Allied Armies Are Undefeated

Manawatu Times, Volume 65, Issue 121, 23 May 1940, Page 7

Allied Armies Are Undefeated

British People Asked to A Await Counter-attack "OLD STORY AGAIN" (British Official Wireless.) RUGBY, May 21. The Minister of Information, Mr Alfred Duff-Cooper, in a tcoadcast address, said: “When I talked to you last week, I warned you to be prepared for bad news and asked , you to meet it as bravely as our troops were meeting the attacks of the enemy. The news to-day is grave—it is no good pretending it is not—but there is no cause for serious alafm, still less for panic. “Through the successful employment of a new technique of war, small bodies of the German Army have succeeded in penetrating to great distances, but i they are small bodies only, and the successes they have achieved have involved them in fearful danger. “The army of Britain and the far greater army of France,” Mx DuffCooper said, “are still there, and they are undefeated. “It is hard enough to understand what has taken place in a battle when it is over. • It Is quite impossible to understand while it is c?ing on. “Three facts alcne,” he said, “can definitely be stated: “(l)The enemy’s present objective is the Channel ports, from which he hopes to launch war cn this island. “(2) Small parts of his mechanised i troops have succeeded in eluding their opponents, in advancing great distances, and in coming near their objective. “(3) The armies of England are undefeated. In enormously superior numbers, they occupy the battlefield, and the counter-attack, when it comes should prove formidable.” Mr Duff-Cooper declared: “The swaying fortunes of the fight matter little; it is the end of the battle that counts. And, as I told you last week, the end of this battle, whatever it may be, cannot entail the defeat of Britain or France in war. “Meanwhile, it is the old story—which has been told again and again ‘ and which nevertheless always comes as a surprise to everyone. A sudden ’ advance, an unexpected weight of attack, and initial gains far greater than were anticipated—it is the story of r August 1914, and March 1918, and let us hope it will find the same ending * as those stories found.” f Mr Duff-Cooper expressed confidence lhat these grave events would act—inJ deed, had already acted—as a tonic to i the nation, and remarked upon the - calm spirit of inflexible determination 3 he found wherever Jae went.