The Week In Review

Northern Advocate, 11 May 1940, Page 6

The Week In Review

Monday Still holding the front line on the news front was the withdrawal of Allied troops from south of Namsos in Norway. While the generality of critics, awaiting the fuller explanation promised by Frime Minister Chamberlain, pulled their punches, Mr Lloyd George, Great War Prime Minister, and Mr Herbert Morrison, Labour leader, hit hard at the Chamberlain Administration. Said the former: “It is no use keeping up the pretence that things are going well for the Democracies. We are suffering not from one blunder, but from a series of -incredible botcheries.” Mr Morrison’s contribution was: “1 urge Mr Chamberlain, Sir John Simon and Sir Samuel Koare to consider whether • their best ~ service to the country would not be by war, but by resignation.” Foiitical activity behind the scenes indicated that there was a growing air of uneasiness about the Government's handling of the situation. According to “The Times” the public considered there was ample room for improvement in the State machine, while the “Daily Telegraph” suggested there would by a proposal for a small vand less cumbersome) War Cabinet. In the meantime, the Allies are making recompense for the setback by pressing hard on the German forces at Narvik. Capture and holding of this north Norway town would recover the rail route to Sweden’s iron ore fields, and would enable the Allies to strengthen Swedish defences in the event of the Germans overflowing into the territory of Norway’s neighbour. Tuesday Europe, standing to arms, switched apprehensive eyes from Norway to the Mediterranean-Balkan danger zone. evidently trying to force trie issue, rumoured it triat the Allies were planning to land a force at Salonika, and the conservative London “Times” admitted that the situation was very serious. Both Germany and Italy, with the well-known technique, protested their innocence of intention, but Mussolini’s men admitted triat they were taking precautions “because of French and British intrigues.” Russia zoomed into the picture again by concentrating six or eight motorised divisions on the Ruthenian border, and German military acttvity quickened in Slovakia. Slovakia, backed by Germany, bombarded Hungary with leaflets proclaiming to the Slovakian minority that the day of liberation was near. Italy became further embroiled with Yugoslavia as a result of frontier clashes in which an Italian soldire was slain, and a plane was downed. Maybe there will be work for the Anzacs to do shortly. Wednesday The inquest on Norway opened in a tense House of Commons when Frime Minister Chamberlain rose to amplify his previous statement and to try and soften the blow of the Allied evacuation of Southern Norway. An analysis of Mr Chamberlain’s speech showed that he did not add a great deal new to the surprise he released in the House last Thursday. The Allies, he said, struck where they did because of urgent appeals from the Norwegian Commander, which, had they not been answered, might have meant the instant collapse of Norwegian resistance. But this does not explain how the Allies, knowing, as Mr Chamberlain < admitted, the risks involved, did not; go about the job in a way which. would have made success at least a[ possibility, instead of a definite im- , possibility. Following Mr Chamberlain, Admiral[ Sir Roger Keyes told how the Navy

could have done the job and taken Trondheim without any trouble. But the attitude, surprising after the naval exploits at the outset of the Nazi invasion, seems to have paralleled that of 25 years ago ’ when the Navy, which could have forced the Narrows, stood off and watched the Allied forces fight vainly for possession of Gallipoli Peninsula. That, at least, is Admiral Keyes’ view, and, in his opinion, more vigorous action in Norway might have led to Germany’s defeat. Apart from prestige, the Allies, despite Mr Chamberlain’s warning against exaggerating the importance of the setback, lost a valuable opportunity. Had we been able to defeat the Germans in Norway, the way would have opened to carry the attack into Hitlerdom via Germany’s back-door—-and this would have been less costly, and quicker, than breaking through the Siegfried Line Let us face facts and learn the lesson: Hitler took a risk and got away with it; we had a chance and missed it. Thursday Forcing the Commons to a vote at the conclusion of the momentous debate on the Norway failure, the Labour Party failed to carry the day by 81 votes. Although this was the closest call the Cliamberlain Government has withstood, 124 members of the House were absent, or did not record their votes. Whether the absentees stayed away by design, or because of circumstances, is not known. First Lord of the Admiralty (Mr Churchill), who was expected to stiffen the somewhat lame defence accomplished by Mr Chamberlain, failed to remove the impression that there had

beeen a lack of decisive planning and vigorous action in the highest quarters. Mr Churchill, however, revealed a refreshing readiness to face facts—although slightly retarded—by admitting that the British failure was largely due to airpower deficiency. This state of affairs is no fault of Mr Churchill, who in recent years continually warned the Government of the growing disparity between British and German air strength. And just as often were his warnings ignored. It was ironical, then, that he had to announce: “The numerical deficiency of the Air Force has condemned us, and will condemn us for some time, to much difficulty and suffering and danger, which we must endure until more favourable conditions are estaolished.” Hence, parenthetically, the hurry-up with the Empire Air Scheme. Mr Churchill wound up his speech with the assertion that he and other Ministers took the fullest responsibility for accepting the unanimous view of the expert advisers not to take Trondheim by naval action but with land forces. Mr Duff-Cooper, who formerly held Mr Churchill’s position, was probably near the mark when he hazarded that this change of policy was influenced by the fear that loss of capital ships might have encouraged II Duce to fight.

Friday With the most momentous Commons debate since the onset of war concluded, spectators all over the world sat back to take stock. Speculation centred round the possible courses of Mr Chamberlain, who. even the most ardent of supporters will admit, suffered a moral defeat. Reconstruction of the Government seemed a certainty, but Labour was said to have indicated definitely that it would not join a Government led by Mr Chamberlain. • Some sources stated that the Prime [Minister would resign to make a i national Government possible, but [other opinion was certain he would [stick to the job. > Should he resign. First Lord (Mr [Churchill) and Foreign Secretary (Vis- ! count Halifax) were most favoured as ■his successor, with the odds on the [former because of the traditional objection to a House-of-Lords Prime Minister. [ So much for the indefinite outcome of the debate. More positive was the certainty that [the two days of straight talk would result in more vigorous War direction from Whitehall. Berlin and Washington particularly noted this fact. Said the “New York Times”: “The British people caji be relied upon to push the war with more determination than ever, and the firm fighting spirit behind all the hot words of the debate will remain, no matter what trial the nation may be called upon to endure,” Saturday Choosing the psychological moment when Allies were pre-occupied with post-mortem on Norway, Germany launched her long-awaited attack on Western Front. . . . Victims were neutral Holland, Belgium arid Luxemburg, while Swiss railways reported to have been bombed by foreign planes. . . . Allied support was readily promised, and, acting to prepared plan, mechanised forces swarmed across Belgian border to engage Germans. ... As if this wasn’t sufficient for one day, Prime Minister Chamberlain announced his resignation to enable formation of National Government. . . . Labour had earlier stated its willingness to serve in coalition regime under another leader. . . Brilliant Winston Churchill succeeds Mr Chamberlain, and Ministers are remaining at their posts pending reforming of Cabinet.