FIGHTING OCCURS

New Zealand Herald, Volume 81, Issue 24849, 22 March 1944, Page 5

FIGHTING OCCURS

NO TELEPHONE LINKS HORTHY'S WHEREABOUTS REFOIiTED A HOSTAGE (Reed. 11.15 p.m.) LONDON, March 21 The Ankara radio broadcast a mesgage from a special correspondent in Bucharest saying that the whole of south-east Hungary was now under German control. The correspondent added that these precautions were really more significant than they seemed to be. There was a great probability of a change in the situation at the front. According to the Berne correspondent of the Stockholm newspaper Svenka Dagbladet, who quotes reports from Budapest, two Rumanian divisions are helping the Germans. Fighting is occurring in many parts between minority groups. -Fifth columnists are reported to have captured the radio stations. Hungary was cut off by telephone from neutral countries in. Europe yesterday and there is no sign yet that the lines have been reopened. The Budapest radio, after a period of erratic behaviour, returned to normal last night and broadcast its news bulletin as usual,, including home items and Balkan reports. Earlier news had contained only reports from German iources. Round-Up in Budapest The Associated Press earlier quoted toe Ankara radio as asserting that the occupation of Hungary was decided upon when Admiral Horthy and other officials were risiting Hitler's headquarters. The Exchange Telegraph Company •aid: "It seems probable that Admiral Horthy has refused to provide troops for defence against the Russians. Hitler is reported to be holding Admiral Horthy and a number of Hungarian generals as hostages, says the Daily Mail. They were visiting Hitler's teadquarters at the Fuehrer s invitation when the Germans swiftly and treacherously marched into Plungar\ and seized all strategic points. Reports from Budapest say that the Germans invaded the country from the north. A great round-up of suspected persons in Budapest preceded the German entry, according to the 1 aris radio. The Daily Mail's Stockholm correspondent says de Kallay is reported to have been arrested during a round-up of political and military personalities »t tne week-end. Opinions of Diplomats The diplomatic correspondent of the Daily Express quotes diplomats in London with special knowledge of Hungary for the reasons behind Hitler's swoop. In the first place, he says, it is a sanction against Hungary for refusal to provide divisions of Hungarians to fill the great gaps in the German Army as the result of the Russian offensive. ■ Secondly, it is a step to protect Cermany from the danger of having Hungarians cut communications with the south and south-east at a critical period of the war. Thirdly, it is a warning to other satellites which may be tempted to angle for a separate peace, a warning that will apply particularly to Rumania, which is facing the near approach of the Russians and would like to drop out of the war and earn generous peace terms. GERMANS IN GREECE may soon be leaving LONDON, March -'0 The possibility that the Germans "Would soon be moving out of Greece J £as hinted bv Air Vice-Marshal Sir I £?> th Park, Air Commander-in-Chief, : Middle East, at Cairo, savs the British I united p ie <s. I He stated that the R.A.F. in the ] Middle EaU was preparing to fly stores, | and medical supplies to Greece as j soon as thnt happened. •; "'r Keith added that aerodromes north of Rome were not necessarily | £ lta l to the Allied attack on the Bal- | ? a " s i indicating hv tjiis that the Allies j P a d sufficient airfields at Eoggia and I ln the south to accommodate bombers | ® , fighters necessary to cover an in[l asioii force over tho Adriatic. 1 G IPT BOOKS DESTROYED I /LONDON. March I Over 1,00(1.(100 books and magazines, I ' oi »dy fo r distribution to the services I. .J-j rse j}, s ' w ere destroyed in a recent air n v?f majority wore given by the H Ic > a . n d an appeal has been made to § 6 Public to replace thein.