PRIOR TALK OF PLOT

Nelson Evening Mail, Volume 79, 21 July 1944, Page 2

PRIOR TALK OF PLOT

HITLER’S CONDUCT OF WAR HOW GERMAN RADIO REACTED TO NEWS (Rcc 11.15 a.m.) London. July 20. At the. time the attempt was made to assassinate him, Hitler was obviously surrounded by bis own intimate entourage. the kingpins of the Nazi power, says Reuter’s continental observer. The list of casualties shows that almost the entire personal and military staff of '.lie Fuhrer was present. Therefore it s reasonable to presume that, when preparing to receive Mussolini, Hitler was probably the best guarded man in Europe so, apart from the question, • who did it?” is the more pertinent question, “who was in a position to do it?” Schroeder Ediro. chief of the German Overseas News Agency, broadcasting, said official quarters had cast an impenetrable curtain of secrecy over the details of the attempt on tilt Fuhrer’s

life. “EXTERMINATION OF RATS” The attempt against Hitler’s life was too much for the German news agency, according to the British United Press. The monitoring service agency's methodical How of news over the wireless teleprinter service suddenly stopped in the middle of a stock exchange report Then, after two attempts to re-start, the operator finally Hurriedly sent out a report with the majority of the opening sentences erased and corrected. The German home radio lost no chance of playing up the attempt. Suendermann, deputy press chief, declared, “Germany's enemies want to murder the Fuhrer, the conqueror of Bolshevism, symbol of the German people and pillar of Germany’s rise The news shook Germany like a bombshell. A sigh of relief went up from everyone when it was realised that the criminal’s aim was again foiled. The morning papers to-morrow • will carry the news in gigantic headlines to express joy at the failure of the attempt.” The German radio system, after the second announcement of the attempt against Hitler, dropped the remainder of the day's programme and played solemn music instead. This was just as well, says the British United Press, because the next item which Berlin

radio cancelled was a talk on the “extermination of rats.” A FORECAST There are at least definite signs that top-ranking men in the German armed forces were contemplating a revolt against Hitler or at least effective opposition of some kind, stated the “Daily Mail’s” Stockholm correspondent, cabling before the announcement of the attempt against Hitler’s life. The signs do not indicate that such a revolt will come soon or indeed at all, but show that elements of a first class military crisis exist. The German people inside Germany and in close touch with the. General Staff state that nearly 50 per cent, of the top generals and admirals, including most field commanders, during the past few weeks have expressed opposition to Hitler's war policies. Many of them are reported to have warned Hitler that the continuation of such policies might result in the useless sacrifice of the greater part of the Wehrmacht. So many expressions of opposition and warning are being put out simultaneously by so many German commanders and in such similar terms that they appear to be the result of concerted action. At least two military plots against Hitler —one of which involved assassination —are being talked about among the Wehrmach*