The Northern Advocate "NORTHLAND FIRST" Registered for transmission through the Post as a Newspaper. TUESDAY, MAY 23, 1944. THE HOUR APPROACHES.

Northern Advocate, 23 May 1944, Page 4

The Northern Advocate "NORTHLAND FIRST" Registered for transmission through the Post as a Newspaper. TUESDAY, MAY 23, 1944. THE HOUR APPROACHES.

THE eyes of the world are focussed on western Europe. This is but natural in view of the increasing tempo of the Allied air offensive against Germany and German-occupied territory. Today we are told that the greatest assault of its kind since the outbreak of the war was made by British and American aircraft yesterday in daylight, and continued throughout the night. The magnitude of the sweep made by Allied bombers, and the destructive results of their bombs, may or may not indicate that the launching of the expected offensive is at hand. The uncertainty on this point is undoubtedly a source of anxiety to the Nazis, who have every reason to fear that at any moment the greatest military adventure in history will be in full swing. However, while it is true that eyes are focussed oh western Germany and Italy, where the Allied offensive is making very gratifying progress, it is difficult not to pay special attention to developments in the Balkans. Bulgaria, for instance, undoubtedly is facing a crisis. The Bulgarian Premier is reported to have resigned, apparently as a result of the country receiving an ultimatum from Russia and another from Germany. This has placed Bulgaria “on the spot.” Germany, it is said, has demanded that the country shall immediately break diplomatic relations with Russia, while Russia has decreed that Bulgaria must define her position towards the Allies, for though she has not declared war on Russia, she has allied herself with the Axis, and done many things which have helped Germany. The time has come for Bulgaria to make a vital decision. It is just over three years (March 1, 1941) since Professor Filov, then Prime Minister of Bulgaria, signed a pact of his country’s adherence to the Tripartite Pact of Berlin between Germany, Italy and Japan.

The following day, German troops, following the propaganda technicians, “journalists” and “tourists” who had been filtering into the country for many weeks, entered Bulgaria in force and hastened to the strategic points which the Bulgarians had made ready for their occupation.

Within a week the British Government had broken off relations with Bulgaria. Six weeks later German troops were streaming from their Bulgarian base into Yugoslavia and Greece, and the Bulgarian Government, oblivious of pacts, declarations and assurances to its neighbours, was preparing to occupy, oppress and depopulate the coveted Yugoslva and Greek provinces which were the reward of treachery.

The prize then seemed to have justified the risk, and even when the German master attacked Russia his Bulgarian clients contented themselves for a while with a good deal of furtive grumbling and a little sabotage. But now that Hitler’s Russian adventure has turned out disastrously, now that Italy has collapsed, and Japan is playing a lone and losing hand thousands of miles away, while military objectives in Bulgaria are being bombed with increasing severity, there have been signs that Bulgarian public opinion had become increasingly upset. Today a political crisis has been precipitated, and Bulgaria is about to pay the price usually paid eventually by those who run with the hare and hunt with the hounds! Whether Russia attacks Bulgaria, or Bulgaria breaks with Germany, the latest development suggests that the United Nations may be about to make the, Balkans an integral part of the great invasion which is to overwhelm Germany. Time will tell.