250 Planes Raid Yugoslav Capital

Manawatu Times, Volume 66, Issue 84, 8 April 1941, Page 7

250 Planes Raid Yugoslav Capital

naz ;; ro not expect easy WALKOVER . LONDON, April 6. A neutral military observer at Berne reported to-day that 250 German planes participated in this morning’s attack on Belgrade. There was a ten-minute air-raid alarm in Athens at 3 p.m. A German High Command communique says that bombers and fighters attacked military objectives in Yugoslavia, particularly at Belgrade, which was raided three times. The Belgrade railway station suffered particularly. Several Yugoslav aerodromes were attacked with explosive bombs and machine-gun fire. At the same time, Italian planes attacked aerodromes in the province of Herzegovina with great success. Crossing the Yugoslav and Greek frontiers, the German communique adds, German troops everywhere during the day had made contact with the* enemy. Despite the difficult conditions and the enemy resistance, the troops are proceeding ac c ording to plan. The Home radio claims that the Italian Air Force successfully bombed the Yugoslavian ports of Split and Kotar. The harbour works and many ships were destroyed. The Berlin radio said: “The campaign will be no military promenade, but, although hard, it will be won. The endless machinations of Communist agitators have won for the Balkans the title of ‘The Powder-keg of Europe.”' There is yet no definite fresh news of the fighting in the Balkans resulting from Hitler’s new aggression except to what comes from German sources. A German communique mentions acts of violation on the Greek and Yugoslav frontiers this morning and later bombing attacks. The same communique, in describing as a “counter-offensive” this fresh onslaught on two peoples which have never threatened Germany, gives the key to long propaganda statements emerging in almost identical form from Berlin and Rome. The model adopted in Hitler’s brutal descent on Norway is closely followed in a parade of fabulous accounts of British conspiracy and allegations of the connivance in them of the local Balkan leaders. The world knows that British diplomacy in the Balkans has persistently sought to prevent the spread of hostilities. It was for that purpose, as stated at the time, that the British Foreign Secretary, Mr Eden, went again to Athens. As to the Yugoslav leaders, it may be assumed that, like their predecessors in falling victim to Nazi outrage, they were determined not to risk compromising the neutrality it was their whole concern to preserve. A German communique states: “In consequence of the movements of British troops into North Greece and their co-ordination with the Yugoslav forces, the German Army resorted to a counter-offensive early this morning. The Greek-Serbian frontier was crossed at several points. The Luftwaffe successfully raided aerodrome* in Serbia, a* well as the fortress of Belgrade, and destroyed military objectives.” Another German communique says that Italian planes bombed important objectives in Southern Yugoslavia. Characteristic touches in the German communique are the use of the name Serbia for Yugoslavia and the description of the capital, which has been twice bombed, although it had declared an open city by the Yugoslav authorities, as “the fortress of Belgrade.” “German troops arc advancing everywhere in Yugoslavia and Greece after breaking weak enemy resistance except in the Struma Valley,” states the Berlin news agency. “The second air-raid on Belgrade was a mass attack which was extremely effective. Strong bomber formations attacked military objectives in the city. A number of aateesive fires added to those caused this morning which were still burning.” So far not a single word has reached London from Belgrade, but Germui wireless reports assert that the K.A.F flew into Yugoslavia on Friday, that th» R.A.F. has already taken over tin Yugoslav ground organisation, and tha British submarines have establishes bases at Kotor and Dubrovnik. The German radio also claims that GJ Yugoslav planes have been destroyed ii the air and on tho ground. The Ger mans, it says, suffered no losses. Full air-raid precautions have beei ordered throughout Hungary, and i complete black-out has been instituted. The Berlin radio announced thi mining of the East Mediterranean am warned neutral merchantmen to kee] within Turkish territorial waters. Received Monday, 9.20 p.m. WASHINGTON, April 5. The Amorican Red Cross announce that over a million t dollars’ worth of medicines, blankets and hospital equip toent are being shipped to Yugoslav!: without delay. The equipment include ten complete field fios£itals.