The Northern Advocate Daily “NORTHLAND FIRST” Registered for transmission through the post as a Newspaper THURSDAY, FEBRUARY 27, 1941. The Balkan Situation

Northern Advocate, 27 February 1941, Page 4

The Northern Advocate Daily “NORTHLAND FIRST” Registered for transmission through the post as a Newspaper THURSDAY, FEBRUARY 27, 1941. The Balkan Situation

THE world still awaits Hitler’s declaration of his intentions in the Balkans. This declaration will be made with the weapons of war, but there is nevertheless evidence that the Nazi leader has reached a stage when he must take definite action in some direction.

Cable news continues to be conflicting, and at times decidedly obscure. On the one hand there are reports of German concentration of force in or adjacent to Bulgaria, suggesting that Hitler is about to strike against Greece in the vicinity of Salonika.

There come at the same time reports that Yugoslavia may allow Hitler to attack Greece in the west, thus making possible Nazi assistance to the Italians, who, it must be admitted, have shown much greater resistance to the Greeks in this theatre than was anticipated in the face of the speed with which they were driven back from Greek territory.

The advent of the Royal Air Force has helped the Greeks considerably, and it is evident that if German support is not forthcoming soon,- the Italians will be swept back to the coast, It is therefore to be expected that the Germans are anxious to secure right-of-way through Yugoslavian territory to- Albania. The Yugoslavs have so far given no indication that they will countenance such movement, which means that Hitler must use force if he wishes to achieve his purpose. So far as the Salonika front is concerned, the situation is much more delicate from the point of view of Germany, as well as of Britain and Turkey. The question agitating the minds of critics is whether the Germans will deliberately violate Bulgarian sovereignty and march against Greece in an endeavour to seize Salonika as a base for future operations, or whether they realise that the opposition thej would encounter would be too strong. The moral aspect of the matter, we may be sure, is not agitating the Nazi conscience, for Bulgarian soil would be trodden without compunction if expediency suggested such action. Rather may it be assumed that the quantum of military opposition likely to be met is the sole factor influencing German plans.

In view of the conflicting nature of statements issued from day to day, it is difficult to form a definite conclusion as to the military strength which would be opposed to Germany in any attack upon Salonika. It is, however, cheering to read the opinion expressed by the Cairo correspondent of the London “Daily Express,” who says: “There is no danger of the Germans swooping unexpectedly through the Balkans as they did upon Norway and the Netherlands. We are ready for them.”

This statement is supplemented by another of greater importance, for it declares that the agreement between Britain, Turkey and Greece is much closer than was thought, and is now known to have existed for months. If this be true, there is every reason to anticipate with confidence any southward march which Germany may make through Bulgaria, with or without Bulgarian permission. \

It is worthy of note, when this aspect of the question is under review, that “The Times,” declares that the agreement between the three countries was arranged when the German menace to Bulgaria increased sharply, bringing with it the probability of a German advance to the Turkish and Greek frontiers. Whereas it was originally believed that this would be met by a Turkish thrust into Bulgaria, it was afterwards considered that Turkey would serve the allied cause better by awaiting events rather than committing her armies to a war inside the Bulgarian frontiers. This no doubt explains what has seemed to the uninitiated to be a mysterious silence on the part of Turkey, in whose adherence to obligations Britain has always maintained the utmost faith.

Whatever Germany’s intentions, it may be safely assumed that Britain is prepared to provide formidable support to Turkey and Greece. It is significant that a correspondent in the Middle East makes reference to islands in the Aegean which at once recall memories of the days of Gallipoli. Lemnos, Khios and Andros are declared to be powerful bases, from which British armies could be sent easily to the Greek mainland. It was on the island of Lemnos that Sir lan Hamilton made his headquarters during the Turkish campaign, and it was from that island that the immortal Twenty-ninth Division set out for Gallipoli, where, but for unfortunate circumstances, the fate of the World War might have been settled quickly. It is likely that these islands will play an important part in whatever struggle may develop in .the south-east of Europe. Mussonini’s attack upon Greece has placed these and other islands at the disposal of Britain, whose air, sea and land forces are now able to operate in a manner which would otherwise have been impossible. . . In view of all the circumstances, there is little 'doubt that the German. High Command, despite its swagger and professions of confidence, is anticipating with anything but cheerfulness the result of the struggle which will take plape if Germany persists in her intention to attack Greece.