INVASION OF FRANCE

Greymouth Evening Star, 20 November 1939, Page 8

INVASION OF FRANCE

POSSIBLE GERMAN ATTACKS. Three possible methods by which Germany may launch an attach against France are discussed by Madame Tabouis, the well-known, correspondent of the French newspaper L’Oeuyre, in a book entitled “Blackmail or War,” the sixth revised edition oL which was published in December of last year. In view of the fears;of invasion, which are at present causing concern to several of Germany’s neutral neighbours, the views expressed age of particular interest. - - f Among the many plans which the German General Staff has drawn up in view of a sudden attack oh_ France,' writes Madame Tabouis, there are three which should be specially noticed:— ■ ' - 1. The encircling movement which in 1914 was attempted through Belgium and the north of France is Extended to Holland. ■' • - 2. Aims at .breaking through the Maginot Line. 3. Involves a southward thrust by L way of Switzerland. ■’ There are still people who imagine that Germany will respect .Dutch neutrality and ( also that of Belgium. They evidently cannot be acquainted with the numerous publications: which have appeared in Germany during the • last three years, not a single one of which fails to discuss the’violation of Dutch and* Belgian neutrality. Take, ; for example, the Hand Book of Contemporary Military Sciences, an en- • cyclopaedic volume of 75,0 pages; ' edited by the German General- Staff I and containing a preface by Marshal s Blomberg (now reported to be imprisoned in a concentration camp). ; This work justifies the violation of i Dutch and Belgian teritory, as it is essential for forestalling any French . aggression there. >• , On page 321 of the hand 1 book we L read: “In consequence of the line of I 'fortifications along the eastern fron- • tier of Belgium, Germany will’be convpelled, in case of war against France, to make a dash across the territory i of Holland. France has been trying to make Holland realise this danger, but so far the Dutch have adopted ah tvasive attitude. It is obvious -that the conditions resulting from the Treaty of Versailles involve the likelihood of a violation of Dutch territory at Maestricht (Limburg), not, however, by Germany, but by France.” On page 3SO again, we read: “The narrowest portion of Limburg, which is not more than five to six miles across, seems particularly exposed to "' danger, for it practically invites the armies of, neighbouring countries to encroach upon it.” ASSAULT ON MAGINOT LINE. As regards the plan for breaking though the Maginot Line, LieutenantColonel Gustrow, one of the best German experts on super-mtchanised tactics, foresees a sudden mass attack on a fairly narrow front,- under cover of huge smoke screens, clusters of heavy tanks followed by light tanks, clusters ot bombing planes followed by supporting planes,- shock battalions in open formation, and finally the bulk ot the troops who would force their way through the enemy’s broken defences. The possibility of breaking through the Maginot Line formed the subject of a detailed inquiry in the Military Weekly of October 4, 1935. As a matter of fact, the Germans have for many years been greatly concerned about the Maginot Line and its powers of resistance. At first they conceived the idea of partly counteacting its effects by the use of radio-electric stations on the German side of the Franco-German frontier, the waves from which would interfere with the mechanism for adjusting the artillery of the Maginot Line. Underground stations for this purpose have already been built at Saarbrucken and Speyer. At the same time, extensive boring has been carried out along the frontier to operate the mines directed against,the Maginot Line. The plan for the invasion of France by -way of Switzerland has also been closely studied, mainly in association with the Italian General Staff. la , France, however, no great importance is attached to this plan as a surprise attack. If it succeeded it would quickly expose Lyons and the whole industrial area of Creusot to the menace of a German advance. But the assumptioan that the plan could be successfully carried out is. based on an under-estimatt of the Swiss defences, and also does not sufficiently take into account the difficulties of the terrain. A surprise attack through Holland could be achieved more easily. The present issue involves the defence of an ideal of civilisation, theessential feature of which is respect for human freedom and dignity. As Emil Ludwig has pointed out: “Ideals have always been formulated and upheld by isolated thinkers, but it is always by armed men that they must be defended to the last.”