BALKAN THRUST

Otago Daily Times, Issue 24430, 16 October 1940, Page 7

BALKAN THRUST

THREAT TO SOVET TURKISH PRECAUTIONS TROOP CONCENTRATIONS (United Press Association) (By Electric Telegraph—Copyright! LONDON, Oct. 14. Troops of many nations are concentrating in the Balkans. Shiploads ol Italians are being transported across the Adriatic from Bari and Brindisi to Durazzo and Valona. Turkey has concentrated 400,000 troops on her Bulgarian border. Messages from Athens reflect Greek alarm at the German and Italian moves in the Balkans. Greece fears an Axis pincers movement from Albania and Bulgaria. Italians have been warned to leave Greece immediately. Associated Press messages referring to Russian troop concentrations on the Balkans border say civilians have been evacuated 'from Cernauti and that 300 Russian fighter planes have arrived m , Bukovina, where many new hangars have been built. The Soviet is also reported to be constructing new aerodromes in Bessarabia, where 12 Russian infantry divisions, as well as artillery and motorised units, are stationed. Concentrations of river craft capable of. carrying 20 or 30 men each are massed on the Pruth River. Large fleets of Russian naval vessels are also gathered in the Pruth and Danube rivers. • . Turkish newspapers stress a possible German threat to Russia. The official newspaper Ulus suggests that Germany is possibly preparing a base to strike north of Rumania to check any Soviet move southwards. The Istanbul newspaper Tan says Russia would not allow the Dardanelles to fall into other hands. Sources in Tokio state that Germany is alarmed at British diplomatic moves in Russia and is sending a mission to Moscow. RUMANIAN OIL WELLS DESTROYED Three oil wells have been complexly destroyed near Baicot. The Rumanian censor suppressed any reference to the cause. German fire-fighters went to the scene after Rumanians had controlled the fires ’ A German naval mission is expected to arrive at Bucharest tomorrow, probably in connection with fhe construction of a naval base at Mamaia,‘where Italian Air Force units have already arrived to assist in the establishment of a seaplane base. According to German circles German troops in Rumania will soon number 10 divisions FAILURE OF THE BLITZKRIEG . Discussing the Balkan thrust, The Times says: Hitler has been compelled to recognise that the blitzkrieg against Britain is yielding no prospects of victory and. none of those quick, dramatic results necessary, for his prestige at. home and abroad Spain, in spite of the blandishments lavished on Senor Suner, has not committed herself, so far as can be divined, to a departure, fron? her watchful attitude. Marshal' Graziani has had time to experience some uncomfortable tealities of the campaign launched against Egypt at a moment when German bombers are supposed to be on the point of reducing London to ruins. The line of least resistance must have seemed to lead through the Balkans first Bloodless subjugation of Rumania has been successfully undertaken during the past week. An outline of the Axis plan now seems to be shaping itself It amounts to the administration of a coup de grace to Egypt and the Suez Canal by some fresh form of pressure, if not indeed by actual a 1 tack, from the north. In no other way can the so-called pincers of the Axis be made to close on the British stronghold in the Eastern ; Mediterranean POWER AND SPIRIT OF TURKEY “ There are two obstacles to the realisation of any such grandiose plan. The first is the power and spirit of Turkey. It is significant that, the successes of the Axis in south-eastern Europe have been achieved exclusively at the expense of those who allowed themselves to be bribed or terrorised Jugoslavia so far has been saved from molestation by her well-known determination to defend herself and by the reputation of her troops as stubborn fighters N: difficult country..' Greece has hitherto been spared because she presented a firm front to the bully Turkey is the strongest military power in the Near East and stands second to none, both in her proud assertion of her independence and in her capacity to resist any infringement of it. Turkey will be saved by her own resolution. The second obstacle to the project is the growing strength of Britain in the Eastern Mediterranean Had the Axis Powers been able to launch their offensive at the moment of the French armistice the threat might have been formidable Since then, however, successive reinforcements of men and materials have reached the British military, naval and air forces in the Near East.”