Stalin’s Satisfaction Over North African Events

Manawatu Times, Volume 67, Issue 271, 16 November 1942, Page 4

Stalin’s Satisfaction Over North African Events

(By Telegraph—Press Assn.—Copyright.) Received Sunday, 8.20 p.m. LONDON, Nov. 14.

“The Soviet view of the Allied campaign in Africa is that it demonstrates the growing might oi the Allied armed forces and opens up the prospect of the disintegration of the Italian-German coalition in the very near future,” said Mr. Stalin in a letter to the Associated Press Moscow correspondent, Henry

Cassidy. “The campaign again refutes the sceptics who affirm that the British and American leaders are incapable of organising a serious war cahipaign. No one but Mrst-rate organisers could have carried out with such mastery the quick occupation of the harbours from Casablanca to Bougie and smashing the Italian and German armies in the Western Desert.

“It is yet too soon to say to what extent the campaign will be effective in relieving the immediate pressure on Russia, but it may be confidently said that the effect will not be a small one and that certain relief in the pressure to Russia will result in the near future. “But what matters first of all is the passing of the initiative to the Allies. The result of the African campaign radically changes the political and war situation in Europe in favour of the British-Russian-American Coalition. The campaign undermines the prestige of Germany as the leading Axis force, demoralises Hitler's allies, releases France from a state of lethargy, unobilises the anti-Hitler forces iu France and provides a basis for building up an antiHitler French army. Finally, the campaign creates the prerequisite for the establishment of a second front in Europe nearer to Germany's vital centres. ”

The News-Chronicle’s correspondent in Moscow (Paul Wintcrton), referring to the great change iu the tone of Stalin’s letter from that of his criticism of the delay in opening a second front made six weeks ago, states / hat it is difficult to escape the conviction that Churchill and Stalin were working together in a plot to deceive the Axis.