AXIS OBJECTIVE

Gisborne Herald, Volume LXVII, Issue 20379, 16 October 1940, Page 5

AXIS OBJECTIVE

NEAR EAST COUP PRESSURE ON EGYPT OBSTACLES IN WAY TURKEY AND YUGOSLAVIA RISING BRITISH POWER (Elec. Tel. Copyright—United Press Assn.) (British Official Wirelesß.) Reed. 9 a.m. RUGBY, Oct. 14. Discussing the Balkan thrust, The Times says: “Herr Hitler has been compelled to recognise that the blitzkrieg against Britain is yielding no prospects of victory and none of those quick, dramatic results necessary to his prestige at home and abroad. “Spain, in spite of the blandishments lavished on Senor Suner, Spanish Minister of the Interior, has not committed herself, as far as can be divined, to departure from a watchful attitude. Marshal Graziani has had time to experience some of the uncomfortable realities of the campaign launched against Egypt at a moment when German bombers were supposed to be on the point of reducing London to ruins.

“The line of least resistance must have seemed to lead through the Balkans. The first step, the bloodless subjugation of Rumania, has been successfully undertaken during the past week. A creditable outline of the Axis plan now seems to be shaping itself. It amounts to the administration of a coup de grace to Egypt and the Suez Canal by some fresh form of pressure, if not, indeed, by actual attack from the north. In no other way can the so-called pincers of the Axis be made to close on the British stronghold in the eastern Mediterranean. Two Obstacles “There are two obstacles to the realisation of any such grandiose plan. The first is the power and spirit of Turkey. It is significant that the successes of the Axis in south-eastern Europe have been achieved exclusively at the expense of those who have allowed themselves to be bribed and terrorised. Yugoslavia so far has been saved from molestation by her well-known determination to defend herself and by the reputation of her troops as stubborn fighters in difficult country. Greece hitherto has been spared because she presented a firm front to the bully. Turkey is the strongest military power in the Near East and stands second to none both in the proud assertion of her independence and in her capacity to resist any infringement of it. Turkey ’will be saved by her own resolution.

“The second obstacle to the project is the growing strength of Britain in the eastern Mediterranean. Had the Axis Powers been able tt) launch their offensive at the moment of the French armistice the threat might have been formidable. Since then, however, successive reinforcements of men and material have reached the British military, naval and air forces in the Near East.”