WAR NEWS IN BRIEF

Greymouth Evening Star, 20 January 1944, Page 5

WAR NEWS IN BRIEF

SWEDEN WARNS GERMANY

STOCKHOLM, January 18

Addressing the Swedish Parliament, the Foreign Minister, M. Guenther, warned Germany that if persecution of Norwegian students continued, Sweden in future would not readily give representatives of German science and culture permission to enter Sweden. German deportation of Norwegian students gave the impression of the desire to inflict lasting damage on Norway’s and the whole of Scandinavia’s cultural life. No valid military reason for this action could possibly be invoked.

SHUTTLE-BOMBING

NEW YORK, January 18.

General Arnold, U.S. Air Chief, in a speech said: Japanese reaction to American penetration in the. Pacific has been highly erratic. Strong bids to break American supremacy have been followed by periods of complete inaction. The Japanese do not seem to possess any strategic plan for defence, but counter-attack haphazardly as if they sensed that nothing could prevent increasing penetration. Germany however, will fight to the last ditch, hoping to salvage something from the war. Allied progress in Italy and the Russian advance from the east make shuttle-bombing of Germany an imminent possibility. Planes will take off from Italy, bomb German occupied areas, and land in Russia for fuel and more bomb s.and will make a second attack en route to Italy.

HOME GUARD'S PART

RUGBY, January 16. 'The Home Guard will have an important role when the invasion starts from Britain. It is expected to stand to when the time comes in case of any sacrificial enemy attempts to derange Allied plans. Discussing the likelihood of such an attempt, the “Sunday Express” says that they might include: large-scale bombing and incendiary attacks on important military centres; airborne sabotage attacks on communications, roads, railways, airfields, post offices, broadcasting stations, and newspaper offices, in attempts to create panic; and attempts to land men from the sea near the ports from which the invading forces are leaving. When the invasion begins the Home Guard will probably wear uniform for the period of the stand-to and keep , all weapons near at hand. In case of'attack from the sea or air, the units nearest the scene would be called to action stations and would suspend civilian activity, becoming full soldiers.