WAR’S WORST PERIOD

Greymouth Evening Star, 14 August 1942, Page 2

WAR’S WORST PERIOD

MR LYTTELTON’S REVIEW

RUGBY, August 13. “The greater part of the 80 days which I described as the most critical of the war still remain, and indeed there is every sign that the. terrible symphony of the 'war is rising to crescendo .before Winter,” Mr Lyttelton said, to-day, when he declared there was no reason to alter the opinion expressed three weeks ago that the next 80 days would be the most critical in history. The Russians had been dealt a terrible blow in the south. He said that in Egypt the situation was tense, and he did not think he could find anywhere a grimmer or more desolate .battlefield than that on which our troops were fighting. The Germans had a much shorter line of communications, but they had a worse Desert line to contend with. Allied shipping losses had decreased in July, and the toll of U-boats increased, but severe attacks were still to be expected. It was encouraging . and heartening to see that AmericanAustralian forces had assumed the offensive in the Pacific, but critical days were still to come. Never was there greater need for buoyancy and vitality in our industries than now. Mr Lyttelton said that modern war was immensely long, partly because the democracies always hope for peace, and lack of preparation had to be paid for again and again when others started wars.