Protection From Allied Invasion, Berlin Explains

Northern Advocate, 11 May 1940, Page 8

Protection From Allied Invasion, Berlin Explains

BERLIN, May 10 THE GERMAN OFFICIAL NEWS AGENCY STATES THAT THE GOVERNMENT SENT A MEMORANDUM TO THE BELGIAN AND DUTCH GOVERNMENTS INFORMING THEM THAT GERMANY HAD PROOF OF AN ANGLO-FRENCH ATTACK UPON GERMANY THROUGH BELGIUM AND HOLLAND WAS IMMINENT AND THE REICH GOVERNMENT HAD ACCORDINGLY ORDERED GERMAN TROOPS TO SAFEGUARD 'BELGIAN AND DUTCH NEUTRALITY.

IGermany is reported to have sent a similar Memorandum to Luxemburg. The German Memorandum added that the attempt by Britain and France to invade Scandinavia, was foiled, whereupon the Allies again took up the policy of widening the theatre of war in other directions.

Threat In Mediterranean. € “While the wild retreat of British troops from Norway was still taking place, the British Prime Minister announced that England, because of changed circumstances, was now able to shift the main force of the Navy to the Mediterranean, and that British and French units were already going to Alexandria,” the memorandum continued. “The Mediterranean has now been made the centre of British and French propaganda. “This is meant as a veil for the defeat in Scandinavia and less of prestige, and also to create the impression that the Balkans have new been chosen as the next theatre of war against Germany. “Just a Bluff.” “The apparent shifting of the British and French war policy to the Mediterranean, however, has served quite a different purpose. “It was nothing else but .a manoeuvre of deflection on a big scale in order to deceive Germany about the true direction of the next British and French attack. “The real intention is to attack Germany in the wesii by a longprepared and. now imminent attack against the Ruhr district through Holland and Belgium. “German troops have entered Belgium and Holland, not as enemies, but as friends. “Germany did not want this development, and did nothing to create it. “Responsibility rests entirely with the Allies. No Resistance Suggestion, “Germany promises not to touch Belgian and Dutch overseas possessions. “It is still possible for Belgium .and Holland to save their countries by ordering that no resistance be made to the Germans. “Should German troops be resisted, they will break the resistance with all the power at their disposal. The consequent useless bloodshed will then be the responsibility cf the Belgian and Butch Governments.” Favoured German Enemies. “Germany recognised and respected Dutch and Belgian integrity on condition that these countries were

strictly neutral in case of .a conflict between Germany and the Allies,” the German memorandum in Belgium and Holland stated. “Belgium and Holland did not fulfill this condition. “They favoured completely Germany’s opponents, while trying to keep up an appearance of neutrality.” The memorandum says that Belgian and Dutch newspapers surpassed even the British and French in their antiGerman attitude. In spite of German demarches on the unneutral attitude of the Belgians and Dutch, they repeatedly demonstrated that they were on the Allied side. , They greatly supported attempts by British intelligence agents to cause internal disruption in Germany and to erect a powerless, defenceless German Federal State. Under Protection. “Belgian and Dutch military measures have been a direct contradiction of their repeated assurances not to allow Belgium and Holland to be used as bases for belligerents’ operations,” the memorandum .adds. “Hitler has decided to take Belgium and Holland under his protection because he is not prepared to expose the Ruhr to attacks by the Western powers and their unneutral Allies. “It is also necessary to take Luxemburg under protection because it is within the scope of Allied machinations. Ribbenlrop to Speak. “Belgium and Holland have always promised to change their unneutral .attitude, but they did nothing to this effect. “The violation of Dutch neutrality by Allied aerodromes in a large number of cases was communicated to the Dutch Government, but the fact that it took no measures against these flights is proof that they were made with Holland’s full knowledge and approval.” The German Foreign Office in Berlin summoned newspaper men this morning for “an important .announcement,” by the Foreign Minister (von Ribbentrop).