Every Sign That Hitler is Superceded

Manawatu Times, Volume 68, Issue 55, 6 March 1943, Page 5

Every Sign That Hitler is Superceded

Received Friday Midnight. LONDON, Mar. 5. Military experts in London state the evidence is conclusive that Hitler has been superceded as supreme commander of the Wehrmacht, says the Express correspondent, Mr. Morley Richards. It is considered certain that the generals have resumed complete control on the Russian front. Hitler was apparently suspended because of a belief that his intuition, anyrate temporarily, has stopped. There has also been a reshuffle of the field commanders. Von Manstein has left the southern command and now, it is believed, is in the rear. General Baron von Weicha, the aggressive tank commander, has replaced him. It is also thought von Bock has resumed a place of high command. This netovs is important because without Hitler’s spoiling hand, the German generals are unlikely to reproduce the blunders that led to disaster after disaster. Indeed, there is evidence tnat the Wehrmacht, in the last fortnight, is fighting under highly skilled direction. In the biggest purge of the German naval High Command in recent years, Doenitz has replaced ten admirals, says the Telegraph’s Stockholm correspondent. Admiral Boehm, commander of the German Fleet in Norwegian waters, has been replaced by Admiral Ciliax, who led the Scharnhorst, Gneisenau and Prinz Eugen, in the dash frojn Brest last year. Admiral Carls, comfnanding in northern waters, has been replaced by Admiral Kuemitz. Admiral Fricke, director of naval operations, is being transferred to the Mediterranean. Mi are newcomers and younger men experienced in modern naval warfare. All are described as upholders of the theory that the German Navy must go out and fight even at the risk of severe losses. Fricke’s transfer is regarded as a definite indication that the Italian Navy also going to be spurred into action.

By special arrangement Reuters world service, in addition to other special sources of information, is used in the compilation of oversea intelligence published in this issue, and all rights therein In Australia and New 7-ealand are leserved.