is interpreted by some as meaning that Germany might assume charge of Danzig’s foreign relations.