THE WAR EFFORT

Otago Daily Times, Issue 24608, 16 May 1941, Page 7

THE WAR EFFORT

NATION'S ENERGIES FULLEST UTILISATION LAST OUNCE REQUIRED RUGBY, May 14. The Secretary for India (Mr L. S. Amery), speaking at Coventry said that to judge the actual war situation it was necessary to see it in true perspective. He continued: "A year ago the German Army and Air Force were sweeping irresistibly across Holland and Belgium. Within a few weeks the splendid army of France, the mainstay of European freedom on land, was shattered like a pane of glass in helpless fragments, and France, dazed and bewildered, allowed herself to be handed over, bound and gagged, to a merciless conqueror Here'wc had a handful of trained soldiers salvaged miraculously at the sacrifice of all their equipment, and a larger force of men both untrained and unequipped for modern war. Nothing was wanted to assure for Hitler that triumphant entry into London, the date of which he had already fixed, but a few days' command over the Channel and Southern England; and fo'- that he looked confidently to his overwhelming air force. While the heart of the Empire was thus in immediate and deadly peril, General Wavell. at its main gateway in the Middle East, was facing Italian forces three or four times stronger than his own on each side of him. "What happened? First the air battle of Britain last autumn, the world's first great air battle, and perhaps its most decisive one, put an end to all Hitler's dreams of walking into and over our unarmed England; secondly, an air and submarine battle covering both Britain and its Atlantic approaches is in progress It calls for all our energy and skill to meet it. We shall see it through, and however long it continues Hitler will be no nearer the goal of his ambition here than he was when he gave up the first Battle of Britain six months ago The African Campaigns "in the General Wavell's brilliant campaigns not only annihilated both the Italian armies that had been so laboriously assembled for his destruction, but actually enabled him to do what no one could have dreamt of last autumn—despatch a substantial force to siiDDort the

Greeks in their heroic and most amazing stand against overwhelming forces. The strain thrown upon'Germany in the wholly unexpected campaign in the Balkans may well have thrown out of gear the whole of Hitler's plans for a victorious march across Turkey. Its effect upon Germany's communications and sources of supply may well, indeed, only be felt fully in the course of the coming months. Together with our unconquerable Greek Allies, ws hold Crete, with its immensely important strategical. position. "What is far more important than these purely military gains is the proof we have given to the world that we know how to stand by our friends." Emphasising that this is totsi war. not only in the sense that all share its dangers, but that all must be m it to the last ounce of energy, Mr Amery added: "It is a matter in which every individual has his own nersonal duty to fulfil. It is also a matter in which it is for all who are naturally or officially looked to for leadership to give a clear lead, whether they 'be employers or trade union leaders, members of Parliament or Ministers of the Crown. No existing vested interests or habits or usages must be allowed to stand in the way of the fullest utilisation of all the energies of the nation All tracks must be cleared for the War Express Unlimited."