BALKANS TRAGEDY

Otago Daily Times, Issue 24594, 30 April 1941, Page 7

BALKANS TRAGEDY

THE FATE OF GREECE GREAT HEROISM SHOWN MR CHURCHILL’S TRIBUTE (Rec. 7.30.) RUGBY, Apl. 28. Mr Churchill’s impressive speech was heard by an immense audience throughout the British Empire and in the United States There is also every reason to believe that its fearless and heartening message was carried to a vast number of homes in enemy-occu-pied Europe in spite of all the Nazi efforts I to suppress it. The speech was delivered too late for a full and considered appraisal, in the British press, but early comment seizes upon two main points, first, that there are no regrets that British aid to Greece had been forthcoming, and secondly, that the greatest battle of this World War must be»fought on the Atlantic, in which battle United States aid was of ever-increasing importance

American Press Comment

. In the United States, press comment is emphatic in support of Mr Churchill's view of the importance of the Battle of the Atlantic and is equally convinced that the fortunes of America are scarcely less concerned in the outcome of this battle than are those in Britain herself.

In the British press Mr Churchill s survey is applauded for the fact that it slurred over none of the tragic events in the Balkans and acknowledged the surprise and disappointment suffered in Cyrenaica “But," says the Daily Telegraph, “ he set 'all events in their true perspective and proportion. Let Hitler drive where he can —in the Near East, the Middle East, or the Far East—he will find no escape from, the grip of the sea and the marshalling armaments of Britain and the United States He must conquer us by invasion or cut the life line by which American supplies and munitions reach us, or fail utterly and fall." Greeks’ Magnificent Spirit

The magnificent spirit.in which the Greeks fought and the true comradeship of arms and endeavour which the Greek Army, people and Government have shown to the forces of the British Empire which came to their aid and shared with them the honours of a hard-contested retreat, have called forth a deep response from the public of Britain.

The Manchester Guardian expressed the sentiment of the whole of • the people when it declared: “Of all the tragedies of the war the most poignant is the tragedy of Greece. The Greeks haye written the most heroic chapter of the war and they have kept alive, too, the spirit by which one day, we will hope, and believe, they will recover their' freedom.”

Tradition of Liberty

Unanimity of sentiment is shown by the closeness of thought which inspired The Times statement: “To all lovers of the tradition of liberty and of that freedom of thought, which with so much else our world owes to Greece, the occupation of Athens by Nazi troops is one of the cruellest blows free men have endured since Hiller began, his career, of unbridled aggression. It is bitter to know that the swastika is how flying over the city which in the time of civilisation’s greatest weakness defied Alaric.and his GotbS.’’ • iO-'-ay - TipA-’v- . i

■ A message from Madrid states.that Mi- Churchill's broadcast was featured ori the front page of the Official Spanish Weekly, but the reference to the possibility of the war spreading to Spain and Morocco was omitted. The remainder of the Spanish press is bound to follow this lead.